50 versus 100 yard zero on a .22lr rifle

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  • Which is better a 50 or 100 yard zero on a .22lr rifle?


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    DanVoils

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    Some friends and I have discussed which is better; a 50 or 100 yard zero on a .22lr rifle. I think knowing it's a 50 yard zero and using hold over/BDC is better than using a hold under. Since most of my shots would be at 50 to 75 yards I think not having to reverse engineer the BDC is better.
    Any thoughts or credible data on which is better?
     

    Bigtanker

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    I guess it would depend on what you plan to do with the rifle. If it's a field hunter, 50 would be about right. Of course that depends on what your hunting and how for you will be shooting at a given range. If it's a range gun and you shoot at 100 yds all the time, 100 is the correct answer.

    50 yards is where I zero mine in. I shoot them at 100 yds so I know the holdover.
     

    bwframe

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    Sight-in Your .22 LR Rifle At 75 Yards!

    ...
    Zero range...Muzzle...25 yards...50 yards...75 yards...100 yards

    25 yds...........-1.5..........+/-0...........-0.06........-1.89.........-5.59
    50 yds...........-1.5..........-0.01..........+/-0.........-1.80.........-5.47
    75 yds...........-1.5..........+0.59.........+1.19.......+/-0..........-3.10
    100yds..........-1.5..........+1.38.........+2.76.......+2.33........+/-0
    ...

     
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    churchmouse

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    I guess it would depend on what you plan to do with the rifle. If it's a field hunter, 50 would be about right. Of course that depends on what your hunting and how for you will be shooting at a given range. If it's a range gun and you shoot at 100 yds all the time, 100 is the correct answer.

    50 yards is where I zero mine in. I shoot them at 100 yds so I know the holdover.

    50 is the number we use and the hold over is easy to figure.
     

    King31

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    I definitely think a 50 yard would be much better. Mine is always lined up at about 25 yards for squirrel hunting though. It drops about 6 inches at 100 which is pretty consistent with that data. I never shoot over 50 yards in the woods, so it is all about your intended use.
     

    natdscott

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    Why wouldn't you just generate a set of zeroes for every range you need, then dial appropriately?!

    Yes, there are some sighting systems that don't lend well to this approach, but most modern scopes do fine.

    A lot of guys get married to "da zero" like it is some immovable constant. That's bullhockey, so don't be that guy. Even if you DON'T dial for range as I do, most rimfire rifles need their POI checked regularly, and they ALL need different zeroes for winter use of the same ammo.

    -Nate
     

    Twangbanger

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    Why wouldn't you just generate a set of zeroes for every range you need, then dial appropriately?!

    Yes, there are some sighting systems that don't lend well to this approach, but most modern scopes do fine.

    A lot of guys get married to "da zero" like it is some immovable constant. That's bullhockey, so don't be that guThe solution is not finding a better "range" to zero at. y. Even if you DON'T dial for range as I do, most rimfire rifles need their POI checked regularly, and they ALL need different zeroes for winter use of the same ammo.

    -Nate

    EggZactly! "Battle sight zero" is an anti-riflemanship concept that needs to be banished to some remote island. Rifles are artillery pieces, not laser beams, and 22 LR is a "rainbow" cartridge. A parabola, is a parabola, is a parabola...finding the "right" distance to zero at is not the answer.

    If a 2~3" mid-range hold-under on a 100 yd. zero is "too imprecise" for the type of target you're shooting...then you probably need to be learning your rifle, mapping your scope and cranking your knobs.
     
    Last edited:

    patience0830

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    Sight-in Your .22 LR Rifle At 75 Yards!

    ...
    Zero range...Muzzle...25 yards...50 yards...75 yards...100 yards

    25 yds...........-1.5..........+/-0...........-0.06........-1.89.........-5.59
    50 yds...........-1.5..........-0.01..........+/-0.........-1.80.........-5.47
    75 yds...........-1.5..........+0.59.........+1.19.......+/-0..........-3.10
    100yds..........-1.5..........+1.38.........+2.76.......+2.33........+/-0
    ...


    With what ammo?


    32 yds because thats how far it is from the pump house to the target stand. And it works in the squirrel woods.
     

    bwframe

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    With what ammo?...

    From the article in the link:

    ...Here is a simple table that shows the results of using a ballistic calculator. This is the trajectory in inches for a typical .22 LR 40 grain, round nose bullet at 1255 fps MV when zeroed at different ranges.

    Zero range...Muzzle...25 yards...50 yards...75 yards...100 yards
    25 yds...........-1.5..........+/-0...........-0.06........-1.89.........-5.59
    50 yds...........-1.5..........-0.01..........+/-0.........-1.80.........-5.47
    75 yds...........-1.5..........+0.59.........+1.19.......+/-0..........-3.10
    100yds..........-1.5..........+1.38.........+2.76.......+2.33........+/-0

    A few comments are in order. All calculations start with -1.5 inches, because this is the difference between the center line of the bore of the rifle barrel and the center line of the scope (the line of sight). When zeroing a rifle for hunting small game animals, due to the small size of their kill zone, it is reasonable and customary to allow the bullet no more than +/- 1.5 inches deviation from the line of sight. +/- 1.5 inches thus defines the maximum point blank range (MPBR) of a .22 LR hunting rifle...
     

    55fairlane

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    I do a 25m zero, then I rezero at 50m,75m and 100m. I then make up a "dope chart" cut it out and paste it inside my rear scope cap.....



    Aaron
     

    snapping turtle

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    We have always gone with a 35 yard zero on tree rat rifles. Seemed fairly dead aim 0-50. No charts no dope no cut and paste. Place x hairs on head and pull trigger. Have a kimber 82g set for 50 meters and a kimber 82g set for 100 meters. So I just change rifles for long shots at the range. A 12 pound plus rifle not a hunter unless you are Atlas.
     

    BigMatt

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    50 yards is where I zero my squirrel gun. I am not good enough in the woods to hit one at 100.
     

    bobjones223

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    I have to agree with most of the stuff already posted and agree it depends on what you are doing with it?

    If it is a range gun that you shot 100 yards all time then of course zero it in at 100 yards.

    As for a field gun, most of my tree rat shots are in the 25yrd to 50yrd range and 50 yards is VERY rare. So I agree with jmarriott above with the 35yrd number. I know everyone wants to discuss the even numbers that we all know (25, 50, 100, 200, etc.) but for hunting purposes I feel it better to look at what the average distance is and zero in at it? :dunno:
     

    42769vette

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    Zero distance couldn't matter less. What matters is knowing your dope. If you want to zero your 22LR at 500 yds, as long as you know your come downs, you will do just as well as the just who sighted in at 50, and knew is come ups, and better than the guy who sighted in at 100 and said "right about there should work"
     

    patience0830

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    Zero distance couldn't matter less. What matters is knowing your dope. If you want to zero your 22LR at 500 yds, as long as you know your come downs, you will do just as well as the just who sighted in at 50, and knew is come ups, and better than the guy who sighted in at 100 and said "right about there should work"

    Wisdom spoken here from a feller who shoots a fair bit.

    If it was targets or over watch duty, I'm with ya.

    Hunting squirrels inside 50 yds, the 32 yd zero works well as long as you remember to hold over a bit under 10 yds and hold under when they're WAAAAAY up in the top at near vertical angles. Questions about that second statement, I'll refer to "Ted's Holdover" on you tube.
     

    natdscott

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    My hunting rifle scopes are old (well classic) my 22 target scopes are old (well classic) so it is not as easy to dope up and down. I should buy more from Allen.

    Well, if you find yourself getting rid of steel-tube classics from the 60's and 70's or earlier, there's a pretty fair market if they're in good shape.

    -Nate
     

    42769vette

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    Dope has nothing to do with dialing. When you hear "know your dope" it basically means knowing your ballistics, IE, knowing what happens to the bullet after it leaves the barrel. So if you zero at 250 yards, and know where the bullet is at 25, and adjust accordingly (dialing, or holding) your good. If you zero at 25, and know where the bullet is at 250, your good. Obviously my first post was exaggerated to drive the point home (no one zero's a 22 at 500), but I think folks get the picture. Mathematically no zero is better or worse than a different zero as long as you know your ballistics.
     

    snapping turtle

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    Well, if you find yourself getting rid of steel-tube classics from the 60's and 70's or earlier, there's a pretty fair market if they're in good shape.

    -Nate

    i don't think my El Paso made weavers or Denver made redfields will be on the market until my death. After that who knows. Still use a straight up fixed Leopold 6x on my 222 rem. With that target dot that is one sweet scope.
     
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