Newbie scope adj question

[LH2]

I haven't shot a match yet. I bought a new CZ452 and Sightron SII 6-24x and got as far as establishing that POI = POA at 50 yards. Then I got kinda frustrated having never dialed in a scoped rifle before and set it aside for a few months.

I realize 50 yards is pretty close to chicken range, but when I fire at the 100 yard berm, my shots aren't on the paper, and I'm not sure which way to turn the scope elevation knob.

Also, it seems like I may be running out of adjustment room on the knob itself, can this be possible?

Any AZ shooters that go to Rio Salado able to help me out?

[Jetmugg]

You should check out an article called "scope slope" or something like it on the home page archive of technical articles. There is some good stuff there. It is possible that your scope doesn't have enough adjustment range for the 100 meter distance. If so, you need to slope the scope downwards, either by using mounts which allow for the slope, or by shimming (not recommended for a high end scope like a sightron).

Every rifle and ammo combination will be a little different with respect to drop at each distance. My numbers are as follows, using a CZ Varmint, Weaver KT-15, and Wolf MT ammo

40 meters - scope setting = 0

60 meters - scope setting = 2 minutes up

77 meteres - scope setting = 5 minutes up

100 meters - scope setting = 9.2 minutes up

These settings should get you on the paper, then you will have to fine tune for your particular setup.

SteveM.

[jneihouse]

First of all, I encourage you to fight through the discouragement. Don't give up. Are there other silhouette shooters where you shoot? Most are very helpful.

Second, keep in mind that gravity begins to act on a rifle bullet as soon as it leaves the barrel. So, you have to aim higher to hit a target farther away to compensate for bullet drop. The elevation adjustment knob on your scope will have an arrow pointing in a direction (usually conter-clockwise) that is marked "up". Using Jetmugg's calculations you should be able to get zero'ed

Kitty

[LH2]

Every rifle and ammo combination will be a little different with respect to drop at each distance. My numbers are as follows, using a CZ Varmint, Weaver KT-15, and Wolf MT ammo

40 meters - scope setting = 0

60 meters - scope setting = 2 minutes up

77 meteres - scope setting = 5 minutes up

100 meters - scope setting = 9.2 minutes up

These settings should get you on the paper, then you will have to fine tune for your particular setup.

SteveM.

Thanks Steve!

So if 40M is zero, 60M is 2 minutes up, but is 77M 5 more minutes up (so actually 7 minutes up from 40M zero)? Or is 77M just 3 minutes up from 60M setting?

My Sightron has 1/8 clicks, so I surmise that 8 clicks = 1 MOA or 1" at 100 yards, right?

I think I just need to go on a calm day and spend some time at it.

Bummer that at my range I've got to shoot at 50 yards, 75 yards and 100 yards. I'll move to another, silhouette-specific range later but cannot access that range until I've shot 3 matches.

So I guess if I set my zero at 50 yards, I'd be a bit high on chickens, but a few clicks down on elevation would fix that. Same thing at 75 yards for 60M pigs.

[Jetmugg]

Sorry for the confusion.....

Those scope settings are absolute measurements, not relative measurements. You don't have to add the values together to get where you need to be.

I haven't seen how the Sightron turrets are set up, but my Weaver turrets read directly in MOA. I would suspect that the Sightrons are very similar.

When you get to an actual Silo match, they will most likely allow you plenty of time before the match starts (get there early) to get your sight settings correct for the actual distances. Write these settings down on a piece of masking tape and stick them on the side of your rifle or scope. That way, you can double check your settings before each stage of the match. You might also want to record the values in a small notebook to keep track of any long term changes.

Most of all - get out there and shoot. I'm pretty new at this game, but it sure is fun.

SteveM.

[LH2]

Thanks again Jetmugg.

I know I just need to enter a match and get started and I know it'll be addicting.

In the 100 rounds or so I've put through my CZ I can tell that it is accurate, I was just freaked out by the scope but I think I'll get it.

[Jetmugg]

Here's a pretty good silhouette site put together by a guy who is located in Arizona. He's got some good ballistic tables, scope settings, photos of different holding styles, etc.

http://members.cox.net/riflesilhouette/

I'm not sure if he's anywhere near you or not.

SteveM.

[ppkny]

It's a good idea to make sure your scope is in the center of its travel both for height and windage before you start the mounting operation. An easy way to do this is to use a simple 'V' block. By placing the scope in the 'V' block and looking at a object down range you can rotate the scope through a 360 arc and make sure the crosshairs stay centered on your impact point. Adjust the knobs up/down and left/right and adjusting at the 180 degree points will accomplish this.
Once you are in the center of your travel mount the scope and fire some test shots before adjusting.(use a large paper). You don't want to adjust to far from center in either direction. If you are way off some shims usually in the rear (.002/.004) could be needed to get the scope to travel from the chickens to the rams within a accepatable range in the scope travel. If you're way off on windage check your mounts for center.

[LH2]

Made some real progress today with my new CZ & scope. At least I understand how the scope adjustments work now and which way to turn the knobs.

I put 250 rounds total down range, started out at 50 yards and got my zero there. Realized at 50 yards, most ammo groups pretty well, but 100 yards separates the men from the boys.

At 50 yards from my portable MTM rest I can cover 5 shots with a nickel. My best 100 yard 5-shot group with Eley Target Rifle just about fit under a quarter, but most groups with all ammo I tried were closer to 1.5-2".

It started getting pretty breezy and that wasn't helping matters.

I bought a brick of SK Standard Plus and it seems like good stuff, it definitely out perfomed the Aguila Super Extra.

Eley Target Rifle gave me a couple excellent groups but a couple flyers out of 50 as well.

Federal Gold Medal Target was actually the best at 50 yards, but I forgot to save some for the 100 yard test.

I also have 3 more types of ammo on hand I haven't tried yet - CCI Standard, Fiocchi Super Match 320, and RWS Target Rifle.

I guess I've established that the rifle + scope is accurate and capable, so now it's time to practice offhand and enter a match.

[Jerry G]

Don't waste your time at 50 yds. Try your groups at 40m and if they look good then move out to 100m. A lot can happen to a bullet between 60m and 100m so check your groups at the ram distance. It will save you a lot of frustation.

If you are just starting, you should shoot offhand at paper targets. That way you know where all your shots are going and you will be able to make corrections better.

The scope settings he gave you are real close to the ones I use. It will get you close to the animal so you can make your own corrections from there. It is a good idea to write your scope settings on a piece of tape and stick it to the rifle or scope.