How to zero a scope

[johnny8977]

I think there is something important missing from this thread, that when I found out helped me a lot.

The zeroing methods mentioned work fine, but there is an important point about what range to zero at.

I used to zero at 35 yards, the reason being I thought it would be easier as I could never seem to get too close to rabbits. But I seemed to miss a hell of a lot of shots. Using Chairgun I found out why -

if you zero out too far, when you initially shoot, you're effectively shooting up in the air and the pellet is coming down at your zero range. This means that the range at which your pellet is 'in line' with your cross hairs might only be from 33 yards to 36 yards, a small margin of error. Everything either nearer or further you had to hold uder or over.

BUT, if you zero'ed at say 28 yards, you fire almost straight and the pellet doesn't drop until after 28 yards, so basically anything between you and 28 yards is bang in line with your cross hair.

Admittedly, it means you have to 'hold over' at a shorter distance, but you can be sure that up to 28 yards, you can just 'point and shoot' so to speak.

Hope this makes sense and helps someone. If in any doubt, download Chairgun and have a play around.

The examples I gave were for .22, it is less pronounced with .177. Instead of 28 yards, I think around 33 yards gave the least parabolic trajectory.

[ojs]

I think there is something important missing from this thread, that when I found out helped me a lot.

The zeroing methods mentioned work fine, but there is an important point about what range to zero at.

I used to zero at 35 yards, the reason being I thought it would be easier as I could never seem to get too close to rabbits. But I seemed to miss a hell of a lot of shots. Using Chairgun I found out why -

if you zero out too far, when you initially shoot, you're effectively shooting up in the air and the pellet is coming down at your zero range. This means that the range at which your pellet is 'in line' with your cross hairs might only be from 33 yards to 36 yards, a small margin of error. Everything either nearer or further you had to hold uder or over.

BUT, if you zero'ed at say 28 yards, you fire almost straight and the pellet doesn't drop until after 28 yards, so basically anything between you and 28 yards is bang in line with your cross hair.

Admittedly, it means you have to 'hold over' at a shorter distance, but you can be sure that up to 28 yards, you can just 'point and shoot' so to speak.

Hope this makes sense and helps someone. If in any doubt, download Chairgun and have a play around.

The examples I gave were for .22, it is less pronounced with .177. Instead of 28 yards, I think around 33 yards gave the least parabolic trajectory.

Now thats a top tip right there. nice one .

Perhaps this would be the right place to ask this question but has anyone used a hawke optics shot saver. Recently got one but do not have a clue at which range it is set-up if you use the marked crosshairs to align the scope.
Any ideas?

[carbine1]

Reading the instruction for the map pro 6 scope, it mentions that your air rifle should not be under powered (below 11ft lbs) or you will have trouble zeroing your scope at 30yds!!

In my case I centred both turrets on my scope and then fired a shot at 30yds. The shot was 3" low.

Now, if my gun was under powered it would shoot low. The more air I let out of the gas ram the lower it would shoot and vice versa, up to 11-12ft lbs.

As for the model and make of gun, it wouldn't really come into the equation. Surely it would be down to the power output of the gun.

[bearhunter]

Hi all this is my first post and I would like to say after joining lots of forums this seems to be the one for me
I live in N Ireland were everything requires a FAC so power etc isn't a problem but as I'm a complete newbie I have lots of questions.
My father and I both got our FAC's at same time and I got a weihrauch w80 and my father got a webley eclipse and both guns are in .22
my gun and I seem fine with tight groupings at 25 yards with the artillery hold but my father is having problems getting his zeroed in as the pellets don't seem consistent and hold the gun steady to zero seems a problem. I understand that a springer should not be held tight and should be allowed to recoil back and forward so can someone plz help me out so my father and I can shoot some vermin.

[bearhunter]

Pellets we are using are jsb jumbo exacts, is there a way were he can setup something to hold the gun steady but allow for recoil then we can get over this matter and get some action? Also should I leave him to shoot his own gun and zero it in as he may shoot different from me and don't think he is a fan of the artillery hold.

[Jay Jay]

Sub 12

I zero 177 and 22 at 30 yards I treat each calibre same I dont use chairgun Im old skool. I would recommend zeroing at 30 yards and then getting yourself down your local club test aim points. I ONLY use dome headed pellets aswell and recommend you try different brands different head sizes aswell.

[Dead eye kai]

It may not be you fathers hold. It may be that the eclipse doesn't like jsb's. Every barrel is different and will prefer different pellets. An example is my 97kt loves jsb exact in 4.42 but there is a guy at my local club who also shoots a 97kt but he uses jsb exact express. Same gun different pellet. Try and get some samples of different pellets. As for the hold. Get him a large bean bag to rest his leading hand on. Get him to shoot from a table sitting down in a comfy position. Like you say theres no point hunting if you can't hit what your aiming at. One he'll get disheartened and two its not fair on the animal if you can't cleanly dispatch it in one shot. Hope this helps a bit.