zero-ing question.. what height the target?

[Barms 98]

sorry if this seems idiotic but maybe it can help some noobs too..

 

given how much I've learned about bullet trajectories here..    what "height" do you guys set the target versus where your barrel height is?

 

i.e.  if you are laying prone and the barrel is 12 inches off the ground.. is the "bullseye" you are aiming for 12" off the ground too?

 

if you are seated at a bench is the bullseye bench height too?   Or does it not matter..   like if you are laying prone are you shooting at a target that is 3 feet off the ground?

 

I wouldn't have asked this question before I found out about the ups and downs of a bullet in flight.

 

For my purposes I think I will be going for the 50/200 method.    

[M4BGRINGO 139]

Not that this will help answer your question, but I did read an interesting way to zero-in a scope. I had to read it several times before I actually understood what they were doing!

 

You need to have a solid rifle vise though, THAT is what would have helped my dumb-head understand their method the first time around. Only takes two shots also.

 

Clamp rifle in rest FIRMLY!

Take first shot.

Make sure rifle has NOT moved!

Adjust scope so the crosshairs are on the first bullet hole.

Make sure rifle has NOT moved.

Take second shot. It should be in the same hole as first shot, or close to it.

 

FINITO!

[vladtepes 1,060]

I'm still willing to bet that ideally set it up inline with the gun..., but with that said its not gonna make a significant distance at close range...

 

I think when you get some distance on it.. Or a really steep angle then it will matter because the bullet travels on an arc... And if the target is higher or lower you will need to adjust... But I can only see that happening at distance... But I may be wrong..

[Porthole 15]

Food for thought - what are the range rules?

 

At CJRPC the target has to be positioned to insure your bullet will impact the berm at 220 yards.

 

And because of issues related, the newest rule is:

 

EFFECTIVE EMMEDIATLY Only 6ft tall Target holders are to be used on the 50 and 100 yard ranges. Absolutly no bottles, cans, bowling pins, or any other target is to be placed on top or infront of the 50 and/or 100 yard berm.

EVERY BULLET YOU SHOOT MUST GO INTO THE BACK BERM.

 

(cut and paste, not my spelling)

[Vlad G 345]

Short answer: It doesn't matter, within reason, ie heights you are likely to stick targets to and not hit the ground or shoot over the berms. 

 

Long Answer: It REALLY doesn't matter. There is something called the rifleman's rule that deals with deviations at long ranges, when shooting uphill or down hill (and here is a simpler explanation) but all those things matter at long distances and aggressive angles but at the distance you are zero'ing and the miniscule angle it is unimportant. Even if you think you should worry about it for the sake of perfection, it is even worse because whatever adjustments you make will probably forget that your rifle always shoots "upwards" compared with the sight line because of sight height offset, making the maths even harder. And then it really really doesn't matter because most people will never take those sort of shots where it matters (ie mountain goat hunting, or Afghanistan sniping). And then it REALLY REALLY doesn't matter because for it to matter you need to know your very exact range which means laser range finders which nowdays means laser rangefinders that auto-correct for the problem anyway.

 

So don't worry about it.

[COLTGUY 0]

Hunting Pa. Whitetail we never found a need to sight in @ more or less than the 100 yard mark. @ 50 your a bit high, (of course ammo details can change things but we shoot for the same beast every year so ammo will always be the key factor to a sight in. )  change your ammo = redo the sight in, or redo the sight in for that particular bullet and area being hunted. ie; knowing your shooting @ minimum 150 - 250 then a sight in for flat land is of course at 200, I apply this or did every year till I got Sick. hope it helps. make it simple as others are saying, ITS the bad shakes we get that screws me up, LOL, ok sometimes. now I don't have to worry about it. at least for now. great question. great site. glad to be hear.

[Back on target 0]

Not that this will help answer your question, but I did read an interesting way to zero-in a scope. I had to read it several times before I actually understood what they were doing!

 

You need to have a solid rifle vise though, THAT is what would have helped my dumb-head understand their method the first time around. Only takes two shots also.

 

Clamp rifle in rest FIRMLY!

Take first shot.

Make sure rifle has NOT moved!

Adjust scope so the crosshairs are on the first bullet hole.

Make sure rifle has NOT moved.

Take second shot. It should be in the same hole as first shot, or close to it.

 

FINITO!

that is the way I learned it about 35 years ago and it works great. 2, max 3 shots.

[Barms 98]

Yeah guys. I wasn't asking because I'm trying to replicate sniper moves... I was only thinking about it after the 50/200 post a couple weeks ago.. And was just wondering about shooting angles. But I'll take the answer as "it doesn't matter"

 

Thanks!

[njJoniGuy 2,133]

 

... There is something called the rifleman's rule ...

 

Thanks Vlad, for that flashback to 12 grade trig with Big Al Kravitz (may he burn in hell)!

[Vlad G 345]

 

 

Thanks Vlad, for that flashback to 12 grade trig with Big Al Kravitz (may he burn in hell)!

 

 

LOL