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Zeroing at 25 Yards?

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wecole View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wecole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Zeroing at 25 Yards?
    Posted: October/15/2006 at 09:27

The nearest public outdoor range is over an hour from my house.  The closer private 100 yard gun club ranges all cost several hundreds of dollars to join.  There is a nearby indoor 25 yard range that has very reasonable (cheap!) prices to shoot by the hour.  They do allow centerfire rifles on the indoor range. 

 

Would I be able to get a decent zero on my rifle by zeroing at 25 yards?  I have used ballistic software that shows I should impact .25" high at 25 yards to get a 200 yard zero on my 30-30 with the Hornady LeverEvolution ammo.  That is based on a scope height of 1.5". 

 

If I do this, do I have any right to feel confident walking into the woods looking for whitetails? 

 

How about scope adjustments; if one click moves poi a quarter inch at 100 yards would I need four clicks to move that same quarter inch at 25 yards?

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Silent Sam View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Silent Sam Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/16/2006 at 23:15
You are correct on your clicks...assuming your scope tracks accurately. Is your scope height actually 1.5"? Have you chronographed that load out of your rifle? Software should get you close but is no guarantee, especially from 25 yds. If your group at 25 yds is any larger than a 30 caliber hole I would be very leery. Are you hunting from a solid rest? If you are asking if you have any right to be confident, I guess you have already answered that question...
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Urimaginaryfrnd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/17/2006 at 00:27
I dont really think of a 30-30 as a 200 yd rifle. It is more like a great under 100 yds rifle. I would rather see you shoot the actual distance rather than expect zeroing at 25 to do any thing more than get you close. If you want to get to 200 a .308 or 30-06 or 270 would be a better choice.

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
Bobby Paul Doherty
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wecole View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wecole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/17/2006 at 05:47

Thanks Sam and Friend.  I do measure 1.5" from the centerline of my chamber to the centerline of my scope.

I will use the indoor range to get on paper and then truck out to the public range one weekend before season to confirm at 100 yards. 

Hornady is claiming 2400 fps from 30-30 LeverEvolution out of a 24" barrel.  I have seen multiple posts on several boards from folks with 20" barrels (like mine) who chronographed the ammo in the 2340-2360 fps range. 

With its pointy urethane nose, that bullet has a higher ballistic coefficient than a typical flat-nose 30-30.  The software I have been using calculates a 230 yard point blank range for a 6" vital zone.  While most of my hunting will be relatively close range, there is one area of public land nearby that has some 150-200 yard opportunities. 

 

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Silent Sam View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Silent Sam Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/17/2006 at 07:45
Good decision. The deer deserve it. Let us know how that ammo does...
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mwyates View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/17/2006 at 15:28

I wouldn't hunt without shooting further than 25 yds.  Lots of times I've thought I was pretty close at 25 yds and then shots at 100 were 6" or more off.  I sight my .30-30 1" at 100 yds.  I'm on as far as I'll ever shoot with it.  (about 125 yds is my max).

 

 

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