Sighting in your rifle

kcult

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I have got to get more seriouser about my technique and equipment used to sight in my rifles.

In the past, I've used the tailgate or hood of my truck with various objects used to level and steady the rifle. Anything from spare tires to old kitty litter containers, and anything in between.

I'm not really hung up on the bench and I don't think I want to spend the time building, or the money buying, a specialty piece of furniture, when I have plenty of tables and chairs where I shoot. I'm more interested in what holds the rifle.

What are you guys using?
 
A table, a chair, and a bunch of shooting bags serve me well. I make the bags from sections of the legs of old blue jeans filled with sand, oil absorber, or something similar and tied at each end.
 
A Bulls Bag and a card table for seated work or the bag and the bed rail of the truck for standing work. Nuttin' fancy.
 
I built a nice shooting bench out of spare treated lumber I had.
https://carolinafirearmsforum.com/index.php?threads/built-a-wooden-shooting-bench.45633/
It really works great but I need to build a separate pistol shooting table.
I have a cheap little Caldwell Rock jr rest that I got somewhere for $20. It works pretty well for most rifles but it's not great for ARs and others with longer detachable mags. I've used the bigger Rock rest and they're pretty nice.
I've used sandbags but you're toting sand around in your range bag.........and they do bust.

The lead sled will take out recoil but I don't use anything like that. A good recoil pad on the bigger rifles works just like it will when I shoot a gun in the field or at the range. I'm not sighting in over 100 yards either so there's that.
 
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What holds the rifle? YOU HOLD THE RIFLE. You can get added stability from a quality bipod in front and a squeezable bag in the rear. If you don't have a bipod, use a bag. If you don't have a bag, make one with nut shells or plastic beads. Don't use anything that will absorb moisture.
 
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Next time @11B CIB is there...

iu
 
I have got to get more seriouser about my technique and equipment used to sight in my rifles.

In the past, I've used the tailgate or hood of my truck with various objects used to level and steady the rifle. Anything from spare tires to old kitty litter containers, and anything in between.

I'm not really hung up on the bench and I don't think I want to spend the time building, or the money buying, a specialty piece of furniture, when I have plenty of tables and chairs where I shoot. I'm more interested in what holds the rifle.

What are you guys using?

lol on kitty litter containers.

I'm mostly the same way. to date have mostly trained defensive type shooting (</=100yards) at steel targets 90% of time. So the true effects of ad hoc zeroing not very apparent. Now with training for hunting more seriously, have had to take my zeroes more seriously. I've had success with sandbags on ground (prone).

My biggest 'zero' related deficiency right now is a range finder. It would help to know what distance im ACTUALLY zeroing at (or shooting post-zero). I waste a lot of money and time because my theoretical trajectory holds are not panning out, likely because I think im zeroed at 7 yards and its actually 9 or 10. Id much rather be 'confirming' my holds than 'discovering them'. But range finders are yet another pricey toy competing for discretionary dollars :/
 
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lol on kitty litter containers.

I'm mostly the same way. to date have mostly trained defensive type shooting (</=100yards) at steel targets 90% of time. So the true effects of ad hoc zeroing not very apparent. Now with training for hunting more seriously, have had to take my zeroes more seriously. I've had success with sandbags on ground (prone).

My biggest 'zero' related deficiency right now is a range finder. It would help to know what distance im ACTUALLY zeroing at (or shooting post-zero). I waste a lot of money and time because my theoretical trajectory holds are not panning out, likely because I think im zeroed at 7 yards and its actually 9 or 10. Id much rather be 'confirming' my holds than 'discovering them'. But range finders are yet another pricey toy competing for discretionary dollars :/

Where do you shoot at? I can spot and range for you to give you precise holds.
 
Used to use and sometimes still do, a Caldwell Lead Sled DFT2. With 2- 25# shot bags. Not the easiest thing in the world to get level. I have a Sinclair Benchrest front rest now for BR competition and it has leveling legs and a built in level. I also have a Wheeler (I think) Level Level for mounting a scope but I can do almost as good with a magnetic bubble level and a MK II eyeball. The Leadsled still comes in handy when 270's, 30-06 and 300Win mags show up and need to be zero'd. The older I get, the more recoil sensitive I get. The SHIZNITZ is a concrete bench. Every club I shoot BR competition has concrete benches. Once you start shooting off them, everything else just sucks.
 
Where do you shoot at? I can spot and range for you to give you precise holds.
Don’t have a go-to place in N.C. yet. Tried one state range to confirm zero on hunting rifles. Otherwise actively searchinn for club that allows steel and has decent length range
 
Been using a caldwell bag for going on 8 years..wish it was a smidge taller though.
 
For $50 this is a pretty good rest for sighting in rifles. I've been using it for over 10 years and it works well. You can add a sandbag across it if you want to.
It has easy adjustments up and down and left and right to micro-adjust your rifle and then you just squeeze the trigger. Once I have the rifle shooting right I can see how bad I am when I take it off the rest. :(

https://www.natchezss.com/shooter-s-ridge-deluxe-rifle-rest.html

Fortunately I shoot at DPRC where sighting in can be done at 50, 100, 200, or 300 yards.
 
Normall I support the fore end on the riflebag and shoot away.
Recently I caught some Caldwell shooting bags on sale at some site or another and picked up a set. Havent used them yet, though.
 
Range bag front or Bipod and a squeeze bag for rear off a bench.
200 yard zero for scoped 556 ARs.
Zero pistols at 25 yards.
It would suck to not have known berm/target distance to zero. That would be frustrating! Gotta know. I’ve found the hard way how critical a good zero is!
 
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Sighting in equipment can be overly complex in some ways and too simple in the other. What my advise to you is this.

1. Stability is the first step, prone, or off a solid bench that does not move.
2. What ever the front rest used, should not influence the point of aim when NOT in use. reads odd, but true. An example. I have a Ar15 with a 15" harndguard. 8 months ago i zeroed it at 300yds prone, magazine rested. Three weeks ago I shot of a barricade, handguard supported to the right off the barricade. My shots went 15" high at 200yds. I went back to magazine prone, shot at the 200yd target and had 5/5 hits. went back to the barricade, 0/5 hits. the pressure from the barricade caused a point of impact shift. Cause? Crappy handguard design. Now its off the gun and in the scrap pile. But if I would of zeroed off the barricade, I would of only been good in that configuration.
3. Must be repeatable and comfortable between every shot.

John
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and sharing your wisdom, guys.
 
... My biggest 'zero' related deficiency right now is a range finder. ... But range finders are yet another pricey toy competing for discretionary dollars :/
Unless you borrow one ... ;)
 
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