Hunted all my life (well...most of it) with the rifles set on a 200 yard zero. For the last few years I've hunted with a 100 yard zero. I've finally decided to go back to "the old ways". Not trying to start any sort of argument about what's best, other than going back to what's best for me.

For the past 20 years I have sighted in all my hunting rifles at 200 yards but I also shoot them at 300 yards just to see where their at there. Most shots here at the ranch are usually 100 to 250 yards.

And you should do what is best for you.

No shame in that at all. Baring ultra long sendero's, mountain hunting or Northern Plains for speed goats, a lot of game can be killed at 250-300yds and in. For a lot of folks, that's about at as far as they are comfortable shooting, and that's fine. Do what is right by both you and the game you are chasing.

What problems did you have with the 100 yard zero?

+1

I guess the problem is mostly just me. After 40ish years with a 200 yard zero, I think in terms of a 200 yard zero. It's easier and more efficient for me to just stick with that, since most of my hunting is 125 to 250 yards out. So, a 200 yard zero isn't better than a 100 yard zero, but just better for me.

I'm the same. My rifle is 2 inches high at 100. That way I just put the cross hairs on at 100 or 200 and pull the trigger and watch the deer drop. I'm not a fan of "long distance" shooting at all, so I'm not worried about where my bullet will hit at 3-4-500 yards, because I don't shoot that far.

So what your saying is that you don't like being dead on at 100 yards?

I set my hunting rifles 1 1/2" high at 100 yards to compensate for drop

200 yd zero......Been doing it this way for years myself!

I've always hunted with a 200 yard zero.

40 years of a habit is tough to get away from. Understandable.

When I got real serious about rifle shooting, using a turret, or using the reticle, with designations (what I do most of the time on animals) I learned how important a 100 yard zero was. I've got the habit of holding the elevation for 200, just because I've imprinted it into my brain. You're imprinted for a 200 yard zero. If a 100 makes you have to stop and thing before double lunging a coyote, I can't blame you for moving back to a 200 yard zero.

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So you have your hunting rifles with a 200 yard zero then. Pretty dang close to it anyway

More or less. The only rifle I own that may think about making me hold over at all at 200 yards is my .30-30


The way I took it the OP was sighting his rifle in at 200 yards

My .22-250 I sight in dead on at 100 because that's what I head/neck shoot does with and I want it dead nuts, course I won't do that past 100 yards.

I ask a question about a100 or 200 zero. You would of thought I ask a personal question about someone's wife, they chewed me up. Got even a little nasty about the question.

If it works for you carry on. Some of my rifles are 100 yard 0 others are 200 and one is 300. All depends on round and what its purpose is.

Dalee7892:

I think that some folks are always looking for an argument. The really experienced folks will hear you out, then offer their opinion.

Mostly I see arguments when the original person asking the question takes a strong stance against other opinions with huge experience behind them. I'm NOT saying that was you - just a general observation.

It doesn't take long to see who knows what they are talking about - but personal preferences count big time too!

Marc

Fireman hit the answer perfectly. After all these years I do think in terms or a 200 yard zero, and I might as well stick with it. There is no right or wrong on what distance to sight in your rifle. Happily, with turreted scopes, adjusting to a 200 yard zero is very easy.

So I noticed nobody said anything about what caliber, what weight on the bullet etc in any of the discussion. Almost everywhere I've hunted my shots have been under 100 yds, so I've got my 30-06 sighted at 100 yds at 0. I shoot about a 150-155 grain. I'm on a new lease that some of the blinds have 150-200 yds now. Do I raise up to accommodate or should I resight my rifle to 200 yds at 0?

I'm newer at shooting/hunting and this was never an issue for me previously.

I sight in every rifle 3" high at 100. With all my rifles, the "tube" is about 4" maximum - less for the flatter shooting ones. Eliminates all thinking on 90+% of my shots. Just need to remember the drop at 400 for each rifle (though not even a big difference there). I don't shoot targets and I don't shoot game past 400. That's what works for me.

I see no purpose in sighting in a hunting rifle for 100 yds. 200 makes the most since to me for standard calibers. I've also used 3" high at 100 yds for my 7mags for over 30 years now with great success.

location, type of hunting, etc matter too;

Like someone above said, I have some set for 100 (most) and a few set for long range (bolt varmint gun and one long range 308).

My buddy redneckmesiah hunts where the longest shot in the county is 100 yards, most more like 60-75... no need for more than 100

you can tune much finer based on exact bullet, speed, temperature, elevation, etc. etc. etc. ... but on my dad's old Springfield 30-06, shooting Factory Federal Premium 150 grain Sierra Game King BTSP, we used to sight his gun in at 1.5 inch high at 100 and it was basically dead on at 200. Just our simple rule of thumb on that caliber and bullet.

I have sighted most of my rifles in to zero at 200 yards for years of general TX hunting and most of mine are pretty flat shooters (7mm rem mag, 25-06, 22-250, 30-06), they are all roughly 1.0-1.5 high at 100 ... I put a new scope on one of my guns a few years back and sighted to zero at 100 for part of a season, I felt awkward past 100, so I move it back to 200 zero and my comfort went back to where it should be. It's not for everyone and its what you get used too and comfortable with that counts

I sight in at 200 for all my center fires. I check the placement at 100 and 300 to know what each rifle will do.

I like it that way too.