Having Trouble Zeroing New Rifle

TNCanoer

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Oct 10, 2015
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Dresden, Tennessee
I purchased a Weatherby Vanguard 6.5 Creedmoor a few months ago and finally found some Norma Whitetail ammo. At 25 yards it is hitting 1" to the right and 2 1/2" high of the bullseye. At 50 yards I'm not even hitting the target. What do I need to do here?? Please advise. Thank You.
 

TN Song Dog

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Oct 1, 2015
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Probably shooting over the target at 50yd.
For 1/4 moa scope adjustments at 25yd, 16 clicks = 1" roughly.

Make sure bases, rings, and scope are all tight, first.

You would need 16 clicks left and 40 clicks down. I would make half of those adjustments, then shoot at 25yd. Then make the rest needed to get on bulls good before moving to 50yd.

Sighting a scope with minimum rounds fired:
I like to put a target out at 50yd, set the rifle in a sturdy rest on a bench (or bipod with rear support/bag), take the bolt out, and look down the barrel to center the rifle on the target. Then, without moving the rifle, I look through the scope and adjust until the crosshairs are on the target. Look back through barrel to verify its still pointed at the target, then double check crosshairs are still on target. Shoot a couple rounds to make sure it's close to bullseye at 50yd. Finally move target to 100yd, fire 3 rounds, and make final adjustments.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
 

DaveB

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The method you are following works, I have done and frequently still do it the same way.

However, there is a much much much better way it just takes two people or someone with steady hands. Fire one round at the bullseye. Hold the rifle so it cannot move aiming the crosshairs at the hole you just punched. Now, move the crosshairs using your turrets to the bullseye without allowing the rifle to move.

You are now zeroed at 25. Take it to 50 and repeat. Same to 100. You might be able to skip the 50 yard step. Fire one round and see.

If I am wrong on this process someone will correct me.

And do not use the lead sled. You will develop a recoil flinch when you shoot the rifle without the sled. If you are recoil sensitive and who isn't, get a PAST magnum recoil pad. I have two regular and one magnum and I put one of them on before I leave home. Under my shirt no one can tell.
 

nso123

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Dec 22, 2004
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Dunlap
The method you are following works, I have done and frequently still do it the same way.

However, there is a much much much better way it just takes two people or someone with steady hands. Fire one round at the bullseye. Hold the rifle so it cannot move aiming the crosshairs at the hole you just punched. Now, move the crosshairs using your turrets to the bullseye without allowing the rifle to move.

You are now zeroed at 25. Take it to 50 and repeat. Same to 100. You might be able to skip the 50 yard step. Fire one round and see.

If I am wrong on this process someone will correct me.

And do not use the lead sled. You will develop a recoil flinch when you shoot the rifle without the sled. If you are recoil sensitive and who isn't, get a PAST magnum recoil pad. I have two regular and one magnum and I put one of them on before I leave home. Under my shirt no one can tell.
This is backwards. Fire the first shot, then aim at the bullseye again. Move the crosshairs from the bullseye to the shot that you fired and you will be really close.
 

tnanh

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Feb 18, 2019
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1,058
At 25 yards get it around 2 inches low. This should get you closer as you move out in distance.
This is what I was going to say. Most of my rifles if zeroed at 100
Shoot a little low at 25. This is why a lot of shots are missed at close range. People aim low and the gun is/should be low at 25 depending on the height of the base and rings.
 

Omega

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Dec 16, 2018
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Clarksville, TN
With your lead sled, be sure to use sand, or better, lead shot bags, to weigh it down, it takes the recoil but reduces the shock to the weapon. That said, I use the same technique as described above except I use a laser to boresight (or look through the bore at the target) to my first target, Depending on caliber I will start at 25 or 50 yards, then move out to the range I want it zeroed at, most times 100 yards. Usually within 3 rounds I am on target, then, take it out of the sled and shoot a few strings, or at least three rounds, to make sure you are not introducing any human error.
 

FTG-05

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Nov 26, 2013
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TN
The method you are following works, I have done and frequently still do it the same way.

However, there is a much much much better way it just takes two people or someone with steady hands. Fire one round at the bullseye. Hold the rifle so it cannot move aiming the crosshairs at the hole you just punched. Now, move the crosshairs using your turrets to the bullseye without allowing the rifle to move.

You are now zeroed at 25. Take it to 50 and repeat. Same to 100. You might be able to skip the 50 yard step. Fire one round and see.

If I am wrong on this process someone will correct me.

And do not use the lead sled. You will develop a recoil flinch when you shoot the rifle without the sled. If you are recoil sensitive and who isn't, get a PAST magnum recoil pad. I have two regular and one magnum and I put one of them on before I leave home. Under my shirt no one can tell.
This is the problem I have with this method.
 

skipperbrown

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Oct 6, 2021
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361
Location
Birchwood
I like to put a 8" or 10" black bullseye at 100 yards, secure the rifle with sand bags, take the bolt out and line up the bull looking down the barrel. Once 'on target' adjust the scope to agree with the look down the barrel. This usually gets me within 1-3" of the actual bull at 100 yds on the first shot.

I would ditch the sled for a 6.5. The recoil shouldn't be bothersome if you are relaxed and you will get get a different zero with the sled vs. shooting without it. Good luck.
 

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