Scope Adjustment and Zeroing

[1066]

You are not going crazy/being daft, the adjustments on most scopes/red-dots/sights reference moving the point of impact to where you want it, but some do the opposite and reference moving the crosshairs/dot/blade TO the POI, its GREAT fun trying to work out WTF is happening when (if!) you realise you have one of those(!)

Belarusian POSP and Russian military scopes such as the PSO-1 move the reticle rather than the image and are very easy to zero.

I used to have scopes that did that when i was a kid moved on from that 50 years ago

Me too - a 4x20 on a Diana Mod 27 (1960) :)

[snayperskaya]

You are not going crazy/being daft, the adjustments on most scopes/red-dots/sights reference moving the point of impact to where you want it, but some do the opposite and reference moving the crosshairs/dot/blade TO the POI, its GREAT fun trying to work out WTF is happening when (if!) you realise you have one of those(!)

Belarusian POSP and Russian military scopes such as the PSO-1 move the reticle rather than the image and are very easy to zero.

I used to have scopes that did that when i was a kid moved on from that 50 years ago

If it ain't broke don't fix it Comrade!......never had a POSP/PSO-1 etc that couldn't be zero'd in 10 rounds.



I kid you not there was a chap that had a go with my SVD with a 48 year old Soviet PSO-1 fitted the other week and he was absolutely gobsmacked that the optics were "as clear, if not slightly better, than my bloody two and a half grand Nightforce!!!"*

* his exact words

[Blackstuff]

You are not going crazy/being daft, the adjustments on most scopes/red-dots/sights reference moving the point of impact to where you want it, but some do the opposite and reference moving the crosshairs/dot/blade TO the POI, its GREAT fun trying to work out WTF is happening when (if!) you realise you have one of those(!)

Belarusian POSP and Russian military scopes such as the PSO-1 move the reticle rather than the image and are very easy to zero.

Yeah IF you know thats how they're set up!!

[1066]

I've found setting up the L42 A1 scope on the Enfield's a bit of a challenge at times.

[Maggot]

A bit if practical advice if it helps.

Always zero on a group, and by this I mean your MPI (Mean point of impact). Many beginners make the mistake of adjusting on each round as they chase what they THINK is the CZP (Correct zero point) round the target.

Getting a true wind zero (Because lets face it, you may be adding elevation at longer distances, or not) can take a while depending on how well your rifle suits you and how consistant you are.

This is particularly pertinent if you have a fixed parallax scope as if you move your head (and eye) slightly, it may not be immediately noticeable (particularly on low mags or with wide FOV scopes such as Elcan and ACOG) as you are zoned in onto the ret and not noticing the dark areas round the edge of the scope that says your head has moved.

The net result is that your MPI has now shifted. You often hear people saying "This rifle/ammo/target/range/weather/shakra is s***, the zero keeps shifting", when in reality they have not taken the time to realise how flaky a miss-used scope can make their shooting. The marksmanship principles are in that order for a reason. Its why often decent people with irons will grease the arse of even an F Class shot, because they understand principle 3.

The MPI is the centre of any group at a certain range and it should, with consistant shooting, stay in the same place give or take. Then you adjust to move the MPI (If that makes sense). So you may need to regularly check your zero as you progress (this is sensible anyway as rifles and barrels will bed in and settle anyway).

Another mistake I see regulrly is when people are given 2 sighters and adjust on the first (usually cold barrel) shot. Not until the second round goes down will you have any idea how close your MPI was. If you adjust on a bad shot, you compound the error. Better to have a confirmation, then adjust. If they are that far apart you have a problem anyway.

Thsi said, your sighters are a gift. Some time ago in a historic shoot I saw some genuine bone shooting. The chap put 2 shots right next to each other in the feet of the Fig11. Cracking shots, guaranteed all on if he just sorted the elevation out.

He had 2 options. Raise the elevation or aim at the top of the target. he did neither and planted 7 out of 10 into a nice group at the targets feet, dropping 3 under the target, 2 though the stick. Why When you get feedback that good, use it

And if anyone thinks I am being an arrogant git talking about peoples mistakes....I made them (and still do), so its free advice

The other day it took me the best part of 50 rounds though a new combination of new rifle and scope (In MRAD which is also a new one on me) to get consistant groups while load testing. As it happened the "Golden group" fell in during the last 20 round series and the earlier fliers on the previous 2 series could be explained, but the data was still good. Zeroing comes next then putting elevations on by shooting the thing...not by faffing with an app and then wondering why the numbers dont work in a comp. Forget the tech, confirm it on paper I hate load testing, but if you hand load its a necessary evil sadly

[Madhatter]

Thanks for those golden nuggets BUT when you have your scope zeroed at lets say 100 yds do you leave the turrets at whatever reading they are at and just make windage or range adjustments from there OR is there a way of setting the turrets to nought without disturbing the previous zeroing work?

[breacher]

Thanks for those golden nuggets BUT when you have your scope zeroed at lets say 100 yds do you leave the turrets at whatever reading they are at and just make windage or range adjustments from there OR is there a way of setting the turrets to nought without disturbing the previous zeroing work?

There is - which is why it is known as "zeroing" !

But it varies from scope to scope. What scope are you using ?

[Maggot]

Thanks for those golden nuggets BUT when you have your scope zeroed at lets say 100 yds do you leave the turrets at whatever reading they are at and just make windage or range adjustments from there OR is there a way of setting the turrets to nought without disturbing the previous zeroing work?

There is - which is why it is known as "zeroing" !

But it varies from scope to scope. What scope are you using ?

Some scopes dont allow windage adjustment, some do. It depends what you are trying to do. I dont usually adjust for wind because I cant with the Elcan, but for elevation I have the choice of holding over or dialling.

The thing to remember is that what you dial on, you will need to re-set or dial off again, easy to forget, but you will get used to it.

[Madhatter]

I have stated elsewhere that I am genuinely ignorant regarding this subject hence the question. I have no scope, I have no gun in fact I have nothing but enthusiasm and determination to succeed. I thought that zeroing referred to getting the reticle on target and not the numbers that that related too on the turrets. Am I to understand that when the scope is correctly adjusted to the target that the turret thimbles can be moved to "O" with out interference with the aforementioned setting?

[Rockhopper]

You'll find that if you are changing distances then you'll need several complete turns of the adjuster to get there so there is little point taking any notice of the numbers, all you need to do it count the number of clicks and in which direction you are turning it. Write it down in a notebook and keep it with your shooting kit.
For me going from 50 metres to 100 metres its 65 clicks (thats with a .22rf).