# Sighting a new scope



## bringselpup (Jun 15, 2009)

Lost a chicken to a predator yesterday so I have dusted off a firearm and am getting ready for battle. It has a scope on it I have never sighted in. I took a few shots at a target this evening from about 50 yards and never hit it. The scope has two adjustments labeled up and left. My shots are going high over the crosshairs. Do I turn for up or away from up to bring my shot down?


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Here's how I site my scopes in. 

I set the crosshair on the bullseye and gently squeeze the trigger. I find where the bullet hit and then I place my rifle in a vise and adjust the rifle to where the crosshairs are directly on the bullseye. Once the vise is tightened with the crosshair on the bulleye I then use a screwdriver and adjust the scope to where the crosshair is now on the spot where the bullet hit. 

After adjusting the crosshair to the bullet hole I then take a second shot and the bullet should hit very near the bullseye. Once again place the rifle in the vise and adjust the scope to the bullet hole again. 

The third shot should be right on or really, really, close to the bullseye. May need a third adjustment. 

reminder: place a soft material inside the vise before mounting your rifle in it. Unless your lucky enough to own a real gun vise.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

bringselpup said:


> Lost a chicken to a predator yesterday so I have dusted off a firearm and am getting ready for battle. It has a scope on it I have never sighted in. I took a few shots at a target this evening from about 50 yards and never hit it. The scope has two adjustments labeled up and left. My shots are going high over the crosshairs. Do I turn for up or away from up to bring my shot down?


Turn the knob away from UP if you are shooting high.

I sight my scope in similar to what r.h in OK describes. From 25 yards, I take at least 3 shots aiming at the bullseye, Then, while the rilfe is in a gun vise, I aim at the bullseye and adjust the horizontal and vertical adjustments so the crosshairs line up in the center of where my shots ended up on the target. You can fine tune after that.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Shoot at the bull. If you hit high, you want to hit lower, so turn the scope the opposite of Up, which moves the bullet hit down. If you hit right of the bull, turn the scope left. Turn the scope the direction you want the bullet impact to move. 

A vise is nice, but I usually don't have one handy when I need to check sighting.


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## pred (Aug 10, 2008)

If it is a bolt action, Remove the bolt, Clamp the rifle and look through bore at a bright spot about 50 yards away, Adjust scope till it matches... Then you will be real close for 50 yards or closer,,,
Peter


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## bringselpup (Jun 15, 2009)

Thanks guys. All this has decoded how it works. Now I understand that what I'm "moving" when I turn the knobs is where the bullet hits. I'll probably need a 4x8 something behind the target just to get a starting point to dial in. The scope is so far off. 

I've got bipod legs on it and am shooting from a very stable table. I bet I can rig up some sort of padded clamp business to hold it in place.

Phred, it's a Marlin Glenfield model 60 semi auto I've had since I was a teen. I wish I could just start with a look down the tube. 

FYI box of 50 rounds of remington long rifle has to be at least 18 yrs old. Not a misfire.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I'll probably need a 4x8 something behind the target just to get a starting point to dial in. The scope is so far off.


Start a 25 yds, or even 25 FEET until you KNOW where it's hitting, then move the target farther as you get it zeroed


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## megafatcat (Jun 30, 2009)

Shoot at the 4 corners of a large target, looking for a hole between shots. That will usually get one on the paper.


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

Good advice! Start close and work your way back. Boresighting will make it much easier.


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## Wis Bang (Feb 20, 2009)

Since most 22's are sighted in for 50 yards, start much closer. Try 12 yards if 25 yds isn't on the paper...


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

One of the first things is to make sure that the scope is solid in the scope rings.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

jross said:


> Good advice! Start close and work your way back. Boresighting will make it much easier.


i would rather put it on and start at 25 yards i had a bad experience with a scope i let them bore sight at the store all the others i have installed my self have been far closer to the mark that that one i normaly just put them on and start at 25 yds 


just remember if it is 1/4 moa (minute of angle) adjustments and you are off by 1 inch at 25 yards you need 16 clicks thats 4 per minute of angle x 4 for the 1/4 of 100 yards where a minute of angle measures 1 inch 

it seems like a lot wen your clicking thu them but it is what it takes to get the fine adjustment at 100 yards or beond.

if you haev 1/2 minute of angle adjustment then 2 clicks per inch x 4 for 1/4 of 100 yards

i haven't seen many 1 minute of angle click scopes but then it would just be 4 per inch at 25 yards for the 1/4 of 100 yards

also after you make your adjustment tap the scope this is often doen with a very small brass hammer it helps free the cross hairs from thier resting place to be moved to their new spot this is also part of the reason they tell you to shoot 3 rounds minimum between changes the recoil of most rifles helps move the hairs no so much with a 22 but some the other reason is it lets you know if it is grouping or walking if it is walking shout till it groups that i where the hairs stopped moving it doen't have to be a very small brass hammer but should be somthing that won't damage the finish like a small scrap of wood.

i have seen scopes where an adjust ment is made it barly moves at all then a few more click are made then a few more and a few shots taken then it jumps the distance of both adjustments.

i used to work the club sight in open to all non-members for 5 bucks a gun you would see all sorts of stuff come in


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## bringselpup (Jun 15, 2009)

It's a Sportsmans Guide scope from some years ago. It's tight in the rings and solid on the rail. No idea what the MOA is for the clicks. I like the tapping it with a hammer etc cause you are right. It's Remington green box ammo and there's no recoil to speak of. 

I aimed 3 feet to the right of the target and finally hit the board underneath tonight. Probably better get some more ammo with my coffee in the morning. Then set the target 10 feet away and get down to it.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Tapping with a hammer is way overkill. I usually adjust with either a quarter, or the rim of a cartridge case. After each adjustment, I tap the center of the adjustment dial a few times with one of those. That is plenty to settle the adjustment mechanisms. 

And what range to sight in at? I shoot foxes from an upstairs window out to the chicken field. I sighted in the 22 I use and leave by the window for exactly that range. For regular use 22s I usually sight in for 75 yards and that keeps the bullet close to the line of sight plus gives me a bit of extra range before I have to start holding over.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

When i say small ,the hammers i machined are 1/2 inch round brass stock about 1 inch long machined to a small ball peen hammer head with a with about a 20 penny nail as a handle threaded in and ground to a nice small screw driver point it maks a small t handle and is easy to count clicks for me

and i just tap , if i don't have the hammer with the back of the small screw driver is usually used

i made a pair of the little hammers from a peice of brass my dad brought home from work many years ago when i was in highschool machine shop


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> When i say small ,the hammers i machined are 1/2 inch round brass stock about 1 inch long machined to a small ball peen hammer head with a with about a 20 penny nail as a handle threaded in and ground to a nice small screw driver point it maks a small t handle and is easy to count clicks for me
> 
> and i just tap , if i don't have the hammer with the back of the small screw driver is usually used


Years ago I made a little hammer of 3/8" hex brass stock, with a knurled aluminum handle about 3" long. That is one of the most used tools on the gunsmithing bench. Sometimes nothing beats a tiny hammer.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Since I do more squirrel hunting with my 22 rifle then any other kind of use, I usually just sight mine in at 100 feet. That's should reach a squirrel out of the top of any tree around here.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Start a 25 yds, or even 25 FEET until you KNOW where it's hitting, then move the target farther as you get it zeroed


Good advice, and saves ammo.

Once you have a sight dialed in at short range, then back off to the longer ranges.

Bought one of the "one size fits all" bore sighters from Sportsman Guide, actually works good enough to put it on paper @50 yds.
Right now cost less than a box of "big bore ammo".

I use this after lining up the scope and mounts, I use 1" wooden dowel, to keep the mounts lined up, and makeing sure everything is tight.


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