What distance do you zero a 22?

[thebeamanater107]

I read about it on the interwebs and zeroed my scope at 75 yards, because people said that's best. In one of his comments, Sgt lumpy (I may be wrong, but it's one of you older guys that has more experience than me) said a major problem with shooting is people are taking other people's opinions as their own instead of shooting and testing out their own ideas. That thread was in one of the great debates between 9mm and 40 s&w. I agree with him.

So I got to thinking, and went out shooting. Dad raised his scope with special scope mounts that allowed him to see his iron sights. With my scope I can consistently (at least 3 out of 5 attempts) hit a quarter at 100 yards. I "borrowed" dad's scope mounts so I could see my iron sights or use the scope if I wanted to. I then zeroed my scope again at 75 yards for longer range targets and zeroed my iron sights for 25 yard targets.

I don't bother trying to reach out past 100 yards with a 22lr. Also, since I like my new set up, I had to go buy dad some new scope mounts.

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

 

[LL617]

I am a newbie and don't really understand all you are saying. I think that you mean that you have two sets of sights--the original iron sights that came with the gun, and special, after market, raised sights that use a scope-that let you zero in your sights at two different distances. Do I understand you correctly?

How does one go about getting raised sights? I have thought about getting optical sights for my six inch 617, but have no idea about how to do it. I don't want to mess up my revolver, but I would like to be able to hit a target at a long distance and well as a short . It's getting tougher to see the targets at a distance [I have to be ready for the "zombie squirrels"--that translates to nuisance varmints I don't want near the garden, or feral cats that might attack my little dog.]

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My model 17 is zeroed at 25 yards. My target rifles are zeroed at 50 or 100 yards. I have 2 hunting 22's with scopes the are zeroed at 50 yards. Knowing the ammo you use will allow you to change distance by hold over or dialing in the scope. There are pretty much 4 velocities of 22 ammo: Sub-sonic, Standard, high and Hyper Velocities. In each the is some difference from brand to brand. These days it is harder to locate quantities of ammo, but try and locate 2 bricks of the same ammo, that your gun shoots well. Zero at 50 yards, then 75, then 100. Shoot a group of 10 shots at each distance and write down the adjustments. 75 yards sounds like your preference (sounds like a good idea too), then set set the scope for 75 yards. Take a piece of masking tape and in permanent ink write; 50- down xx Inches
75- ZERO
100- up xx Inches
Mount this tape on the top or side of your scope, and you're set for hunting. With almost 1000 22's you will be set for a while and keep you eyes out for more of the same ammo. Ivan

 

[NYlakesider]

My .22 pistols are zeroed at 25 yards. The Ruger 7722 which is very accurate is zeroed at 75 yards and thinks it’s a target rifle. It has the older type Leuplod 4 power that was made for a center fire type rifle. I have shot it from bench at up to 150 yards and it is quite deadly.

My other two .22 rifles have iron sights now, though they have had scopes in the past!

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Take the guesswork out of it. Ballistic Calculator GunData.org

Select Bullet caliber

Select Bullet name [or close to what you're shooting]

click Advanced Options

Enter Zero range (yards) [whatever you want to zero your gun at]

Enter Sight height over bore (inches)

Enter Distance to show (yards) [This creates a trajectory chart- use 100yds for starters]

Enter Distance step (yards) [This will show the intervals along the trajectory chart... say every 10yds for the above 100yds]

Click the Calculate button
-----------

What this does is show you the effect of different zeros. For example, you're most likely shooting HV ammo and will discover a 25yd zero is the same as a 50yd zero with a sight about 1.5in above the bore (typical rifle and scope). Your dad's gun with a scope jacked up much higher than 1.5in above the bore will have a MUCH different trajectory than your gun with the same zero on each gun. Just depends on what you are shooting with.

Depending on the range of distances you plan on shooting, you can pick a zero that best fits.

 

[shouldazagged]

Many years ago I bought a Bushnell scope for a Marlin 39A, and the glass came with a card explaining Jack O'Connor's system for sighting in at 25 yards. He said if you sighted a quarter of an inch low at 25 you'd be dead on at 75 and only an inch or so low at 100 yards, as I recall after over four decades. May have been half an inch low, I can't remember for sure.

My brother and I used the system successfully for years, and when I went to an aperture sight on the Marlin I sighted in the same way.

Good practical hunting accuracy over a wide range of distances.

 

[LVSteve]

I zero my .22 rifle at 50 yards simply because the wind blows out here so much that beyond 50 the trajectory will take on the look of a banana.

I have never understood the fascination for high scope mounts to allow see-through use of the irons. Decide which you want to use and stick with IMHO.

 

[rburg]

Many years ago I bought a Bushnell scope for a Marlin 39A, and the glass came with a card explaining Jack O'Connor's system for sighting in at 25 yards. He said if you sighted a quarter of an inch low at 25 you'd be dead on at 75 and only an inch or so low at 100 yards, as I recall after over four decades. May have been half an inch low, I can't remember for sure.

My brother and I used the system successfully for years, and when I went to an aperture sight on the Marlin I sighted in the same way.

Good practical hunting accuracy over a wide range of distances.

Please help me out here for a minute. Can you define for us the term "Point blank range?" Just a little help for another old man.

 

[shouldazagged]

Please help me out here for a minute. Can you define for us the term "Point blank range?" Just a little help for another old man.

Sorry? Don't recall using the term "point blank range". Just describing the old O'Connor system as best I could remember it after more than forty years.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Point blank range is basically a circle the size of a kill zone on an animal and considered to be 4 or 6 inches. When the bullet in question is zeroed at such&such distance the point blank range is the maximum distance that the bullet never leaves that circle. Not very practical on 22 RF, due to the arched trajectory of the relativity slow bullet. The fall of the impact point on "Standard Velocity" (1200 fps) 22's is around 6.5 inches from a 50 yard zero to 100 yards. I believe the circle on small game like rats or squirrels would be about 2" so point blank ranging would be in the neighborhood of a 30 or 35 yard zero and a 50 yard point blank. The idea is you would never be more than an inch high or low for the entire distance. The ballistic program listed earlier would give exact details. Ivan

 

[shouldazagged]

I know the term, just wasn't analyzing the O'Connor scheme that mathematically after all these many years. It's moot for me now anyway--my hunting days are long since over.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

.22 blanks are easy to zero.

 

[thebeamanater107]

I am a newbie and don't really understand all you are saying. I think that you mean that you have two sets of sights--the original iron sights that came with the gun, and special, after market, raised sights that use a scope-that let you zero in your sights at two different distances. Do I understand you correctly?

How does one go about getting raised sights? I have thought about getting optical sights for my six inch 617, but have no idea about how to do it. I don't want to mess up my revolver, but I would like to be able to hit a target at a long distance and well as a short . It's getting tougher to see the targets at a distance [I have to be ready for the "zombie squirrels"--that translates to nuisance varmints I don't want near the garden, or feral cats that might attack my little dog.]

You didn't quite get me right. I'm on the semi truck so the rifle isn't with me to take pictures of, so I googled up some.

Here's your regular scope mounts. The bottom attaches to the rifle. The scope fits in the circle.

Here's some scope mounts similar to what I've got. I think these are made for an ar15 style rifle, and mine is a Henry lever action type. The important part is the fact that the bottom section has no obstruction, so you can look down the iron sights attached to the top of the barrel.

So here you can look through the scope, or under the scope aiming with the iron sights attached to the gun.

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

 

[thebeamanater107]

I zero my .22 rifle at 50 yards simply because the wind blows out here so much that beyond 50 the trajectory will take on the look of a banana.

I have never understood the fascination for high scope mounts to allow see-through use of the irons. Decide which you want to use and stick with IMHO.

That's probably all it is for me, a fascination. Its only 100 yards, I can adjust my aim on the fly and hit a target at any range with my scope, so do I really need to see my iron sights? So far, I zeroed the iron sights and scope. I haven't done my typical target practice, or as I like to call it "shootin sh--" or others might say playing with guns.

This weekend will tell me how much I like my setup

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

 

[Smith357]

Most of my .22 shooting is done in 50 yard competitions, once in a while as a tie breaker we set up targets at 75 or 100 yards. My .22 with a 6x24 scope is zeroed for 50 yards for RWS R50 travelling at 1050fps, for longer targets I turn down the scope power and use the mil-dots. I keep notes for different ranges taped on the scope turret.

 

[thebeamanater107]

Many years ago I bought a Bushnell scope for a Marlin 39A, and the glass came with a card explaining Jack O'Connor's system for sighting in at 25 yards. He said if you sighted a quarter of an inch low at 25 you'd be dead on at 75 and only an inch or so low at 100 yards, as I recall after over four decades. May have been half an inch low, I can't remember for sure.

My brother and I used the system successfully for years, and when I went to an aperture sight on the Marlin I sighted in the same way.

Good practical hunting accuracy over a wide range of distances.

That sounds pretty good so I'm going to look into the O'Connor system and play with that style

My distance shooting was in the army. I remember zeroing the rifle at 25 yards, So the 25 yard and 300 meter targets were lined up exactly with the flight path of the bullet and right on your iron sights. Aim at the crotch of the target for the 150 yard distance, aim at the belly for the 50 yard targets.

So now I've got 22s and getting one ready for squirrel hunting and with the other I'm either going to build something really cool or accidentally destroy it in my attempt at building something really cool.

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

 

[2152hq]

.22 rifles I sight in at 50yrds (meters actually at the range I go to but I don't fret the small difference).
I don't have a .22 w/a scope,,all iron sights.
Aim high at 100,,aim higher if shooting std vel.

 

[thebeamanater107]

.22 rifles I sight in at 50yrds (meters actually at the range I go to but I don't fret the small difference).
I don't have a .22 w/a scope,,all iron sights.
Aim high at 100,,aim higher if shooting std vel.

Yeah if you can see it, you can shoot it with a 22. I understand the argument against a scope. I love 22s and will own another one and keep it simple and stock one day... but the one I'm working with is my squirrel executioner

the original point and click interface, by Smith & Wesson

 

[RonJ]

Please help me out here for a minute. Can you define for us the term "Point blank range?" Just a little help for another old man.

The point at which you may as well be using blanks.