Date: 16 Jul 94  11:39:16
From: Henry Niemi
To:   All
Subj: Sighting-in your rifle

A SIMPLE SIGHT-IN SYSTEM:
by CE Harris, American Hunter 09-86 p.22.

(This is an abridged and slightly edited version of the original
article).

The following advice is provided for sighting-in a rifle before the
hunting season.

1.   Use a pedestal with rabbit-ear sandbag in front and an owl bag at
     rear.  If this expenditure strains your budget, fill six empty
     25-lb shot bags with fine sand and use them as rests.  Bags
     should not be too hard as to prevent them from conforming to the
     shape of the rifle.  Rest rifle fore-end on front bag and place
     the rear bag under the butt.

2.   Align rifle at target, then press rifle down into the bags,
     sliding it back and forth to form grooves in which it will
     recoil.  Use Motor Mica or talc powder on bags if necessary.

3.   Once settled into the sandbags, make sure rifle sights are
     level.  Slide rifle back and forth to insure that sights will
     move only up and down rather than sideways.

4.   Do not squeeze the rear bag for fine adjustment in elevation.
     This cause the sand to fluff up then settle down as the rifle
     recoils, increasing vertical spread.  Instead, settle the butt
     and rear bag down well on the bench then leave them alone.

5.   Between shots, push the rifle forward then pull it back into
     position so that it moves in the direction it will during recoil.

6.   Unlike heavy target or bench rest rifles, light hunting rifles
     are very sensitive to the manner in which they are held.  They
     must be held firmly since they are more easily pulled out of
     alignment, as opposed to a target rifle, whcih is held lightly.
     Whatever you do, do it consistently.

7.   Rifle must be positioned forward enough to prevent sling swivel
     from snagging front sandbag during recoil; that will cause
     fliers.  Push rifle far enough so that front sandbag is just
     ahead of receiver.

8.   Rifles with 2-piece stocks (lever action, single-shot, break-open
     types) and light sporters without free-floated barrels should
     always be held naturally in the hand, using front bag for support
     only, as if you were shooting with improvised support.  Follow
     the same method in the field, padding your support with hunting
     vest or hat and settling into it, rather than resting the rifle
     directly against a hard object.  Otherwise, you will get vertical
     stringing.

9.   Avoid: resting barrel directly on anything; leaning heavily into
     barrel; putting pressure against fore-end when rifle is on
     sandbag.

10.  Light rifle barrels heat up faster than heavy ones.  Therefore,
     shoot slowly to let barrel cool, one shot per minute.  (Note from
     typist: open the bolt to improve cooling on bolt action rifles).

11.  Wipe the bore dry before the first shot.  Avoid shooting from an
     oily bore to avoid having the 1st shot go wild.  (Note from
     typist:  tests done by the A. Rifleman show that shots from a dry
     bore group more consistently than from an oily one in most cases).

12.  Check your rifle zero before each hunting season.  Its wood stock
     may have changed with the weather conditions since last year, and
     that changes the point of impact (POI).

13.  In case of a new scope, bore-sight the rifle with a collimator.
     If you don't have one, align the bore with a target while rifle
     is on sandbags, and adjust scope as best as you can.  Then shoot
     3 shots at 50 yards to check POI and center the scope.  Move to
     100 yards for fine adjustment and repeat procedures.

14.  Most hunting rifles should shoot 2-3" high at 100 yards.  This
     will let you shoot dead-on: at 150 yd for 30-30 Win, 35 Rem;  at
     200 yd for 308 Win, 30-06;  at 250 yd for 7mm Mag, 270 Win.

15.  If you have access to 200 or 300 yd range, use it to zero your
     rifle at 200 yd.  For example, with 30-06 and 165 Federal Premium
     factory load, zero at 200 yd means 2.25" high at 100 yd and 6"
     low at 300 yd.

16.  Very few hunting rifles will shoot the magical one inch at 100 yd
     out of the box.  Expect 2" for 5 shots at 100 yd with a good
     bolt-action rifle and a scope.  Open sights are adequate for up
     to 150 yd, and a good shot should be able to get 3" group at 100
     yd.  He should be able to shoot nearly as well with peep sights
     as he could with a 2.5X or 4X scope.

17.  Lever rifles normally are 3" groupers at 100 yd with a scope.
     Handloads may improve that figure.  Marlin 30-30 rifles show that
     2.5" at 100 yd with a 4X scope is achievable.  Handgun cartridges
     in a lever rifle do not do as well.  Current Winchester 94 are
     more sensitive to manner of support than Marlin.  They are also
     harder to get good groups and do about 3-4" at 100 yd.

18.  Most semi-auto are not tack drivers either.

19.  Remington slide actions (model Six or 7600) are more accurate
     than semi-autos, and nearly as good as bolt action.  Some group
     about 1.5" at 100 yd with handloads.


--- WM v3.11/92-0010
 * Origin: The Rising Storm BBS in California, 408-379-4329,  (1:143/220.0)

