Been a while since I posted here. Busy with new job and a move to a new house. The.204 which was supposed to be my coyote gun, has been growing on me. Been shooting it more than anything else at the range. It is a T/C Venture with a 1:9 twist and 22" barrel. Ammo is Hornady Superformance, 40gr V-Max.
I have been tweaking the 3-9X50 Vortex Scope and have it close to being accurate for me. I usually shoot at a 50 and that's where most of my guns are zeroed. Assuming that should take me to 200 with minimal holdover. I tried a 100 a few months back, and I was just about 2 inches high..... I chalked it up as a shooter error. Tried it again today, and there it was again about 1.5" high.
I assume it should be less than an inch high. Here is the target. Point of aim is the bottom of the 1" red circle below the bulls-eye.
I always sight in at 100 yards. The only time I shoot at less than 100, is after scope mounting, and bore sight, just to get on paper. But like Bill stated, you will be approximately 1.25 or 1.50 inches high at 100. With a caliber like the 204, your holdover at say 200 yards should be minimal at best. I know from lots of rounds down range, with the 32gr pills, I do not use any holdover, out to approximately 250 yards. I am shooting my reloads, moving at around 3900fps. With those 40gr bullets being factory loads, I believe they should be moving at somewhere around 3700 fps, so your poi should still be close enough to hit your target, even out to say around 175 yds with no holdover, depending on the size of your target. I normally shoot the Belding squirrels where I am. Not the biggest target, no bigger than a beer can!
NRA Benefactor Life member HOWA 1500 Varmint 204 Ruger, Bull Barrel, Hogue Overmold Stock, Leupold VXII 6-18x40mm AO LRV Custom Reticle Timney Trigger
Cooper Mdl 21 20VarTargW/Leupold VXIII, 6-20x40AO Varmint Hunter reticle.
For my zippy varmint rounds I always sight in at 200 yards and between 100 and 300 I just put the cross hairs on them and it's "Good-Night-Irene" for them. Beyond that, I either have to hold over using the reticle or crank the elevation turrets.
But remember, I'm shooting in wide open fields and pastures, almost like those seen in pictures of the great plains.