SmallCaliberCentral

Just wondering what distance you are zeroing your rifles for? I am thinking about maximizing my point blank range for ground squirrels. Most shots are taken under 200 yards, so should I just stick with a 100 yard zero? If I zero at say, 50 yards that would give me a corresponding zero somewhere past 200. How do you squirrel shooters do it?

I have my pd rifles sighted in for 200 yds. I use Leupold VH reticles on two of them, and I don't twist knobs. Works for me.

I've got mine sighted in 1" high at 100 yds. I've shot ground squirrels at 20 yds. and rockchucks at 300 yds. with it sighted that way. Don't need to worry about hold over.

I've got mine at just a smidge over @100yds which is then just half a smidge under @200yds. It works perfectly for shootin grounded squirrels, but makes em fly real goodly.

200 yards seems to work well with the flat shooting 204R, at least for me.

I'm likely NOt the model to follow... I have mine bulled @50y which puts me about 2" up @100y, 3.5" up @200y, and back to the bull @300y. But I'm shooting at woodchucks which are pretty big (12-18" when standing), so I just put the dot on the center and squeeze.



Then this happens, which makes me feel great:

I sight my 204s in at 200 yards as they are about 3/4 inch high at 100 yards and about 3.3 inches low at 300 yards (aim at head) and you are right on by aiming right on them. If 200 yards is a long shot for you then the 100 yard zero would probably be best for you and just aim straight on all the time.

200 yards for me.

Jim

If you don't like to use turret knobs for exact zero at any range, just zero that 204R at 100 yards to be 1.5" high....you'll be able to slay any squirrel or PD out to just shy of 300 yards without much holdover, if any.

Bodei wrote:Just wondering what distance you are zeroing your rifles for? I am thinking about maximizing my point blank range for ground squirrels. Most shots are taken under 200 yards, so should I just stick with a 100 yard zero? If I zero at say, 50 yards that would give me a corresponding zero somewhere past 200. How do you squirrel shooters do it?

I sight my. .204 in 1 1/8" high at 100 yards. This puts my about 1 1/8" high at 200, and right on at about 270 yards. I'm shooting 26.5 gr. of Reloader 10X with a 39 gr. Sierra bullet from my 26" barrel from my Cooper M21. It clocks 3876 fps. out the barrel.

About 1.5 high at 100yrds. Hold dead center to about 300 and you will get a hit.. Works for me, as long as I do my part and hold steady. Especially with 32 grainers. Bill K

I like the "Bill K Method".

+1 to what they said. I think I'm 1.2" high at 100, anywhere in that ballpark works fine.

Thanks for the advice. 300 yards is beyond what I need for ground squirrels, generally. There are too many targets closer. But I want to get some longer range shooting in without wasting ammo.

Bill K wrote:About 1.5 high at 100yrds. Hold dead center to about 300 and you will get a hit.. Works for me, as long as I do my part and hold steady. Especially with 32 grainers. Bill K

Mine came out to 1.6" high at 100 yards, peaks to 2.1" at 150 yards, and is about a 1/4" high at 250. I didn't intend this, it's jusy how it worked out based on the initial 100 yards group which looked good.