Zero Ranges Benefits/Drawbacks Specific for 6.5 Grendel

[crusader18]

I would appreciate information on zeroing for the 6.5 Grendel and the benefits/drawbacks associated with each. (100yds? 200yds?) I'm trying to get an idea what everyone uses: Is one better than the other for hunting? Is one better for target shooting?

[JASmith]

Klem's advice is exellent for the technical shooter who has the equipment, training and time to work the procedures in the field.

Many if us, however, prefer to not mess with sight adjustments in the field and would like to aim for the top of the vital zone for shots at less than 250-300 yards.

A zero at 200 yards then makes a lot of sense for those of us who want to keep things simple in the field.

The problem is there seems to be no public range within an hour's drive that has a 200 yard station so I must makedowith 100 yards. It seems that "zeroing" 1.5 inches high at 100 yards gets most Grendel bullets passing through the point of aim close to 200 yards.

Here is a discussion that expands on the 1.5 inch high zero: The Hunting Zero

[Double Naught Spy]

I also zero at 100 yards. For me, it is for a couple of main reasons.

First, it is a convenient distance for getting a zero with which I can rely. It is sufficiently far for assessing group sizes reliably for my needs and is about in the middle for the distances I am apt to shoot MOST often.
Second, 100 yards is close to the top of the trajectory curve. Bullet's climb to 100ish and fall there after. I don't want to have to be doing the mental calculation of whether my bullet is going to be below, level with, or above the crosshair. The bullet will be level with or below the crosshair. This is what can happen with a head shot at 85 yards with a 200 yard zero when the shooter forgets to compensate for being too high at a shorter distance in the heat of the moment. The shot passed through the left ear, grazed the top of the skull, and then went through the right ear.

100_1803.JPG

Note, a survey done on one of the hunting forums 2 or 3 years ago found that >90% of hunters typical make their shots inside 100 yards and >95% inside of 200 yards. I know there are plenty of longer range hunters and you may be one of them, but if not, longer distance zeroes are not really all that beneficial for distances you don't typically hunt. If you zero at a greater distances or +1.5" at 100, know your ballistics and you will be fine. Really, that is the bottom line. Know your ballistics for the distance(s) you are shooting.

Plus all that stuff Klem said.

[Troutguide]

All good advise. Read digest and decide. For me it is a 100 yd zero. BC that is the length of the local ranges, so I can make tiny little groups in the middle instead of outside the bulls eye. I hunt within 200 yd and this will still kill a deer without adjustment other than a slightly higher point of aim, really dead center mass of vital area instead of middle of heart or brain for closer shots. Finally when I actually get a chance to practice further I will dial up or learn the BDC reticle and develop holds for longer hunting shots.

[howl]

Typically for hunting you can zero at 100 for close work and dial up 2" for a dead on hold to 250 yards. 250 is about as far as you're likely to see a deer east of the MS, let alone get a shot. This is true for the Grendel and most others. The trick is having a scope with turrets that will repeatably do it. Even a scope that would do it at the factory has to be mounted up square, without torque or compression of the tube binding the mechanisms. Or you can just aim a fudge high when you know it's past 125. I tend to miss high, so I prefer dialing when sitting in the open.

That's for hunting. For defensive purposes, I zero at 100. I got no artillery support, so anything too far for 100 yard zero is far enough I can evade rather than engage.

[LRRPF52]

Some general guidelines that summarize what has been said above:

If you're a target shooter running a ballistics program with known increments for dialing or holding, 100yd zero makes a lot of sense.

If you're hunting generally east of the Mississippi and don't have a lot of open fields with longer shots on deer, 100yd zero makes a lot of sense.

For those of us out West in the high desert or more open terrain around the Rockies, a 200yd zero makes a lot of sense for most rifle cartridges if you aren't going to be messing with the scope.

I keep a 100yd zero on my scopes, but in hunting season, I dial up to 200yds POI for the altitude and conditions I'm in, then confirm that 200yd zero at base camp. That's for mule deer and elk, which have pretty large vital zones on them.

In Double Naught's case, he's working in more densely vegetated terrain hunting hogs, so a 100yd zero makes a lot of sense for him, especially with those smaller vital zones and the average distances he will encounter the animals.

There's really not a right or wrong answer for which zero you choose, but there is a right and wrong answer for confirming and training with your rifle.

The right answer is to get a very good zero dialed-in and know it well, as well as practicing with your rifle and the zero you have chosen, including shooting from field positions on vital zone targets. That will increase your confidence level and hit probability substantially.

Before all of that, I would recommend a detailed rifle/optic/mount/ammo checklist where you ensure everything is mounted correctly, torqued equally to the recommended torque specs, Loc-tite applied to the fasteners, and good mechanical alignment with the rifle action and bore.

There is a level of confidence you will gain once your zero is dialed in nicely, and that same zero repeats every time you go to the range. You will feel much more sure about where your shot is going when you spend time with the rifle over and over again, and it proves to you that it will do what you want it to do.

[StoneHendge]

I'm not a big hunter, but there is one major downside to a 200 yard zero where that zero is dialed in on paper at 200 yards, and that is that you are allowing a higher degree of variables enter the equation (predominantly wind), and you may end up actually zeroing off your zero. With hunting season around the corner here, a lot of guys are showing up at the range with their rifle that they put away last fall. They all think they need a 200 yard zero for their 300 super duper ultra mags. They'll get it close on the 100 yard board and then move on to the 200 - and then wonder why they're grouping to the right and often have more drop than they expected. Well a gusting 15-20 mph wind blowing from 2 to 4 o'clock might have something to do with it, as well as the fact that the wind comes over the berm on the left and swirls downward. I'm pretty proactive approaching these guys so they don't adjust to that 200 yard zero and go out into the field with it (my thoughts are more with the game who might get shot outside of the vital zone) and suggest the 1.5" high at 100 zero, which can then always be confirmed at 200 taking environmental conditions into account.

[Troutguide]

That's a good point StoneHendge. I tried to sight in a rifle one time with terrible gusting winds. After a box of ammo I walked away no better for the wear and expense. At least I knew it wasn't good enough to use for hunting.

[Kilco]

I've always used 100 yard zero save for my old 25-06 Rem and a very old CDL 7mm mag that use standard duplex reticles with capped turrets. Those rifle have a 200 yard zero, makes shots out to 300 yards relatively dead on hold with those two flat shooters.

My 204 Ruger used to be a 200 yard zero, but started popping groundhogs at 400+ yards with it and needed to dial, so dropped back to 100 yard zero.

[JASmith]

One needs to make several trips to the range over a period of weeks.

Ideally, two or three of the first sessions should be calm days. After that, one should leave the sight settings alonr to grt sn idea of how much his bullet wanders with conditions.

[Kswhitetails]

My two cents here.

For hunting with my 6.5G, I'm actually looking for a good low power, fixed magnification optic. Because:

As mentioned above, almost all realistic hunting shooting solutions are within 200 yards. I think it was upwards of 95%? Certainly within 300 its an even higher percentage.

If you zero 2.5-2.75 inches high at 100, the Grendel has a ~275-300 yard point blank range with a 10" vital zone. (10" is whitetail; larger with mulies/elk, smaller for pigs etc...) This means messing with your turrets at all inside 300 is completely unnecessary anyway. I draw a 10 inch clock-face circle centered around the top of the heart, aim toward 6 when under 100, aim at 12 at 300. (with ELD-M BLACK). As far as a shot within 100, hold under. You're gonna hit in the vitals. I have found that anything under 200 is child's play and becomes rather boring anyway. Hold down 2 inches and kill it. Or don't adjust at all and kill it. Or take the scope off and use the irons and kill it.

The clock face helps with wind too, as here in KS it's not uncommon to have 20-30 MPH steady and 40 gusty winds on fall days in the open plains. If you're into the wind at less than 45degrees, aim at the 1 or the 11; Away from the wind - aim at the 5 or the 7, and at 90degrees - the nine and three. For me, as I am visual, placing the clock face over the vitals and trusting in physics makes wind calls and range estimation much easier. I like knowing that if I can see it clearly I can kill it easily.

I.E. I have a 200 lb 14 pt buck in the scope at somewhere over 200, not beyond 300. Wind is from the right, in my face, and kinda stiff. OK easy - 10 inch-ish clock face on the heart, aim toward the one and fire. Watch the tuft of fur fly, observe his last dance through the slightly magnified, lightweight optic. There will be a nice hole if not in the heart, in both lungs causing massive lethal trauma. This guys not long for this world. Now, let the adrenaline come down, call dad to brag, and take a nap... then go collect my tag.

I've never heard anyone else talking about a clock face overlay for hunting, but for me it always made sense. My son uses it rather well because it's easy to understand. It's not super-sniper mil-dot or moa calculated, but I've never been disappointed. The Grendel is so sweet on the shoulder, that if you're a practiced shooter at all, you'll likely be able to take any necessary followups within the second your quarry begins to move anyway. Stay down, follow through.

If you practice like you should, you should be ready to go whatever your zero. It is always worth the time and the minimal expense to develop the kind of skill and confidence in your gear you're imagining yourself to have when you sit typing about it on message boards... HA! (This is a self-jab)

Now, go have fun collecting dinner.

[ThunderStick]

Ditto to everything above.

I do the same thing with out even thinking about it because of having shot so much 22lr bench rest targets!

[Double Naught Spy]

In Double Naught's case, he's working in more densely vegetated terrain hunting hogs, so a 100yd zero makes a lot of sense for him, especially with those smaller vital zones and the average distances he will encounter the animals.

LOL, I hunt in a variety of habitats. I will make do with whatever land I am asked to help out with problem animals. I much prefer the open pastures to dense vegetation.

Last night's example... https://youtu.be/izNDdjIEyEc

[AZBackcountry]

For hunting out past 300 yards
No turrets: Duplex Reticle zero at 200 yards and use dope chart hold overs for longer shots.
No turrets: Ballistic Reticle, MOA Reticle or Mil-R Reticle zero at 100 yards and use the reticle for shot placement.
Turrets: Any Reticle zero at 100 yards use the turrets to make adjustments based on conditions.

For hunting up to 200 yards - zero any scope at 100 yards.

[Arkhangel5]

I compete in NRA matches with my rifle. Course of fire is 300yds, 500yds and 600yds. 20 rounds for record at each distance.

So my rifle's zero is set for 300yds. That is my mechanical no wind zero.

That being said, when I take this rifle hunting, I know what my come downs are for both 200 and 100yds, I have a self imposed max of 300yds with this rifle.

Knowing your equipment is a major comfort.

SY