Sighting in a .308 tomorrow

[Seagrave1963]

With the good weather tomorrow and an upcoming hog trip, figured I'd sight in the Savage 10PC and figured this board has so many helpful folk it would be worth asking for some pointers before going.

It is a standard 10PC with a PWS compensator

scope is the Nikon ProStaff 5 2.5-10x40

and will be shooting Federal Fusion 150 gr rounds

Don't have sled but have sand bags.

Thanks

 

[ohen cepel]

Bore sight it before you go (if you haven't). Should get you on paper and save some $$/time.

Easy to do with a bolt gun by looking down the bore to make sure what you see through the bore is the same thing the crosshairs are on. Not perfect but gets you close to start.

 

[Russ D]

Aim for the center of the target. Learn your trigger, and how to break it without moving the rifle off the target. Get the rifle as steady as possible on the sand bags and don't fight to keep the rifle on target. 3 shot groups and move the scope depending on the center of the 3 shots.

 

[Overboost44]

Bore sight it before you go (if you haven't). Should get you on paper and save some $$/time.

Easy to do with a bolt gun by looking down the bore to make sure what you see through the bore is the same thing the crosshairs are on. Not perfect but gets you close to start.

Start with this, and then you may want to go to 25 yards with a shot just to make sure you can get on paper.

 

[stu929]

Sounds silly make sure the scope is tight. Cant tell you how much ammo is wasted trying to sight in a gun with a loose sight!

 

[BradMacc82]

Aim for the center of the target. Learn your trigger, and how to break it without moving the rifle off the target. Get the rifle as steady as possible on the sand bags and don't fight to keep the rifle on target. 3 shot groups and move the scope depending on the center of the 3 shots.

People would be amazed how much they can throw a shot if they have poor follow-thru or are trying to muscle the rifle on target.

Been there.

 

[pjd832]

so how'd you make out with the sight in?

 

[Pinecone]

3 shot sight in:

Set target at 25 or 50 yards.

Set rifle (or upper) in sand bag and bore sight (align barrel with target, adjust sight to target)

Fire 1 shot, aiming at center of target

Set rifle in sandbag so the sight is on center of target, WITHOUT MOVING the rifle (someone helping is good), adjust the sight to move it to the bullet hole.

Fire 1 shot, should be in the center.

Set new target at 100 yards.

Fire one shot, repeat sight adjustment.

Fire a 4th if you feel like it.

 

[bman940]

I agree with Pinecone. I go about sighting in just about the same way. I like starting out at 25 yards to get on paper and go from there. If you aren't on paper pick a spot on the berm and fire a round into that spot, watch to see where your POI is. Adjust accordingly. I also like to go into Nikon's Spot On Ballistic Program so that I know I can make my bullet impact at 25-50 whatever distance I am shooting to get a 100 yard zero. Makes it quick,easy and save $ on ammo. Remember to adjust the Parallax setting tot he distance you shooting too.
Keep us posted and hopefully a pic or 2.

I have the PROSTAFF 5 4.5-14 on a Winchester Model 70 Coyote. Love it.

 

[GUNSnROTORS]

Bring cleaning gear. Once sighted in, clean the rifle. Then fire a round to identify POI delta between clean/fouled bore. It's that first shot from a cold barrel that counts. If an undesirable delta exists, foul the bore prior to the boar hunt.

 

[Semper Noctem]

Bring cleaning gear. Once sighted in, clean the rifle. Then fire a round to identify POI delta between clean/fouled bore. It's that first shot from a cold barrel that counts. If an undesirable delta exists, foul the bore prior to the boar hunt.

This is arguable, imo. I don't clean the bore of my bolt rifles until accuracy degrades. Many would argue that over cleaning can be detrimental to barrel life, and a fouled barrel shoots better than a clean one... or is at least more predictable.

Just pull a bore snake through it and be done with it.

 

[outrider58]

Sounds silly make sure the scope is tight. Cant tell you how much ammo is wasted trying to sight in a gun with a loose sight!

...but not too tight. It's not a tire/wheel going on a car. Tighten the screws in rotation a little at a time keeping the tension even throughout the process and be sure to blue locktite it.

 

[stu929]

Never implied it was a tire, but i have seen people chasing a wandering zero due to a loose stock or loose sight.

Ive also had a front sight come loose during a match and ruin a zero.

 

[outrider58]

Never implied it was a tire, but i have seen people chasing a wandering zero due to a loose stock or loose sight.

Ive also had a front sight come loose during a match and ruin a zero.

I was not correcting you but, just putting it out there for others who may be just starting out. INES (I'm not Ed Shell, he's the expert)

 

[Pinecone]

Never implied it was a tire, but i have seen people chasing a wandering zero due to a loose stock or loose sight.

I have NEVER heard of that happening.

 

[Pinecone]

This is arguable, imo. I don't clean the bore of my bolt rifles until accuracy degrades. Many would argue that over cleaning can be detrimental to barrel life, and a fouled barrel shoots better than a clean one... or is at least more predictable.

Just pull a bore snake through it and be done with it.

Agreed, but finding out the cold bore POI is a good thing.

 

[stu929]

I have NEVER heard of that happening.

Did it cost you one box or two?

 

[Seagrave1963]

Thanks everyone - it helped a lot.

Just got back and finally got some shots on the 9" pie plates (took 2 groups of 3 to get on the board).

Beautiful day for shooting too!

Bore sighted it at 75 yards (range requirements unless shooting into the berm and there were folks already there). I suspect if I could have brought it in a bit, it would have taken less than 6 shots to get on the paper.

The 1st three shot group of shots were way high with the 2nd group better centered using Italian made Perfecta 147 grain FMJ rounds.

The 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th three round groups were also using the Perfecta rounds. (The 5th round was the middle point of the "3" as the target as other folks wanted to keep shooting on the line.)

Ran a bore snake through after spraying some 10:1 Ballistol and then did three rounds of Perfecta followed by three rounds of Federal Fusion 150 grain (looks like soft point). The Federal was way tighter!

Decided to go to 200 to see how it handled and (no pic) but the Perfecta was centered but across the entire 9" target. Through a new target up and used the Fusion and got "OK" at least on the target.

Learned alot about my Savage - it likes the Fusion (will try other rounds too) and I really have to work on my breathing and trigger discipline. Really like the way it shoots, particularly the Accu-trigger.

Biggest thing was the input from the MDS members - I'd probably still be out there cussin'!

Thanks folks for the guidance (again)

 

[rseymorejr]

Sounds silly make sure the scope is tight. Cant tell you how much ammo is wasted trying to sight in a gun with a loose sight!

...but not too tight. It's not a tire/wheel going on a car. Tighten the screws in rotation a little at a time keeping the tension even throughout the process and be sure to blue locktite it.

The screws really should be torqued, but I'm not sure if anyone actually does it

 

[Russ D]

It looks like you did a pretty good job getting it dialed in. I'm not surprised the Fusion shot better out of your gun. Everything I've read about it was positive. Also you might want to put a defined bulls eye on those plates to be certain your aiming point is constant.