2022 Targets

12-26-2022 (50 yard target Follow-up shots)

Gun season is over for me, both buck tags are filled and no more doe hunting on gamelands for the rest of the year in this area. 

I made a trip down to South Carolina to see family and took the rifle and target with me. I wanted to document a known range (50 yards) and a cold barrel 1st shot as if hunting. The first shot can be even 4" higher with a cold barrel than with a warm barrel.

As you may remember this rifle was zeroed in for 265 yards since the majority of my shooting is/was done on the shooting range and not hunting. Rather than re-zero I wanted to shoot it as it was and figure in elevation adjustments as needed. This can be seen over on the 2022 Target Page. This method was used twice this year and both times the deer was hit around 35 yards. Unfortunately the first deer moved as I shot and I messed up the shot. Please do not confuse my poor marksmanship and blame it on the scope zero range...blame it on the shooter! Making a 12" to 16" elevation correction in this manor is no different or harder than with open sights.

The second deer did not move and the shot found it's mark (see video below). The POI was the result of a "correct" POA, although the windage should have been slightly corrected to the left and lower for a more desired POI. It appears that this current target test shows the actual POI's just to the right of the desired POI thus windage should have been used for the deer shot and the scope needs to be adjusted.

To prove anyone can do this, three people shot this rifle consecutively with this method and here are the results.

From a cold barrel and a rifle rest, the first shot POI was at 16.5" above the POA. Previously documented warm barrels resulted in groups at 12" above the POA for a 50 yard shot. The second and third shots proceeded to get lower, closer to the warm barrel 12" results. The second shooter, 4th shot, the shooter used elevation and windage adjustments (aimed 12" low) and hit inside the bullseye, but slightly high. The third shooter placed the fifth and final shot in the same area as shots 1-3, and at the point of a nicely warmed barrel...placed closer to 12". 

For a 30-40 yard shot on the deer mentioned below, POI was just below the belly and using about an 8" corrected elevation. Review the video below to watch the shot placement.

11-16-2022

This was tested on 11-22-2022. Although the range was good (25 yards), the shooter failed in marksmanship. The deer stepped foreword just as I pulled the trigger and trying to correct. The POI was high aft back shot. see 11-22-2022 video on hunting page.

The advantage of having the scope zeroed in for 265 yards can be beneficial, like a broke clock being correct twice a day, the scope is zeroed for two ranges. In general, 25 yards and 250 yards should result in a 5 inch high hit at both ranges. So for long range and short range, the scope will help. However, at 50 yards and 225 yards, this could be a bit more challenging as well at ranges from 75 yards to 200 yards.

Hopefully I can report back in less than a week with good news!