We’ve all seen it. Good groups an inch off of the aiming point, or maybe the edge of the group is on the dot. Ok, so we know that rifle is accurate, but can it center punch a dime? On the first try? Repetitively?
Hopefully, if you’re reading this, You are familiar with the process of zeroing your rifle. Have you verified it? Or do you call 3-5 shots in a 1″ circle or even touching a 1/2″ dot, Good enough?
Here’s the method I use to verify Zero, so that I can attack dot drills, or fly targets with confidence:
Start with a “zeroed” rifle and a clean sheet of BLANK paper, or grid paper if available. Attach the paper to your target backer, at whatever your zero range is. The first shot, you should bracket the paper and try to put the round as close to center as possible (but anywhere is ok). Now, zoom in your scope as far as you need to, so that you can use the first hole as your aiming point. Using the first hole as your aiming point, “send it”. Is it now still a single hole? If so, great, send another one. If not, where did it go? Hopefully you know which hole was first and which was second. If you don’t know which is which, STOP, then go and mark either hole with a marker and call it the second hole(skip now to the asterisk*). Now, if you knew which was the second hole, go ahead and use it as your aiming point and try to put the next round through it. Now do the same thing with the third hole, and then the fourth hole, and finally the fifth. IMPORTANT, do NOT adjust your aiming point, we want PRECISE middle of the hole holds.
* You are now aiming at the marked hole, Send it. Do you have 3 holes now, or 2? If you have 3, you should know which is the 3rd hole, so now use it, and then the fourth and fifth, respectively. If you only have 2 holes, the 4th shot should be at the non-marked hole and the fifth shot will be at the 4th hole.
Looking at your target you should see 1 of 3 things; 1 little misshapen hole, you are HARD zeroed. A line of holes, you are NOT hard zeroed, measure the spacing, adjust, and repeat drill. A circular”ish” group, If it’s around the first hole, you are hard zeroed but have work to do. If it’s off center of the first hole, use the center of the group, and measure to the first hole, adjust, and repeat drill.
By doing this drill, you will become more confident in your zero, AND will more quickly be able to notice patterns that you can document and DOPE for (especially if you run 10rd strings and start getting barrel mirage).
Have Fun, Shoot More!!!