Spend the time to sight in your gun BEFORE you get to your deer camp

[Tom7227]

You should consider spending some time sighting in your rifle before you get to deer camp. You can find a range by going to http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/shooting_ranges/index.html. Many ranges have special sighting in days a week or two prior to opener so it won't be hard to find a time when you can do it.

If you Google 'sighting in a rifle' you can get all sorts of instructions and videos on how it's done. It has a lot more steps than cranking off three rounds and figuring your good if you get them in a 12 inch circle at 50 yards. There isn't a gun worth carrying that you can't get down to a 3 inch circle at 50 yards if you spend the time at the bench and money to get some good ammunition.

You owe it to the resource to do it right.

[cavalierowner]

Absolutely correct!!

I'll put in a plug for for the Elk River Sportsmans Club (I'm a member). Every Saturday and Sunday in the month of October we have public sight-ins. You can shoot at 50, 100 or 200 yards. It's just $10 per gun, $20 if you want to shoot at 200 yards. Shoot as much as you want/need to. You bring the rifle and ammo, we provide targets and spotting scopes.

Regardless of what range you go to, check your rifle every year. You never know when the scope or sights may have been bumped. And it's a lot safer than shooting somewhere that you could get a ricochet finding something it shouldn't.

I should also add (and I'm sure it's the same at other ranges) that most of the people working the public sight-in also shoot in competition. So if you're relatively new to shooting, they can give you tips on how to tighten up those groups.

[Dave S]

I've been to the ER club once as a guest. Very nice range. Atleast I think it's the same one.

Do you have to be a member to the ER Club or can the public come out during the sighting in days?

[mnmofro]

The sight in weekends are open to the public, if you do a search for ERSC you will find the HSOforum with detailed info for public sight in info.

[cavalierowner]

I've been to the ER club once as a guest. Very nice range. Atleast I think it's the same one.

Do you have to be a member to the ER Club or can the public come out during the sighting in days?

As stated by mnmofro, weekends during the month of October are open to the public. Here is the link: http://www.ersportsman.com/

[Fever]

Shot 30-06 on sat. 125 yds. first shot felt great, unfortunately was 6 inches low and 5 to the right. Made minor adjustment with my left/right by clicking it over several clicks. Next grouping of 4 rounds all within 2 inches of dead center at 125yds. I can go into woods withe extreme confidence now. It is a great idea to do a bit of shooting before getting out there. Last year that gun/scope was right on but it must have gotten bumped since then hence - the correction. Good luck all.

[lakeshoremunster]

3 inches at 50 yards is great if you are free hand shooting it, Im a stickler when it comes to sighting my rifle in, it cant be more than a 1 inch circle for me at 50. But that is just me.

If you are shooting factory ammo take a look at the mfg's HSOforum most of the time the will give you a ballistics chart so you can get an idea of what your bullet will do.

[HNTNBUX]

I spent a few hours at the range today. I sighted in or verified the sights on a Winchester 94 30/30, Winchester 100 .243, Browning A-Bolt 7mm Rem Mag, Remington 870 20 guage and Remington 1100 12 guage. By the end my shoulder was starting to feel the pain but all are dialed in and ready to go.

[Marcus Taplin]

I got mine dialed in today! The .30-06 is dead center at 150yds, 1 inch low at 100yds and 1 inch high at 200yds. Thanks to the guys at Forest Lake Sportsman's club!! They have a really nice range if you are looking for one.

[Tom7227]

Bald Eagle Sportsman's Association

6557 N 125th St

Hugo, MN 55038

(651) 429-9874

October Site-in Days in Progress

All rifle and shotgun ranges including are open to the public with Range Officers on duty Saturdays and Sundays and all week the last week of October.

Shoot all afternoon on our rifle range - $10 for the 1st gun, $5 for the 2nd gun. $15 max charge per shooter.

[MUSKY18]

Also a good reminder that you are not allowed to shoot/sight in your weapon within 5 days of the season opening unless you are at an approved gun range. So take the time to get it done right, and get it done now.

[Chuby Minnow]

ya know, thanks for posting this. I had no idea what everyone was talking about. So, I looked it up and even called DNR for clarification. I have never really been a big gun hunter (bow) but do occassionally hunt with a gun on our property. We even have our own little rifle range and had plans for a few people to come over the day before to check rifles. Put a cabosh on that plan. Take alot of pride knowing the regs, tags, etc for bow hunting but was clueless to this one.

Thanks again.

[wdgold]

Also a good reminder that you are not allowed to shoot/sight in your weapon within 5 days of the season opening unless you are at an approved gun range. So take the time to get it done right, and get it done now.

This is what I was wandering about. A small town shooting range where I hunt shutdown and people have been using a local gravel pit for their shooting. Is it safe to assume that this gravel pit would not be legal to shoot at within the 5 days.

[6arrows]

long time reader first time writer. a quick question? I bought my son a new 270 and im wondering how to zero it. we hunt north woods with shots out to 150 yards. some shots withen 50 yards.We also hunt a pipeline with shots up to 300. where should we zero at 2 inch high at 100?

[nwhunter]

long time reader first time writer. a quick question? I bought my son a new 270 and im wondering how to zero it. we hunt north woods with shots out to 150 yards. some shots withen 50 yards.We also hunt a pipeline with shots up to 300. where should we zero at 2 inch high at 100?

I think it's all personal preference. I know guys that have theirs dead on at 50, 100, and 200 yards. You just need to know the trajectory to be able to adjust. I'd say dead on at 150, that way you have wiggle room for the short shots and the longer ones. Just my 2 cents...

[fr0sty]

I have a .270 and it's sighted in to shoot about 2" high at 100 yards. That is zeroed at 200 yards. It is just point and shoot anywhere from point blank to probably 300 yards (not that I have a shot that far anyway

[jay83196]

It depends on ammo and weight you can look it up at most manufactures web sites. I shoot 150gr 270 federal noslar partitions and at 50yds .2" low dead on at 100 and 3.5" low at 200. I would look up the specific ammo and site in at 100 and put it where you want to split difference depending on ammo. Most ammo rises from barrel so not going to be dead on at all distances no matter what.

[olsonsport]

Can you hunt grouse during that 5 day window before deer season?

[shortfatguy]

You can hunt small game with bird shot or a rim fire rifle. You are not allowed to have slugs or a rifle that is allowed for deer. Which is pretty much any center fire cartridge except .17 hmr since the new rule change in legal calibers. The exception being the carrying of a handgun by a licensed to carry individual.

[olsonsport]

Thank you for the clarification!

[CrappieAttitude]

I was told once that if you swab your rifle barrel after sighting it in, there could be a chance that the next round that you fire may not fly as true due to the oil in the barrel. Just curious if anyone has ever heard of this happening before?

[fr0sty]

Absolutely true. I shot my .270 a lot this summer. After sighting in to be about 2" high a 100 yards and after cleaning my barrel, the first shot the next time at the range was always a good 6" high from the bull.

I was told once that if you swab your rifle barrel after sighting it in, there could be a chance that the next round that you fire may not fly as true due to the oil in the barrel. Just curious if anyone has ever heard of this happening before?

[LightningBG]

I got mine dialed in today! The .30-06 is dead center at 150yds, 1 inch low at 100yds and 1 inch high at 200yds. Thanks to the guys at Forest Lake Sportsman's club!! They have a really nice range if you are looking for one.

How is this possible? Are you also zeroed at like 400yds?

If you're dead center at 150, you should be high at 100 and low at 200. Typo?

[TooTallTom]

LightningBG, Marcus Taplin may have sighted his rifle in so that the bullet is still rising passing through the 150-yard target.

I have no idea about the ballistics of his particular .270 load, or whether he verified this by actually shooting a 300-yard target with no hold-over, but it is a possibility.

[jay83196]

It's not possible, the drop starts at 100yds even on lighter ballistic tips they stop rising and drop around 100 yds. Mine is dead on at 100yds , 3" low at 200 and 12" low at 300. Most 30-06 are going to be close to this unless super light ammo. The F.L range is great but the chart they have for bullet drop is not exact look up your specific ammo from manufacturer and shoot it.