Have you ever tried to take a shot at a blurry or a distant target? What was the experience? Did you manage to hit it? Probably, you might have missed it by far. What could be the reason?
Well, sighting using a natural eye can be a difficult process. It is because the target can be too tiny for the eye to have a clear view. In this case, you will require an assistant to make the object larger and clearer.
You will, therefore, require a rifle scope for that purpose. In this article, I am going to highlight how the scope works. There will also be a conclusion.
How to sight using a rifle scope?
There are a series of things that you must do first for you to use the rifle sight effectively. Installing and using it will require some technical knowledge and understanding. The scope is a must-have item, especially for those persons practicing long-distance shooting.
To achieve optimum sight and use, you will follow the following steps. Each of the steps contributes greatly to the success of sighting and hitting the target with accurate precision.
When putting up the system, safety should be paramount to you. Please consult the user manual for handling and setting guidelines.
⇒ Make sure that you install the scope properly.
Luckily, most of the modern rifles have a mounting system already packed for scope. It makes it easy to install and set it up in the shortest time possible. Be sure that the scope mounts as well as the rings fit well to the style of your rifle.
It is important to note that some scope rings suit only particular types of scope phases. To avoid disappointments, make sure that all the components match.
⇒ Adjust the eye distance.
Adjust the scope of rifle until you get a clear view of the target. The image should be very clear and distinct from the rest of the objects surrounding it. Fine-tune the scope until you create a perfect amount of eye relief.
The distance between the scope and your eye should be far enough. It helps ensure that when you fire a shot, the recoil does not send back the scope to the eye, or avoiding eye contact.
If such happens, and the scope comes into contact with the eye, then it will cause a serious eye injury.
⇒ Get the correct level.
When you are dealing with rifles, you will require a steady shooting position. Any form of disturbance can make you miss the target. You may even end up injuring yourself. It is also impossible to sight well if your shooting position is unstable.
To achieve the correct position, you can decide to position the rifle on a shooting point (bench) with the mount, or you can even use a bipod.
Either way will lead to a stable shooting position. There is a possibility, however, that the rifle mount can minimize the recoil by up about 95% on a bench.
There are several sorts of rifle mounts that you can buy for this purpose. They are specifically for scope sighting, and they increase the accuracy of shooting.
⇒ Align the reticle.
Align the reticle so that you can achieve an optimum view of the target. That is a single most step that almost all the shooters overlook when aiming at the target.
Make sure that the crosshairs of the scope are perfectly in line with the direction of the windage and elevation adjustments. You will miss your shots either to the right or to the left side of the target if you do not align them well.
That usually happens, especially when you are focused on a target that is at a distance of at least 250 yards.With shorter targets, you may not even require to do the alignment, because you can sight it without a lot of stress.
The condition in which the crosshairs are not in parallel with the adjustments is known as a reticle cant. There are several ways that you can use to avoid the reticle cant.
⇒ Set the minute of angle.
There are also several ways of making this adjustment. It could be easier to do an outdoor shooting range. That is because you will need to set targets for multiple distances. For you to achieve the best resolution, you will need to keep the scope and the rifle at very stable conditions.
Whenever you are setting targets at multiple distances, you should select at least one hundred yards distance between them.
That will minimize the disturbances and blockings in between the various targets. You will then have perfect conditions to aim and shoot the targets with fewer hassles.
⇒ Fire the shots to test the accuracy.
You will now need to test your rifle by firing some shots at the target. Pause and take note of where the bullets hit, or even missed the target. If you hit it, then you did a perfect job.
On the contrary, if the shots went astray past the target, then you will need to re-do the adjustments. That implies that you may change the length of the sighting as well as the minute of angle.
The choice is absolutely yours, given that the MOA will allow you to adjust the scope to the targets at different distances.
⇒ Keep changing the distances.
Measure your success and accuracy by continuously shifting and changing the target position. The ultimate point is when you hit the bullseye. When you master that, you may need to move your targets further away until you become perfect.
How to sight in a rifle scope at 25 yards?
Generally, 25 yards is a close-range object. The target in this distance is too close to miss. You will need to follow the above procedures, as pointed out in the article.
The only step that should not bother you is the adjustment of the reticle. You can sight the target through the scope, and make the shots with a lot of precision. Stability, however, is the key to the success of the expedition.
You will need to do this before you shoot:
- Ensure that you are safe and not prone to injuries from the exercise.
- Hang the targets at 25 yards away. Ensure that your field of view is free of any obstruction and that the target is perfectly upright.
- Fire at the target. Make a shoot, aiming an inch higher than the target to allow you to have an accurate shot.
- Evaluate your work and make necessary corrections if need be.
How to sight in a rifle scope at 50 yards?
There is no much difference when sighting at 25 yards. However, you will need to observe the following critical points:
- Install your scope properly and correctly. Always prioritize your safety when installing the scope. The rings and the mount must properly fit the rifle.
- Place your scope in a prime position where you can sight the target perfectly. The target should be clear of obstruction, and it should be upright and stable.
- Adjust the eye relief to avoid injuries to the eyes when recoiling.
- Place the rifle in a stable position. You can use the mount or even a tripod stand.
- Align the reticle. It helps one to avoid the reticle cant. Failure to do such will lead to one missing the target by a wide margin.
- Adjust the minute of angle (MOA).
- Shoot at the target. Aim at the bullseye.
- Evaluate your work and make any adjustments if necessary.
How to sight in a rifle scope at 100 yards?
100-yard distance is much far from the two. Here, you will require more accuracy, or else you will miss the target. The steps below will guide you during the process.
- Get to understand the riflescope.
- Mount and level the optic in the most optimum position.
- Align the barrel, the scope, and the sight.
- Adjust the rifle for the shooting at 100 yards.
- Shoot at the target.
- Evaluate the shots on target and make any adjustments if necessary.
How to sight in a rifle scope without a boresighter?
- Mount the rifle scope properly on the rifle. Set both the eye relief and the reticle focus.
- Rest the rifle in a stable position to avoid injuring yourself when you shoot.
- Calculate the range you want to use for sighting.
- If possible, do a manual boresight.
- Shoot at the target while aiming at the bullseye.
- Evaluate and find out the level of adjustments that you will need to make. Walk to the target and see where the shots hit. That will determine the level of the adjustments that you will make to the riffle for a more accurate shot.
Conclusion.
Using a sight in a rifle scope is a fun experience. However, you have to set it well before you make any shot. Follow all the procedures that are in this article, and you will be able to hit the target with a lot of ease and precision. Finally, make sure that you are safe when dealing with riffles.