Guides / Sight in a scope

How to Sight In a New Scope

A new scope is only as good as its zero. The good news is that sighting in follows a simple order: bore sight first, get on paper at 25 yards, then fine tune at 100 yards. Working in that order saves ammunition, saves time, and keeps frustration low.

Before You Start: Safety and Setup

Start by confirming the firearm is unloaded. Open the action, check the chamber and magazine visually and by feel, and keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction the whole time. Only load at the firing line when you are ready to shoot.

Shoot only where you have a safe backstop, such as an established range berm or a hillside with no rocks that could cause ricochets. Know what is beyond your target.

Mount the scope with rings torqued to the maker's specs, set eye relief so you see a full sight picture without straining, and level the reticle with the rifle. Bring a solid rest, such as a bench with sandbags or a bipod with a rear bag.

Step 1: Bore Sight

Bore sighting gets the scope roughly aligned with the barrel so your first shots land on paper.

On a bolt action, you can do it by eye. With the rifle unloaded and the bolt removed, set the rifle in a steady rest and look through the bore at a target about 25 to 50 yards away. Center the target in the bore. Without moving the rifle, look through the scope and turn the windage and elevation turrets until the crosshairs sit on the same spot.

On rifles where you cannot look down the bore, use a laser bore sighter or a magnetic collimator. Follow the tool's instructions, and remove any bore tool before firing.

Step 2: Get on Paper at 25 Yards

At 25 yards, a bore sighted rifle will almost always hit the paper. Fire a three shot group with careful, consistent technique.

Measure how far the group center is from your aim point, both up or down and left or right. Then adjust the turrets to move the impact toward the aim point. Turret markings usually say which way the impact moves, such as "UP" or "R".

Keep in mind that click values shrink at shorter distance. A 1/4 MOA click moves impact about 0.26 inch at 100 yards, so it moves only about 0.065 inch at 25 yards. That means you need about four times as many clicks at 25 yards to move the same amount on paper. For a 0.1 MRAD scope, a click is about 0.36 inch at 100 yards and about 0.09 inch at 25 yards.

Get the group close to the aim point here. You do not need perfection, because you will refine at 100 yards.

Step 3: Zero at 100 Yards

Move to 100 yards and fire another three shot group. Let the barrel cool between groups, since a hot barrel can shift impact.

Measure the group center's distance from the aim point and do the math:

• 1/4 MOA scope: divide inches of correction by 0.26. A group 2 inches left needs about 8 clicks right.
• 0.1 MRAD scope: divide inches of correction by 0.36. A group 1.8 inches high needs about 5 clicks down.

Make the adjustment, then fire a confirmation group. Repeat until the group centers where you want it. Many whitetail hunters zero dead on at 100 yards. Pick the zero that fits your rifle, cartridge, and hunting distances, and check your load's actual drop on paper at distance if you plan longer shots.

Step 4: Confirm and Record

Once zeroed, fire one more group from a cold barrel if you can, since your first shot while hunting will be cold. Write down the zero distance, ammunition used, and any turret settings. If your scope has a resettable zero stop or turret cap, set it now.

Recheck zero before each season, after travel, after a hard knock, and any time you change ammunition.

For help choosing a scope that fits your hunt, see our guides to a whitetail rifle scope and a western rifle scope. If you will hunt at longer ranges, a hunting rangefinder helps you know the distance before you hold or dial.

FAQ

Do I need a bore sighter tool?
No. On most bolt actions you can bore sight by eye with the bolt removed. A laser or collimator helps on rifles where you cannot see through the bore.

Why are my clicks not moving the group the expected amount?
Check your math for the distance. Clicks move a quarter as much at 25 yards as at 100. Also confirm the scope's actual click value, and shoot groups rather than single shots.

How often should I recheck my zero?
Before each season, after travel or a drop, and whenever you change ammunition.

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