Understanding Scope Sighting
The Purpose and Components
The crisp air bites at your cheeks as you settle behind your rifle. The target, a small silhouette against the distant berm, seems miles away. Your heart rate quickens. You’ve meticulously prepared, from the cleaning of your rifle to the careful selection of ammunition. This is the moment of truth: the first shot. But as the recoil settles, a wave of doubt washes over you. Where did it hit? Did you pull? Do you adjust your scope to follow the apparent trajectory of the unseen bullet? This question of whether to trust your visual interpretation during scope sighting is the cornerstone of accuracy.
For many, the process of “following the bullet” – intuitively adjusting the scope based on where they *think* the bullet landed – feels like the natural way to sight in a scope. But is this instinct always correct? The goal of this article is to explore the practices for setting up your scope and answer the question: should you follow the bullet when sighting in a scope?
Accuracy begins with a solid understanding of the principles behind scope sighting. The primary purpose of a scope is to improve your accuracy by providing a magnified view of the target, along with a precise aiming point in the form of a reticle. By eliminating the guesswork inherent in iron sights, a scope allows you to consistently place your shots where you intend. This is achieved by aligning the reticle, essentially a crosshair or other aiming mark, with the point of impact.
A scope is a relatively simple optical instrument, generally composed of several key components that work together to magnify the image and provide a consistent point of aim. The objective lens, the large lens at the front of the scope, gathers light and magnifies the image. The ocular lens, the lens closest to your eye, allows you to see the magnified image. Between these lenses is the reticle, which is the aiming point and is often etched onto a piece of glass within the scope. Finally, the adjustment turrets are used to move the reticle, correcting for elevation and windage.
Zeroing Your Scope
Before diving into the practice of sighting in a scope, understanding what “zeroing” means is crucial. Zeroing is the process of adjusting your scope so that your bullets consistently hit the target at a specific distance when the reticle is properly aligned. This creates a known, reliable baseline from which to calculate adjustments for different ranges. A properly zeroed scope eliminates the need to guess at how to compensate for bullet drop or wind drift at your typical shooting distances.
The flight of a bullet is not a simple straight line. Numerous factors influence its trajectory, including gravity, wind, the bullet’s ballistic coefficient, and even the temperature and humidity of the air. Gravity pulls the bullet downwards, causing it to arc in its flight. Wind can push the bullet sideways, impacting its point of impact. Knowing how these factors affect your shot is crucial for accuracy.
What Does “Following the Bullet” Mean?
The Definition
So, what does it mean to “follow the bullet” while sighting in your scope?
It involves an intuitive process where the shooter observes where a bullet *seems* to impact the target (based on a perceived visual line) and then immediately adjusts the scope’s turrets to move the reticle to what they perceive to be the correct location.
This often involves making quick adjustments to the elevation and windage turrets based on the initial shot’s perceived impact point, attempting to center the reticle over the perceived bullet hole. The goal is to get the reticle and the bullet impact point in alignment as quickly as possible.
The Reasoning Behind It
Following the bullet is a common practice for a number of reasons. Many shooters, particularly beginners, assume this approach is faster or more efficient. It also feeds into a natural human tendency to make immediate adjustments based on what they observe. The logic often seems sound: if the bullet hit low and to the left, simply dial the scope up and right to compensate.
The Pitfalls of “Following the Bullet”
The Inherent Errors
However, while the concept seems straightforward, it’s where the potential for inaccuracy lies. While following the bullet can appear logical, several factors can lead to errors. The first is the ever-present potential for human error.
Many things can mislead the shooter. Even with an ideal shooting posture, the shooter’s perspective can be altered. Additionally, the shooter can misjudge the bullet’s point of impact, especially at longer distances. At these distances, minor inconsistencies in the shooter’s technique, or environmental disturbances such as wind, can compound errors, leading to significant inaccuracies. The human eye and brain are prone to misinterpreting visual cues. This can lead to overcorrection or undercorrection, resulting in an inaccurate zero.
Inconsistent Shooting and Environmentals
Secondly, inconsistent shooting technique can introduce errors. If the shooter’s stance, grip, trigger pull, and breathing aren’t perfectly consistent from shot to shot, each bullet’s impact point will vary. Trying to “chase” these variations by following the bullet is not a productive use of time or effort. It will likely lead to frustrating results. To achieve accurate results, consistency in all shooting fundamentals is essential.
Thirdly, environmental factors can dramatically influence the shot, clouding the shooter’s judgment. Wind, mirage (heat waves distorting the view), and changes in lighting conditions can all make it difficult to accurately judge the bullet’s impact point. Trying to correct based on these misleading visual cues can result in significant errors in your zero.
Making Correct Adjustments
Finally, the way you adjust the turrets is essential for accuracy. Ensure you understand the MOA (Minute of Angle) or MIL (Milliradian) values of your scope. These values determine how much the reticle moves with each click of the turret. Before adjusting, be sure to understand the value for the scope you are using. Many scopes will also have directional indicators, typically arrows, that will help guide your adjustment decisions.
Best Practices for Sighting In
Consistency is Key
So, how do you accurately sight in a scope? Here’s a systematic approach.
Proper setup and a stable shooting platform are paramount to accuracy. Start by ensuring your rifle is securely mounted in a stable rest. This will minimize any movement that may affect where the bullet hits. Use a solid bench, sandbags, or a specialized rifle rest. A consistent and repeatable shooting position is essential for consistent results. The more stable your shooting setup, the more easily you’ll be able to assess the group size.
Analyzing Your Shot Groups
The core of the sighting-in process lies in understanding your bullet grouping. Once the rifle is in a stable position and sighted in, fire a group of three to five shots at the target. Then, analyze the group. Is it clustered together? Are the shots all relatively close together? This tells you about your rifle’s inherent accuracy. If the shots are scattered, you have to determine the cause before you start adjusting your scope.
After shooting your group, carefully examine its position relative to your desired point of impact (POI). If your bullets are hitting low and left of where you want them, you need to adjust your scope accordingly. Use the scope’s turrets to adjust for elevation (up and down) and windage (left and right). Most scopes have markings indicating the direction and amount of adjustment per click.
Keeping Records and Additional Tools
Record keeping is another crucial aspect of accurate scope sighting. Keep detailed notes of your sighting-in process. Document the ammunition used, the distance to the target, the scope settings (elevation and windage), and the impact point of each shot group. Also record environmental conditions, such as wind and temperature. Having this data will enable you to return to the same zero or make quick adjustments in changing conditions.
Using a bore sighter can save time. A bore sighter is a device that aligns the bore of your rifle with the optical axis of the scope. By looking through the bore sighter and adjusting the scope, you can get on paper quickly at the start of the zeroing process. This eliminates the need to waste a bunch of rounds at the beginning of the zeroing process, which is especially helpful if you are short on time or have limited ammunition.
Another way to ensure you are achieving accuracy is to measure the distance to your target precisely. Rangefinders can determine the distance of your target to give you an exact measurement to use when making adjustments to your scope.
When to Consider “Following the Bullet” (With Caution)
Specific Situations
There may be specific scenarios where “following the bullet” may be considered. Close-range shooting or fast-paced situations might require quick adjustments based on visual feedback. However, even in these scenarios, the fundamental principles of accurate scope sighting still apply: maintaining a stable shooting platform, shooting consistent groups, and making calculated adjustments.
The critical understanding is that “following the bullet” should never be the *primary* or only method. It should be used with careful consideration, as a supplement to a systematic process.
Necessary Tools
Essential Equipment
Essential items needed for sighting in a scope include: your firearm with the scope mounted, the correct ammunition, targets designed for scope sighting, a range, and tools to adjust the turrets. A range is essential to begin the zeroing process. Consider additional items such as a spotting scope and rangefinder.
Conclusion
Recap
In conclusion, while the immediate feedback of seeing where the bullet *appears* to hit can seem appealing, the practice of immediately adjusting the scope based on this visual information is, more often than not, an inaccurate way to sight in your scope. The potential for human error, inconsistent shooting, and environmental influences can lead to overcorrection and frustration.
The best method for zeroing a scope is to focus on achieving a solid shooting foundation, shooting consistent groups, and making incremental adjustments to the scope’s turrets based on the group’s position. By understanding the factors that influence bullet trajectory and adopting a systematic approach, you can achieve the accuracy you need.
So, the next time you step up to take a shot, remember to resist the urge to immediately follow the bullet. Instead, focus on your fundamentals, trust your skills, and follow the proper procedure.
