Ok, for lack of any where else to post this. I searched and searched but I cannot find where I read about how far the target should be for sighting in a rifle with iron sights. I keep thinking it was 25 yards. Anyone point me in the right direction?

Hey Joe

For iron sights use 12 1/2 yards. For scopes use 25 yards. When sighted in at these distances you will be a little high at 100 yards which puts you on at some distance beyond 100 depending on the cartridge. just right for most hunting.

Ray

Just use Point Blank or some other on line free ballistics program and adjust it to the actual height of your particular sights and read the place the bullet first crosses the line of sight.

The data below for 30-06 ballistics and a .75" high sight shows a cross at 35 yds.

Trajectory Output
Input Data
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.315 G1 Bullet Weight: 150.00 gr
Diameter: 0.308 in
Muzzle Velocity: 3000.0 ft/s Chronograph Distance: 10.0 ft
Sight Height: 0.75 in Sight Offset: 0.00 in
Zero Height: 0.00 in Zero Offset: 0.00 in
Azimuth: 0.00 MOA Elevation: 0.00 MOA
LOS Angle: 0.0 deg Cant Angle: 0.0 deg
Wind Speed: 10.0 mph Wind Angle: 90.0 deg
Target Speed: 10.0 mph Target Angle: 90.0 deg
Temperature: 59.0 °F Pressure: 29.92 in Hg
Relative Humidity: 0.0 % Altitude: 0 ft
Vital Zone Radius: 5.0 in Std. Atmosphere at Altitude: No
Corrected Pressure: Yes Target Relative Drops: Yes
Zero at Max. Point Blank Range: No
Calculated Parameters
Elevation: 2.68 MOA Azimuth: 0.00 MOA
Atmospheric Density: 0.07647 lbs/ft³ Speed of Sound: 1116.5 ft/s
Maximum PBR: 335 yds Maximum PBR Zero: 284 yds
Range at Max Height: 155 yds Energy at PBR: 1422.1 ft•lbs
Sectional Density: 0.226 lbs/in²
Calculated Table
Range Drop Drop Windage Windage Velocity Mach Energy Time Lead Lead
(yds) (in) (moa) (in) (moa) (ft/s) (none) (ft•lbs) (s) (in) (moa)
0 -0.8 *** 0.0 *** 3010.5 2.696 3018.1 0.000 0.0 ***
5 -0.6 -11.7 0.0 0.0 2994.8 2.682 2986.7 0.005 0.9 16.8
10 -0.5 -4.7 0.0 0.1 2979.1 2.668 2955.5 0.010 1.8 16.8
15 -0.4 -2.4 0.0 0.1 2963.5 2.654 2924.6 0.015 2.7 16.9
20 -0.3 -1.3 0.0 0.2 2948.0 2.640 2894.0 0.020 3.5 16.9
25 -0.2 -0.6 0.1 0.2 2932.5 2.627 2863.7 0.025 4.4 17.0
30 -0.1 -0.3 0.1 0.3 2917.0 2.613 2833.6 0.030 5.3 17.0
35 -0.0 -0.0 0.1 0.3 2901.7 2.599 2803.8 0.036 6.3 17.1
40 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.4 2886.3 2.585 2774.3 0.041 7.2 17.1
45 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.4 2871.1 2.572 2745.0 0.046 8.1 17.2
50 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.4 2855.9 2.558 2716.0 0.051 9.0 17.2
55 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.5 2840.7 2.544 2687.2 0.056 9.9 17.2
60 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.5 2825.6 2.531 2658.7 0.062 10.9 17.3
65 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.6 2810.5 2.517 2630.5 0.067 11.8 17.3
70 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.6 2795.5 2.504 2602.5 0.072 12.7 17.4
75 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.7 2780.6 2.490 2574.7 0.078 13.7 17.4
80 0.2 0.2 0.6 0.7 2765.7 2.477 2547.2 0.083 14.6 17.5
85 0.2 0.2 0.7 0.8 2750.8 2.464 2519.9 0.089 15.6 17.5
90 0.1 0.1 0.8 0.8 2736.0 2.451 2492.9 0.094 16.6 17.6
95 0.1 0.1 0.9 0.9 2721.3 2.437 2466.1 0.100 17.5 17.6
100 -0.0 -0.0 1.0 0.9 2706.6 2.424 2439.5 0.105 18.5 17.7
02 Jul 2006 18:25:33, JBM [http://www.eskimo.com/~jbm]

JBL

Go to Norma website and use their ballistics program. Piece of cake.

IMO There is no short cut in sighting in a rifle from experience. If you wanted it sighted in at 100 shoot it at 100. If you want 150 shoot it at 150. The longer distance open sight shooting will hone your skills as well.

Good Luck

Reloader

Just shoot it at 25 yds. for the sole purpose of getting on paper....then shoot at the actual distances beyond, as Reloader mentioned.