Is a 25-Yard Zero Dead-On at 100 Yards?

by
posted on June 10, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
bs_2015_fs.jpg (4)

The Myth: A 25-yard zero puts you “dead-on” at 100 yards. I’ve listened to some pretty amazing ballistic theories over the years but this one is probably the most common. The theory is that, with common big game cartridges, a “zero” at 25 yards will correlate to a second “zero” at 100 yards.

The Ballistic Background: First we have to understand the concept of zero. Because a rifle’s sights are not inside the bore and a bullet’s flight path is subject to gravity, we must align our sight to intersect with the bullet’s path at a given distance. Generally, we consider the rifle’s “zero” to be the point at which the bullet’s path intersects the line of sight for the second time. In other words, if the bullet strikes the line of sight at 25 yards and then rises relative to the line of sight before falling and intersecting the line of sight again at 100 yards, we have a 100 yard zero.

Let’s look at a few common examples:

.30-06 Federal Premium 165gr. Nosler Partition 2830 fps (Factory)
25 yard zero=2.77 inches high at 100 yards

.270 WCF Winchester Silvertip 130gr. 3060 fps (Factory)
25 yard zero=3.0 inches high at 100 yards

.243 Winchester 100gr Hornady Interlock 2960 fps (Factory)
25 yard zero=2.9 inches high at 100 yards

Fact is,most common big game loads would be about 3 inches high at 100 yards. For hunting purposes it may be "close enough," but it's not "dead on" for most calibers.

The Conclusion: A 25-yard zero will put your bullet around 2.5 to 3 inches high at 100 yards depending on caliber, but it's not "dead on."

Latest

Bear Walking By River
Bear Walking By River

A Brown Bear Hunt On Baranof

A spring hunt for brown bear on Alaska’s Baranof Island is a bucket-list experience, and, on the author’s hunt, included buckets of rain. 

Smith & Wesson Adds .30-30 Win. to Model 1854 Line

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. has announced the release of its Model 1854 chambered in .30-30 Winchester.

Hardware Review: Savage Axis 2 Pro

This year Savage has upped the budget bolt-action ante with the introduction of the Axis 2 Pro. You don’t get something for nothing, and upgraded features do bump up the price a bit, but also the overall value.

First Look: Barnett’s Hyper Raptor T-Rex Crossbow

New for 2025, Barnett has introduced its Hyper Raptor T-Rex, transforming the hunting experience with an Integrated Planetary De-Cocking System.

Treestand Site Prep 101: Attract Bigger Bucks

We examine multiple ways to make the bucks you want get close to your stand.

New for 2025: Charter Arms Pathfinder II .22 LR Revolver

Charter Arms, manufacturers of 100-percent American-made revolvers for more than 60 years, has announced the introduction of the new Pathfinder II .22 double-action/single-action (DA/SA) revolver, chambered in .22 Long Rifle.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.