Question about trajectory

badlandbucks

Ten Pointer
The cheap scope rings on my T/C Triumph failed so I just remounted scope and am going to re sight in the gun. I am shooting 120gr Loose 777 and a 250 GR Hornady SST. Looking at ballistics for my load via the Hornady website, I have 2 different options for sighting in. zeroed at 100 yds would put it 3.5" low at 150, and 11.5" low at 200 yds. Or, zeroed 3" high at 100 yds would put it 1.5" high at 150, and 4" low at 200. Which way would you sight it in? My Scope has a muzzleloader ballistic reticle also.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Depends on the farthest shot you may need to make and if your going the scope hash marks. I'm sighted on at 100 yards since my longest shot will be 135....
 
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45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Where I will be hunting there is a realistic chance at a 200+ yard shot. But could just as easily be 30 yds

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When I used to have a place for long shots I sighted rifles and muzzle loaders 3" high at 100 and then checked 50, 150, 200, 250 ...
 
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Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
All I can say badlandbucks, you load them up with what you are saying and either O at 100 yds or 3" high at 100 yds you probably will see difference in the drop of what any website is saying. Personally, with a muzzleloader I have always set mine up + 3" at 100 yards, and with Blackhorn 209 will drop like 7" at 200 yards...about dead on at 160-170. Why not set up to hit a little high at 100 yards and not have to be concerned at a long shot...like at 200 yards....dropping so much that you could miss, or having to be concerned with estimating holdover. Think about it, at 100 yards a 3" high hit on a deer if you are holding dead on his shoulder or for that matter, a neck shot, chest shot, etc. that bullet will hit an area the size of your palm....dead deer. But at a long shot, you got to go to estimating holdover...not a good thing if you know he is way out there.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
If you can dial the scope throw a piece of waterproof tape on it and put a 2 or hash mark at a 200 yard zero and a 1 or marking at 100. I am not a big proponent of drop calibrated reticles and dials because in different weather or locations they aren't accurate but hunting in NC during MZL it should work. You could always get a scope with mil dots or a Christmas tree and figure out holdover for 200 if zeroed at 100. What the other Posters are suggesting is MPBR. Basically, finding a zero that allows a hit in the killzone say 9" from 0-whatever yardage you want. Let's say a high BC weatherby round has a MPBR (Max Point Blank Range) of 320 yards when zeroed at X. That means fromm0-320 yards holding right on Vitals should land a kill shot from 0-320. This is a crude explanation but hope it helps. If your scope passes a box test I would prefer dialing but there isn't always time hence the Mildot/Christmas Tree reticle (sometimes called a Horus reticle) I am not an expert but killed my share of steel at some distances. I think for hunting purposes marking zeros on a scope dial gets you to jerky. If your scope isn't exactly repeatable dialing past your zero a few clicks and back to zero can help it "snap" back. I would verify anything on paper before skin.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Depending on scope mount height short ranges can change things. I haven't seen a major issue but if setting 2-3" high I strongly suggest checking zero at 50 yards as well as 150 and 200. More for peace of mind. A bullet crosses your line of sight twice before hopefully POA meets POI. I learned the hard way killing a branch at 25 yards that wasn't in my line of sight. I couldn't figure out what happened until I saw the branch waving at me.
 

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
Thanks for the input guys! I'm going to be sighting in today.
Keep us informed...if you haven't tried Blackhorn 209 you might want to give it a try. I used 777 for years and had good results, but the cleanup took forever and with Blackhorn you can cut your time in half. Plus, at 115 g loads, can get over 50 shots out of a 10oz can...which is great considering the cost. I know the drop is not as great at long range and in my gun accuracy is considerably better than 777. Many of the guys I know have gone to 209, and I have never seen one go back to what they were using, so it must be good for the front stuffer. You will notice the tighter groups immediately and I remember when I first used it hit higher the first shot at 100 yards, had to adjust scope to hit lower. Shot at 200 yards and like I said every shot like 7 inch drop, which will drop a deer if you can shoot.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
If ret has sub-tensions then sight in at 100 and us the subs for hold over. If a duplex type ret I'd go 2" high at 100 then shoot a 150 200 and 250 to see where you actually hit. While better than nothing most websites Ballistic software is barely an approximate, have you chrono'd your load or are you using 777s load data to get your velocity??


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