Zero advice for Larue Three gun match

[Alaskapopo]

I got into the Larue three gun. I have never shot a match this big before and with targets out to 500. I am running a Swarovski Z6i on my rifle. I am currently zeroed at 50 yards/200. Since I don't have a bullet drop compensator in my scope where should I zero. Thanks in advance.

Pat

[Jesse Tischauser]

Here is what I have learned from others on this forum. I chose a 300 yd zero. The reason I have done so is that from 25-300 the bullet rises no more than 6". So for the majority of long range shooting which is typically at 10" flash targets you simply aim directly on the target or use the 6 o'clock hold on the bottom of the targets and your good to go. Similarly the bullet drop all the way up to 400 yds is less than 13" so I am still aiming at the top edge of the target. Once you get past 400 that's when you either have to dial it in or holdover and stick your tongue out just right to get your hits. Good luck at the match!

[jobob]

Here is what I have learned from others on this forum. I chose a 300 yd zero. The reason I have done so is that from 25-300 the bullet rises no more than 6". So for the majority of long range shooting which is typically at 10" flash targets you simply aim directly on the target or use the 6 o'clock hold on the bottom of the targets and your good to go. Similarly the bullet drop all the way up to 400 yds is less than 13" so I am still aiming at the top edge of the target. Once you get past 400 that's when you either have to dial it in or holdover and stick your tongue out just right to get your hits. Good luck at the match!

I think that is pretty good advice. Last year I started sighting 4" high at 100 yards, and use the 6 o'clock hold out to 250 yards. It's on at around 275. At Ironman it was pretty easy to hit out to 400, pretty much as you've described. I liked the aiming at the bottom of the steel with the triangle reticle in my Aimpoint TR21. It's sorta like dotting the "i". This sighting minimizes the hold-over necessary for that 500 yard target, but it will still be something of a guess, unless you can get out and practice at that range.

I want to try the Burris XTR, or maybe the Vortex, in the future to try a scope with a bdc system. With that you shouldn't need to sight in for the 6 o'clock hold and should be able to have a dead on hold for whatever range. Sounds like Meopta will be coming out with a BDC reticle, too.

[AlamoShooter]

I use a Meopta with a 200 yard (top of dot) sight in and use hold over on longer targets with the post top and bottom at 500 i am 2min up from the bottom of the 10 min post.

But I did not hit the 500yard target last year

[smokshwn]

As stated above, run a 300 yd zero. I run a Meopta and trying to hold on 400 yd+ targets gets to be pretty dicey with a 200 yd zero.

[AlamoShooter]

As stated above, run a 300 yd zero. I run a Meopta and trying to hold on 400 yd+ targets gets to be pretty dicey with a 200 yd zero.

We could start a very shot pole of who hit the 400 yard at Larue last year ..... I shot at it on Saturday - the wind was gusting to 35 mph ...Even my Tears would not stay on my face

[bigbrowndog]

OK I read the topic title differently, i thought he was saying he would offer or could find NO,(zero!!!!) advice for the LaRue 3 gun match.

Trapr

[Chris]

Run whatever zero you use now and just dial up to get to 500 when your shooting that stage.

[00bullitt]

I use a 200 yard zero. For anything out to 350....my reticle(dot) is still touching the target assuming its a 10" flash target. If there are targets beyond that,I have hold references with the Z6 that I can use or I will dial dope. I prefer to dial dope and hold dead on at those distances. I have confirmed dope that I can dial out to 550 yards. Do you have a 50 yard zero assuming its good at 200 or do you have a 200 yard zero? Because 50 is not 200 until its confirmed at 200. You will be fine with whatever zero you decide to run. Whichever one you choose...KNOW IT to the best of your ability.

[Brazos]

Popo,

One thing to remember...if this match is like the last two, you will have only 1-3 targets past 400 yards...total. Most of the long range stage targets are scattered from 150 to 375. Last year one target was at about 525 and two others where between 400 and 500. Dont kill yourself with a zero to hit the long stuff that slows you down too much on the easier closer targets.

I would suggest a 200 yard zero, its most useful for what you will see a lot of... And know how to adjust quickly to a 450 and that will solve the other targets downrange.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Brazos

[prreed10]

Hopefully the wind won't be as much of a factor this year!

[mike4045]

I finally went out and shot my Burris xtr at 500 yds today. I didn't make the shot last yr either. The wind was a killer. Once I figured out the hold I was able to make my hits easily. Hopefully wind won't be such a big factor this yr.

[kellyn]

Zero at 500 and hold low on every other target in the match!

[pjb45]

I was doing some long range shooting with my 1-4x Accupoint yesterday. I sighted it to be two inches high at 100 yds through a tunnel, on a bench.

No wind to speak of yesterday. Out to 300 yards it was fine on some hanging steel. 500 yards was a PIA. I ended up clicking the dials up from a zero to 8. I was pinging the steel consistently. I then shot POA on some 50 yard steel. I was only about 4 feet two high!!!!

The post and triangle on the Accupoint do not really lend themselves to a hold over method. So I needed to know my zero pretty well.

I am too inexperienced shooter to rely on the hold over method for really long shots. I would rather use the dials on the scope. Everything shorter seems to work well with the 2 inches high at a hundred method.

[DocMcG]

Here is my zero and holds. Sorry about the hold off reticle, but I hope it helps you never-the-less. See you @ LaRue!

Cheers,

Kyle

Edited March 24, 2010 by DocMcG

[Sabot]

I'm new to this forum, but I did shoot LaRue last year and am in for this year. FWIW, I shot last year with an eotech. I zeroed it to be on at 35/300 and had no idea what to expect since it was my first 3 gun. I did just fine with everything close and tore up all but the far and far bonus on stage 1 (minigun). I shot that on day one in the wind, but it probably wouldn't have mattered on the 550 bonus. On stage 2 (helicopter), I shot one of my best stages. I went through all of the targets prety quick aiming at low center mass and then hit the 400 yard bonus after about 4 shots. I switched to 75gr black hills for that stage. Outside of that, my eotech was great! I am either gonna zero it for 400 and know my holds at 20-300 or I am going to run my DMS-1 and zero for 300 and learn my holds. My range has good steel at 3,4,500.

It was by far the most fun day shooting since I was in the Corps. Looking forward to it! Hope to meet some folks. Had a great crew last year, but dont know if they are in this year.

I also am thrilled to find this forum!

Here's an idea: Run your irons on everything out to 300. Set your eotech or aimpoint for 500, and aim bottom of the plate at 400. Bass ackwards to the intent of the optic, but so crazy it might work...back to the range!

[FB3GDQ]

I got into the Larue three gun. I have never shot a match this big before and with targets out to 500. I am running a Swarovski Z6i on my rifle. I am currently zeroed at 50 yards/200. Since I don't have a bullet drop compensator in my scope where should I zero. Thanks in advance.

Pat

Another thing to look at is the scope first or second focal plane. The two scopes that I looked at in the Swar line were second focal plane. This will matter a great deal if you zero to hit the 5 hundred meter target and hold for everything elts, and shoot at a leaser power on your scope. I know this is not much. The biggest thing is to go out and shot and know your hold with what ever zero you go with, and with your scope at varied powers.