Sighting in a rifle

michael_reiber

Active Member
Hey guys not sure how many of you are into shooting but figured it would be worth a shot! I am just getting into it started out with a 12 gauge for clays and a .22 and a sks just all for fun shooting. I got my core this year and have started to try to get into hunting. I just picked up a 30-06 2 weeks ago and have just been getting used to it at the range. Ive decided I'm going to need something to help me sight it in and I have my eye on a Caldwell lead-sled at Cabelas. Does anyone have experience with these? I am open to suggestions if there is a better way to sight in a gun. Ive tried sighting it in on a bench at the range twice and just couldn't get good grouping once i moved to 100 yards. One guy suggested the gun may not like the ammo so I am going to pick up some different ammo tomorrow and give it a try.

Lead sled I am looking at:https://www.cabelas.ca/product/96552/caldwell-lead-sled-plus-3-shooting-rest

For reference the gun is a MossBerg Patriot 30-06 with a Vortex crossfire scope. Its a pretty cheap starter gun but had heard good reviews so it seemed like a good gun to start out with and just get my feet wet!

Cheers,
Mike
 
Relax and squeeze that trigger! Won't have a bench rest in the bush!

Yes but he still needs to get it on target to start..

the lead sleds are good for the range and getting more accurate groups. if you’re just getting into hunting and shooting some of the larger caliber guns can really boom and make you “flinch.” at the range. it is a very very common problem with new shooters and experienced. don’t know you from Adam, but i suspect this might be part of the problem.

i started off with a .270 in my teens which is virtually identical to a 30-06. i had zero issues with flinching until i started skeet shooting. I wasn’t always wearing adequate hearing protection if any, and when i started sighting in my hunting rifle i developed a terrible flinch, brought on by the anticipation of the “boom”rather than the kick.

WB is right in that you must relax and take your time at the range. also if your rifle barrel gets too hot it can start to get inaccurate. get the caldwell sled which has the finite adjustments. when you are actually lined up on an animal you won’t feel or hear a thing!

i personally like my hunting rifle sighted in one inch high at 100 yards. with a flat shooting load like a 30-06, 7mm and .270 that basically puts you at bullseye at 200 yards but then it starts to drop off considerably after that.
 
Yeah 3006 is awesome imo. Shoot some lighter loads to get used to it. Relax.. don't flinch. Breath. I have a 308 lever action. Just bought a Canuck Enforcer today. Haven't bought a gun in to long.
I know a guy that has one for his 338 lapua and loves it but what gun guy doesn't love gear!
 
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Yes but he still needs to get it on target to start..

the lead sleds are good for the range and getting more accurate groups. if you’re just getting into hunting and shooting some of the larger caliber guns can really boom and make you “flinch.” at the range. it is a very very common problem with new shooters and experienced. don’t know you from Adam, but i suspect this might be part of the problem.

i started off with a .270 in my teens which is virtually identical to a 30-06. i had zero issues with flinching until i started skeet shooting. I wasn’t always wearing adequate hearing protection if any, and when i started sighting in my hunting rifle i developed a terrible flinch, brought on by the anticipation of the “boom”rather than the kick.

WB is right in that you must relax and take your time at the range. also if your rifle barrel gets too hot it can start to get inaccurate. get the caldwell sled which has the finite adjustments. when you are actually lined up on an animal you won’t feel or hear a thing!

i personally like my hunting rifle sighted in one inch high at 100 yards. with a flat shooting load like a 30-06, 7mm and .270 that basically puts you at bullseye at 200 yards but then it starts to drop off considerably after that.
Sorry so are you suggesting the lead sled above the one I posted? I think they call it the DFT or something? Flinching is something I am working on, I have a minor flinch I noticed it right away and Have been working on eliminating it.
 
I use these at the range and they work fine. Much cheaper than the sled
 

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Sorry so are you suggesting the lead sled above the one I posted? I think they call it the DFT or something? Flinching is something I am working on, I have a minor flinch I noticed it right away and Have been working on eliminating it.

Yup that link that you posted above.

An easy way to eliminate flinching is to have an experienced buddy go to the range with you. practice getting on target and then dry fire your rifle. contrary to popular belief dry- firing a centerfire doesn’t damage the firing pin. ( rimfire different story) keep your eyes down range and have him load your rifle. occasionally he still doesn’t put a shell in the chamber, and you proceed to shoot anyway.

the point of the exercise is that it’s mental, or in your head. by sporadically missing a round in the chamber it trains your mind not to anticipate the recoil or the “ Boom.” of course all the while exercising safe gun handling , safety on when handing to you etc
hope that helps
 
Practice, practice, practice! That lead sled is for sighting in your rife, after you get it zeroed in, just sand bags at the range is good enough for practice. One thing I was told as a young guy by an instructor was to practice shooting with both eye's open so you'll never lose sight of your target, it really works, you don't lose your target with the recoil. Something I do before I shoot a large cal. gun at the range is shoot my .22, 2 or 3 clip fulls, just to get used to slowly squeeeeeeeezing the trigger and not jerking it. Then for practicing squeezing your trigger on your rifle get some 30-06 snap caps to protect the firing system. I don't know what kind of 30-06 rifle you have but if it has a Mauser action you don't want to dry fire it.
 
You're pretty close to Ladysmith, aren't you? If you want you can borrow my Caldwell Stinger; I used to use it for evaluating rifles but rarely do that work anymore. It's a pretty decent rest; I used it to take some rifles down to a standard deviation of 0.2-0.3 MOA.

I mean if you don't want to spend the money on the rest; most people don't use them very often so it's a bit of an investment for something that doesn't get much mileage.
 
Thanks for everyone’s advice! I ended up going with the lead sled that I posted. Got the gun sighted it with great groupings, they’re basically all on top of each other. Now that I got in sighted in I can start practicing shooting it more without having to worry about if it’s me or if it’s the gun.
 
You're pretty close to Ladysmith, aren't you? If you want you can borrow my Caldwell Stinger; I used to use it for evaluating rifles but rarely do that work anymore. It's a pretty decent rest; I used it to take some rifles down to a standard deviation of 0.2-0.3 MOA.

I mean if you don't want to spend the money on the rest; most people don't use them very often so it's a bit of an investment for something that doesn't get much mileage.
Yes I am in ladysmith! Thanks for your offer but I did end up buying a lead sled, much appreciated though!
 
Thanks for everyone’s advice! I ended up going with the lead sled that I posted. Got the gun sighted it with great groupings, they’re basically all on top of each other. Now that I got in sighted in I can start practicing shooting it more without having to worry about if it’s me or if it’s the gun.

One trick when shooting anywhere, for practise.... have a buddy with you and have him "load" the rifle, so you don't know whether it is loaded or not! A very good way to see if you jerk the trigger or squeeze!
 
One more thought....taught to me close to 50 years ago....

Free hand shooting, not many like it, hard to keep on target, right?

Get a 12 ounce lead weight, secure it to front of barrel, now stand there and hold it on target for the count of 5-6 and repeat, repeat etc.....work up to 16-18 oz weights and longer times. Will take several weeks, but keep doing it. When you think you feel a difference, arms not wobbling etc., take off the weight and hold rifle on target....

You will be so surprised on how steady you have become!!
 
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