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how often to re-sight and clean your gun?

big_poppa99

big_poppa99

.22LR
First off, how often do you guys re-sight your gun? Just when you get a new scope or sight, or periodically or what? I'm getting a Firefield red/green dot sight for mine and a CP tactical flashlight/laser combo for it and was just wondering how often I would need to sight it in.

Also, after how many rounds do you guys clean your gun? I'm not looking for old school "after every time you shoot" people, I'm talking about people who through experience know how often to clean guns and when they really need it
 
I'm anal but usually I don't consider my gun sighted in until my 3rd range trip with it.

First outing find zero at my determined range (eg 100 yards).

Second outing verify and possibly tweak it.

3rd outing verify and that's it.

Several things YOU do effect how your zero changes:

Excessive cleaning - your bore settles on a zero with some copper build up. Stripping the copper out moves your zero until it builds up again.

Tightening equipment AFTER you logged zero- make sure you blue locktite your equipment and tighten it down prior to beginning this process.

Changing ammo type - different ammo produces different results. Make sure you log results of different brands, powder charges and weights. Each one will have a different point of impact. If your zero is set with a Remmington brand but the next trip you bring a Winchester brand be prepared for it to be off.

As far as cleaning... Depends. Usually when the gun acts up and not performing correctly. I usually clean after 500 rounds or so. Or I give a good cleaning and oil if I know it's going to be in the safe for a few months before it's next outing. But to be noted modern ammo isn't corrosive so you don't need to clean after every outing.
 
What WM said. Although I do blow out any loose stuff with my compressor after a shoot if it needs it, and wipe down the external metal.
 
Just to follow up.

Once you sight in with irons and are satisfied. You are pretty much good to go.

Quality optics pretty much the same as long as it's properly tightened down prior to setting zero.

The cheap optics.... Your zero might move due to poor craftsmanship or the optic breaking.

If you've tightened everything down, same ammo, light cleaning and your point of impact does not match your point of aim... Might be the optic.

But this will be apparent as your groups will be way off.
 
Some questions, when you say blue loctite everything down, you mean things like my red dot sight and laser right?

Cheap optics? Well the Red/Green dot Firefield brand sight im wanting is from a local sporting goods store and it costs about $39.99. To me sounds fair and not "super cheap" but would you consider that a "cheap" optics?

You say excessive cleaning, I have one of those Bore Snakes in which you run through the bore after every outing, would you say running that through after every outing is excessive cleaning? Or would you just wipe down the outside and give it a good cleaning/oiling after about 500rds?

As far as sighting in with the stock irons, I really just plan to use my Red dot sight.

I do know what you mean by different brands will shoot different, thats why when I buy ammo (usually in bulk, 333 or 500 or so round boxes) I keep them in their own box instead of dumping them all into a ammo can to mix. This will help me say when I finish a bulk box and move to another I can make adjustments and be good to go for that entire box.
 
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big_poppa99 said:
Some questions, when you say blue loctite everything down, you mean things like my red dot sight and laser right?

Cheap optics? Well the Red/Green dot Firefield brand sight im wanting is from a local sporting goods store and it costs about $39.99. To me sounds fair and not "super cheap" but would you consider that a "cheap" optics?

You say excessive cleaning, I have one of those Bore Snakes in which you run through the bore after every outing, would you say running that through after every outing is excessive cleaning? Or would you just wipe down the outside and give it a good cleaning/oiling after about 500rds?

As far as sighting in with the stock irons, I really just plan to use my Red dot sight.

I do know what you mean by different brands will shoot different, thats why when I buy ammo (usually in bulk, 333 or 500 or so round boxes) I keep them in their own box instead of dumping them all into a ammo can to mix. This will help me say when I finish a bulk box and move to another I can make adjustments and be good to go for that entire box.
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This explains what WM is talking about regarding the bore and cleaning. Rex is primarily focused on extreme long range but the principles are the same. He has a lengthy series of tutorial videos that are worth paying attention to on all aspects of rifle shooting, including optics and extensive ballistics info, etc. Here's the complete playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJUaiRIEduNXoal2_PkBZi0vDCIcEPxUn

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big_poppa99 said:
Some questions, when you say blue loctite everything down, you mean things like my red dot sight and laser right?

Cheap optics? Well the Red/Green dot Firefield brand sight im wanting is from a local sporting goods store and it costs about $39.99. To me sounds fair and not "super cheap" but would you consider that a "cheap" optics?

You say excessive cleaning, I have one of those Bore Snakes in which you run through the bore after every outing, would you say running that through after every outing is excessive cleaning? Or would you just wipe down the outside and give it a good cleaning/oiling after about 500rds?

As far as sighting in with the stock irons, I really just plan to use my Red dot sight.

I do know what you mean by different brands will shoot different, thats why when I buy ammo (usually in bulk, 333 or 500 or so round boxes) I keep them in their own box instead of dumping them all into a ammo can to mix. This will help me say when I finish a bulk box and move to another I can make adjustments and be good to go for that entire box.
Click to expand...

Solid optics run a few hundred dollars. But then again it's a 22lr you're shooting so the recoil shouldn't be that much of a problem. Just keep an eye on it. If your groups start to move from session to session you know what the main problem is.

Honestly I would sight in on your irons first then lock in on your red dot. When your red dot goes down you want to know you can rely on your irons.

Boresnakes are perfectly harmless in the grand scheme of cleaning and keeping your zero. I just gets out the loose stuff. What I'm talking about are bore nazis who scrub their bores with excessive vigor after each session to a high mirror shine and start putting in carbon and copper cleaner in it. But a routine maintenance of Hoppes 9 solvent after 500+ rounds followed with some oil patches is just fine. Wiping down the outside after each session is fine and preferred to keep it from rusting in high humid conditions like a safe or souther states.

Like Gunny Gene recommended take a look at Rex's sniper 101 series. I adhere to the copper equilibrium principle and I've had great success out to moderate ranges with my bold .223/5.56 MVP. I can nail a 4" gong out to 200 yards consistently in prone position. Next summer I'm going to stretch it out to 300 yards. Furthermore, I can nail a 10" Gong at 200 yards with irons on my M1 Garand.
 
What if I sight in at 75yds but actually shoot at say 50 yds. Will I still be spot on with crosshairs or will I just have to learn and see where it hits?
 
No you won't. You have to compensate. Look up the trajectory of a particular bullet you will be using for the zero you will be setting at

Bullets fly on an arch. Not a straight line.
 
big_poppa99 said:
What if I sight in at 75yds but actually shoot at say 50 yds. Will I still be spot on with crosshairs or will I just have to learn and see where it hits?
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There's a lot of ballistic calculators on the web that will estimate bullet drop. Here's a couple. Just plug in the numbers if you know them. G1 Ballistic Coefficient for most .22 is around .1 give or take. You might be able to find the G1 BC at the manufacturers site for your ammo, but not all provide it.

http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator

http://www.winchester.com/learning-center/ballistics-calculator/Pages/ballistics-calculator.aspx

PS: Keep in mind that when we first started throwing rocks at rabbits, and chucking spears at mammoths, ballistics was 100% art and experience and 0% science. Today with state of the art equipment and computers it's about 80% science and 20% art and experience. For the average shooter, it's about 50/50. :)
 
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LOL ! You guys need to just let him shoot the gun.....he asked if he zeroes at 75 will he be ok at 50...yes you will be fine dude.
Just a wild guess your not a bullseye shooter or you wouldn't be here talking about this so at very best you could shoot for groups thus 25 yards in will equal a negligible drop when your talking long rifle, and in the cartridges wheelhouse no less.
Dial it in at minute of squirrel at 75 yards and you will still be minute of squirrel at 50

ballistic calculators for shooting .22lr inside 75 yards......wow, hello Internet snipers lol
 
I sight my rifles in when I 1st get them, if I put a new optic on, or if I change a part that may effect the zero (like changing comps, etc). My 3gun set ups, I shoot all the time so I would never rezero them unless something was off. My hunting rifles I zero when I get them, and then I will take them to the range and double check the zero at the start of each season. Like said before, decent optics should hold zero.
 
Lol ain't nobody stopping him from shooting.

If he asks how to tell time on a squirrel I'm blaming you Oli.
 
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yea I will just shoot it and see I guess. How many yards do you guys sight yours in at? Also, how many yards do you guys plink with? Or target shoot with.

I got my Laser/flashlight combo for christmas from the wife today and got it mounted and blue loctited down, as well as my Red Dot sight. I take pretty good care of my stuff and keep it in a cabinet while not in use. I am lucky enough to not have to pack gun up and travel to a range as I live in the country and just set up some targets in my back yard in the field.
 
big_poppa99 said:
yea I will just shoot it and see I guess. How many yards do you guys sight yours in at? Also, how many yards do you guys plink with? Or target shoot with.

I got my Laser/flashlight combo for christmas from the wife today and got it mounted and blue loctited down, as well as my Red Dot sight. I take pretty good care of my stuff and keep it in a cabinet while not in use. I am lucky enough to not have to pack gun up and travel to a range as I live in the country and just set up some targets in my back yard in the field.
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For .22lr & .22mag, from my front porch to the tree line East. About 45 yds I reckon :).

house.jpg~original
 
Your call on distance. I've seen many do 50 yards. I've also seen guys blow the bullseye out at 100+ yards and nail cans behind the 100 yard stand.

I'd say whatever distance you'll be shooting the most.
 
Keep in mind a "cheapy" dot sight (not a scope) is going to have a "fat" dot, and at longer distances, the dot will obliterate the target. Dots are more for close-in work...
 
Sweet Cheese Us~~~

With a 715T (if I owned one) I would zero really a really tight group at the following:

1"-LOW at 15-yards

With most ammo you should be GTG at 50-yards and still hit accurately out to 75-90 yards.

Do this and leave it alone after that.
 
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