Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

checking a scopes zero after travel

Melman

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Jul 28, 2015
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I'm planning a Alaska black bear trip, there will be multiple flights involved and it got me wondering about checking my zero on my rifle once I arrive, how many of you actually shoot your rifle after getting to your hunting spot on public land hunts after 100's of miles of travel? Outfitters are likely to have a range or area you can shoot the day you arrive, but what about a DIY Alaska trip? Having your gun in a nice case and in the back of a truck doesn't concern me as much as having your gun tossed around by TSA and baggage handlers multiple times.
 
ALWAYS check your zero after any airplane flight, no matter how far you've traveled. Can't imagine there's not going to be any rocks where your camp is going to be - they make good targets.
 
I never fly so I don't check mine the way I handle them like eggs. If you are flying anywhere, there is no way I would go in the field without checking zero.
 
I had a lot of failures growing up. My dad would buy great guns, but then he'd throw the cheapest scope on top. I had enough problems that I now check my zero throughout the season. You don't have to shoot to check zero. I have cartridge laser bore sighters for most of my guns. If you shoot one of the magnum calibers, a bore sighter is probably 1/2 the cost of a box of bullets - well worth it in my book. Bore sighters aren't perfect and they won't give you a sub MOA sight-in, but they will quickly tell you if you've lost zero.
 
Spend $5,000 to $20,000 on the hunt of a lifetime,
train for months
travel for days
sleepless nights
don't zero
miss high and to the right on your 1 opportunity in 9 days
sounds legit.
check your zero, whatever it takes.
 
Spend $5,000 to $20,000 on the hunt of a lifetime,
train for months
travel for days
sleepless nights
don't zero
miss high and to the right on your 1 opportunity in 9 days
sounds legit.
check your zero, whatever it takes.

This......I check my zero throughout the season.
 
I had a lot of failures growing up. My dad would buy great guns, but then he'd throw the cheapest scope on top. I had enough problems that I now check my zero throughout the season. You don't have to shoot to check zero. I have cartridge laser bore sighters for most of my guns. If you shoot one of the magnum calibers, a bore sighter is probably 1/2 the cost of a box of bullets - well worth it in my book. Bore sighters aren't perfect and they won't give you a sub MOA sight-in, but they will quickly tell you if you've lost zero.

This was kinda what I was wondering about, I saw Jim Shockey promoting the laser lite boresighter and how he uses it to check his rifle so he can hunt the next morning after arriving to a location. I wondered if people actually used these to check their zero before hunting. How accurate could that be on a 200+ yard shot. is it enough to trust? or should you just make sure you take the time to shoot?
 
This was kinda what I was wondering about, I saw Jim Shockey promoting the laser lite boresighter and how he uses it to check his rifle so he can hunt the next morning after arriving to a location. I wondered if people actually used these to check their zero before hunting. How accurate could that be on a 200+ yard shot. is it enough to trust? or should you just make sure you take the time to shoot?
I think boresighters would be better than nothing, but given the time and opportunity I will always shoot to check zero.
 
In Hawaii, we had a 30 min flight from Ohau to Lanai, for an Axis deer hunt. One of the party had his rifle case crushed.. Yeah, I'd check it, no matter what.
 

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