Is a 25-Yard Zero Dead-On at 100 Yards?

by
posted on June 10, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
bs_2015_fs.jpg (4)

The Myth: A 25-yard zero puts you “dead-on” at 100 yards. I’ve listened to some pretty amazing ballistic theories over the years but this one is probably the most common. The theory is that, with common big game cartridges, a “zero” at 25 yards will correlate to a second “zero” at 100 yards.

The Ballistic Background: First we have to understand the concept of zero. Because a rifle’s sights are not inside the bore and a bullet’s flight path is subject to gravity, we must align our sight to intersect with the bullet’s path at a given distance. Generally, we consider the rifle’s “zero” to be the point at which the bullet’s path intersects the line of sight for the second time. In other words, if the bullet strikes the line of sight at 25 yards and then rises relative to the line of sight before falling and intersecting the line of sight again at 100 yards, we have a 100 yard zero.

Let’s look at a few common examples:

.30-06 Federal Premium 165gr. Nosler Partition 2830 fps (Factory)
25 yard zero=2.77 inches high at 100 yards

.270 WCF Winchester Silvertip 130gr. 3060 fps (Factory)
25 yard zero=3.0 inches high at 100 yards

.243 Winchester 100gr Hornady Interlock 2960 fps (Factory)
25 yard zero=2.9 inches high at 100 yards

Fact is,most common big game loads would be about 3 inches high at 100 yards. For hunting purposes it may be "close enough," but it's not "dead on" for most calibers.

The Conclusion: A 25-yard zero will put your bullet around 2.5 to 3 inches high at 100 yards depending on caliber, but it's not "dead on."

Latest

Henry Lever Action Supreme On White
Henry Lever Action Supreme On White

Hardware Review: Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle

Check out Frank Melloni's Hardware review of the Henry Lever Action Supreme.

NRA 2025 Subsidies for Hunters for the Hungry Programs

The National Rifle Association of America has announced its 2025 subsidy program for Hunters for the Hungry (HFH) organizations in the United States by making $100,000 available.

A Shotgun for All Seasons: Savage Renegauge in Argentina

If you want to test a shotgun’s reliability and recoil control, you take it on a high-volume hunt. If you want that trial to more resemble torture than test, you make that a high-volume Argentina dove hunt. Read on to find out how the Savage Renegauge performed.

NRA Names Kyle Lamb as Brand Ambassador for America’s Rifle Challenge

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) proudly announces Sergeant Major (Ret.) Kyle Lamb as a Brand Ambassador for the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge (ARC), an innovative training and competition program built around the safe and effective use of the AR-15 platform.

#SundayGunday: Banish 46-V2

On this week's #SundayGunday, we're talking about suppressors, specifically the Banish 46-V2, capable of taming nearly every gun in your safe, up to and including the big boys like .338 Lapua.

KelTec Named Official Stage Sponsor for 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is proud to announce KelTec as an official sponsor of the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship, returning to Camp Atterbury, Ind., from September 30 to October 4, 2025.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.