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How to Properly Sight In Your Rifle Scope: A Step-by-Step Guide
Whether you’re preparing for hunting season or dialing in your gear for precision shooting, properly sighting in your rifle scope is essential for accuracy and confidence in the field. In this guide, we walk through the exact steps used to zero a TRACT Rifle scope at the range in West Texas. Follow along and you’ll be hitting bullseyes in no time.
Step 1: Mount and Boresight Your Scope
Before heading to the range:
- Mount your scope securely using quality rings and a torque wrench. When mounting your scope, please make sure to not over tighten the ring top screws. The correct spec is: 18inch lbs. of torque.
- Boresight your rifle to ensure your first shots land on paper. This saves time and ammo.
In our example, the shooter mounted the TEKOA 4-16×44 and boresighted it before firing the first round.
Step 2: Fire Your Initial Group
- Fire a three-shot group at 100 yards.
- Observe the grouping to assess consistency and initial point of impact.
Tip: Use a stable shooting rest or sandbags to eliminate human error.
In the video, the first three shots landed close together—indicating good grouping—but were high and to the right of the bullseye.
Step 3: Measure Your Point of Impact
- Walk downrange and measure the distance from the center of your group to the bullseye.
- Record both vertical (elevation) and horizontal (windage) deviations.
Example:
- 3.5 inches right
- 2 inches high
Step 4: Make Scope Adjustments
Most scopes adjust in ¼ MOA increments—meaning each click moves the point of impact ¼ inch at 100 yards.
- To correct 2 inches high: 2 Ă· 0.25 = 8 clicks down
- To correct 3.5 inches right: 3.5 Ă· 0.25 = 14 clicks left
Adjust your turrets accordingly:
- Elevation: Turn down 8 clicks
- Windage: Turn left 14 clicks
Step 5: Fire Another Group to Confirm
- Fire another three-shot group after making adjustments.
- Your shots should now be centered on the bullseye.
In our example, the second group landed dead center with a sub-MOA grouping—less than one inch. The scope tracked perfectly, confirming a successful zero.
Final Check: Confirm Zero
- Fire a few more rounds to verify consistency.
- If needed, fine-tune with minor adjustments.
Once your point of aim matches your point of impact, your scope is officially zeroed.
đź“ž Ready to Dial In Your Setup?
Whether you’re mounting your first scope or refining your long-range rig, TRACT Optics is here to help. Our team of experts is ready to answer your questions and guide you through every step of the process.
👉 Call us at 631-662-7354
📧 Email us at [email protected]
đź’¬ Chat live at tractoptics.com
Let’s make every shot count.