Elementary hunting questions

[pbwalker]

I'll premise this with the fact that I haven't been big game hunting in over 10 years. Prior to that, it was only twice, so my knowledge and experience are lacking at best. I have the opportunity to go hunting this New Years with some coworkers, and to be honest, I do not want to embarass myself. Now, if it were birds, I'd be fine. But like I said, I haven't been Whitetail hunting in 10+ years (when I was 17 and 18).

I have a Remington 770 30-06 with a Bushnell Scope that came with it. It is as 'plain jane' as a a rifle scope comes. Straight cross hair reticle. Now, I'll be honest...bullet trajectory confuses me. I understand the 'basic' concepts of bullet drop (e.g., it drops the further out it goes).

I will be going out this weekend to sight it in for the first time (it's been laser bored, so I am hoping it is already pretty close). I'll be sighting it at 100 yards.

My first question would be in regards to closer shots. When I was in the service, we knew that we had to aim lower at the little green commies at 50 yards to accommodate the bullet's trajectory. At 100 yards, we could aim COM. Does this same premise still hold true for a 30-06 (or any rifle for that matter)?

I've been looking over this site: http://www.huntingmag.com/guns_loads/30_06_springfield/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So if I am looking through the cross hairs at, say, 75 yards, should I am slightly lower on the Buck (maybe an inch or two on the buck) to accommodate bullet lift? If I am taking a shot at 150 yards, am I aiming closer towards the spinal cord (in the kill zone) to accommodate bullet drop?

I really apologize if these are basic questions, but like I said, I don't want to embarrass myself. I could knock down a rabbit at 30 yards with my pistol, but put a large Buck in front of me, and I feel lost.

Thanks in advance for everyone's help!

[tarkus]

It depends how you sight in your rifle. For example, you might be on at 50m and 200m, high at 100m and low beyond 200m.

[bpet]

On a deer sized animal (hog, coyote, etc), you can sight a 30-06 pretty much dead on at 100 yards and hit a kill zone by putting the cross hair at dead-on target (heart area) for game anywhere from 10 to 200 yards. If you think you may have a longer shot opportunity, zero 1" high at 100 yards and you are good to go for anything you may be willing to try a shot at.

Just remember you have a pretty good sized kill zone on these critters. Your biggest problem will likely be buck fever. Just calm down, be sure of your target, and don't focus on the antlers or you'll shoot right over his back!

[flintknapper]

Just sight it in 1.5" high at 100 yds.

With 150-180 gr. bullets you will be fine anywhere from 50 yds. out to about 225 yds.

Just wait for a good broadside shot, keep the shot "tight" behind the shoulder crease and about 1/2 way up from the belly. You'll be "good to go".

Good luck Sir!

[RiverRat]

Check out this ballistic calculator;
http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/remshoot.htm

It will show the close distance crossover zero, for indoor range sighting in at short range as well.

[match308]

+1 . Know your ballistics

Check out this ballistic calculator;
http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/remshoot.htm

It will show the close distance crossover zero, for indoor range sighting in at short range as well.

[NcongruNt]

Check out this ballistic calculator;
http://www.remington.com/ammo/ballistics/remshoot.htm

It will show the close distance crossover zero, for indoor range sighting in at short range as well.

404'd!

[boomerang]

But this looks good. http://www.remington.com/library/resour ... cember.asp

[TDDude]

Just sight it in 1.5" high at 100 yds.

With 150-180 gr. bullets you will be fine anywhere from 50 yds. out to about 225 yds.

Just wait for a good broadside shot, keep the shot "tight" behind the shoulder crease and about 1/2 way up from the belly. You'll be "good to go".

Good luck Sir!

1.8" high at 100 yards puts me a tad high at 50 and dead on at 200 with a 30.06 Remington Core-Lokt 165gr soft point. 300 yards drops about 8" or so.

I would disagree on the shot placement unless someone else is going to field dress it. Peeee-uuuuu, that kinda shot stinks when you open her up. I like to go for the lower neck close to the shoulder. It gives an instant kill with no mess on the field dress.

[flintknapper]

Just sight it in 1.5" high at 100 yds.

With 150-180 gr. bullets you will be fine anywhere from 50 yds. out to about 225 yds.

Just wait for a good broadside shot, keep the shot "tight" behind the shoulder crease and about 1/2 way up from the belly. You'll be "good to go".

Good luck Sir!

1" high at 100 yards puts me dead on at 50 and 200 with a 30.06. 300 yards drops about 10" or so.

I would disagree on the shot placement unless someone else is going to field dress it. Peeee-uuuuu, that kinda shot stinks when you open her up. I like to go for the lower neck close to the shoulder. It gives an instant kill with no mess on the field dress.

Yes, but we are talking about a beginning hunter here. With that in mind...my suggestion offers the greatest possibility of striking the "traditional" kill zone.

You and I might opt for a different shot....but I've been hunting and shooting for over 45 yrs, we don't know the experience/skill level of the OP.

[Lambda Force]

Good resources. Thanks for posting the ballistic calculators.

[Salty1]

Here is what I used to sight in my 30-06, I was utilizing 180 gr nosler partitions and this advice was right on the money for 2 deer, one taken at 100 yeards and the other at 150....

http://elkhunter2.tripod.com/sight_in.html

[pbwalker]

wow...forgot about this thread. I think I've shot 10+ deer since I posted this.

[TDDude]

wow...forgot about this thread. I think I've shot 10+ deer since I posted this.

Well then, I guess you figgurd it out eh???

I found a free iPhone app that will predict bullet drop fairly well.

It's called........ wait for it....... "BulletDrop"!!

The hardest part to find is the ballistic coeficient of the bullet you're using but there are some charts out there that will get you close.

[WildBill]

The hardest part to find is the ballistic coeficient of the bullet you're using but there are some charts out there that will get you close.

That's easy. All you have to do is shoot some bullets at known distances and measure how much they drop and then calculate the ballistic coefficient.

Some of the reloading guides [Speer, Sierra] list coefficients for their bullets.