I thought it was worth pulling this together into one post, maybe even making it a sticky.

This has been unashamedly pinched from the Gunsmoke website (link further down).


One of the better methods for sighting in a .22lr is the point blank method.

I'll give a summary if you just want to get out and shoot, and a link to the web page with all the details if you are stuck at a desk at work, or want to do some tricky stuff.

Point blank range is the distances between which a bullet will hit inside a defined vital zone when aimed smack in the middle of that zone. This method of sighting in aims to maximise that range.

For small game, a 25mm (1 inch) radius zone (that's a circle 50mm or 2 inches across) makes most sense as it caters for head and chest shots on most common small beasties we shoot her in NZ.

So, for subsonic .22lr ammo (40 gr), if you sight in at 47.5m (52 yards) you will hit inside the vital zone between ranges of 16.5m (18 yards) and 54m (59 yards).

For supersonic .22lr ammo (40 gr) if you sight in at 54m (59 yards) you will hit inside the vital zone between ranges of 18m (20 yards) and 60m (66 yards).

For hyper velocity .22lt ammo (CCI Stingers in this case) if you sight in at 78.5m (86 yards) you will hit inside the vital zone between ranges of 6.5m (7 yards) and 89m (98 yards).

Beyond those ranges, you need drop charts, or a bunch of practice (guess which one is most fun?)  

If you put 40 gr supers in a rifle that is sighted in point blank for 40 gr subs as above, then the supers will be point blank between 5.5m (6 yards) and 62 m (68 yards)

That means you don't get much extra distance with the required accuracy, just a round going faster and making more noise!  

For all the details, and the drop charts, have a look here.

If you want to have a play yourself, try these links:

This is a simple, metric, web based ballistics program

And this is the imperial version

These don't have drop charts but give you the basic results in a table.

You can lift the basic starting data from the page on point blank sighting in, or you can use this info on basic ballistic coefficients for .22lr rounds.

Hope that is some help to people and have fun out there.  



[Edit: corrected range error -- blackbunny]

Hmmm, yeah I messed that one up. That'll teach me for trying to work with 3 websites at once! 

I would fix it, but for some reason I can't edit that post any more.

Perhaps a friendly Duck Gunner will make the followings edits for me? 

Point blank range is the distances between which a bullet will hit inside a defined vital zone when aimed smack in the middle of that zone. This method of sighting in aims to maximise that range.

So, for subsonic .22lr ammo (40 gr), if you sight in at 47.5m (52 yards) you will hit inside the vital zone between ranges of 16.5m (18 yards) and 54m (59 yards).

Thanks Vanman, that is very helpful indeed.

Nice post, very very helpful

Cheers, Just bought a Norinco jw15a will try this out over the weekend. Also hello to everyone, I have been a guest on this site for awhile and just recently registered. Some very interesting topics out there.

thanks for the info. I have my 22lr sighted in so its smack on at 75m with high velocity ammo and haveing it sighted in at that range works well for me

exactly the way i do it also with the anschutz but i use the top or bottom thick part of the cross hairs for near or far

Thanks for that info. Thats how i did it in the past but forgot how, maybe age has something to do with it.

cheers

Just for interest how little energy a 22lr subsonic has

Energy, ft-lbs
MUZZLE      50 YARDS      75 YARDS       100 YARDS
98                     82              77                     72

quoted off the CCI website

i would guess about zeroed or 1 inch high at 100m 

I've just picked up a 22mag as well, a bit of reading up suggested zero at 109yds for MBPR out to about 130, beyond that you start thinking about drop. 5.8" drop at 150yds I think.

Thanks very helpfull

A dialable scope and rangefinder are really essential once you get past 120yds, such is the steepness of the trajectory.

Here's my long range sniper rimfire 



Rifle is a 50's vintage Walther smallbore rifle still capable of possibles on a smallbore range. It now wears a 10x40 3200 scope and taped to the butt is the trajectory in 20yd intervals out to 180yds. I've nailed plenty of rabbits first shot at 130-140yds using SK Match ammo.

All I can say is it's easily killed rabbits and maggies at those distances. Once you get down to those velocities, even hollow points can't be expected to expand usefully. Accuracy outweighs projectile design by miles. I have shot some groups at 120yds in good conditions that weren't much over an inch.

Try 20yards or 18m. At 10y you will be about .7 of an inch under and you will be within .5 of an inch all the way out to 70yrds approx. If you are using subs zeroed at 20m you will be within cooee out to 50 yards depending on sub ballistics.

This is great info - thanks. I'm new to this so I've got a couple of options to try.

Following up on the actual sighting in this is how I head shoot rabbits with Winchester Subsonics with the POI shot in at 50 meters.   Assuming its a reasonable size rabbit use the rabbit to put your cross hairs in the right spot to from 0 to 60 meters, and a bit beyond. Your having to guess the distance but if the rabbits are bout same size, half to full grow, you will get pretty good at it.. off a rest is best.

When I used to head shoot a lot of rabbits, pet food production, was some years back so not rely sure which one they was. Still using them though in the same bolt action .22 ruger 77/22. Its had the barrel shortened though for easier handling inside of a truck. Just body shoot now as not picking up, but still use something of the same sytem. Aim high if within 5-20 meters, aim high center of mass 20 -50 meters, aim top of back.. on the hair air line 50 meters .  Havnt actually shot at a piece of paper with them for years. Interesting comment you make though. Having a think about that. 

Have found the 42g win subs to be excellent killers and shoot well in my Brno and 10/22,the CCI subs are a little bit more accurate but don’t seem to anchor the bunny as well ,the hole in the end is a lot smaller than the Winchester I think that’s the difference..the extra 2g in weight might help as well,usually just sight in bang on @50m

Cheers mate, I didn't even know those 42 grainers existed until the other day - they sound good.
Never tried the CCI's as I only really went to subs after my nephew went on and on about them a few years back when he was shooting possums - so I got some to shoot up the back and like them.

Might look up some of those heavier ones - can never have too much .22lr 

Use the subs on goats if you like to hear them scream(can’t stand it myself they sound like a small child)I hav3 used the CCI velocitor on goats and it kills well under 50m

The quality of CCI and Winchester ammo just isnt there these days . Since Winchester stopped making Australian .22 ammo its been US made , and its poor quality . The Aussie stuff was very good though.

For standard velocity ammo the SK stuff in the jellymeat cans is good ammo - very greasy though