I use a 1 shot zero method and forgot how valuable it can be until recently. I was at my rod and gun club last weekend and had 2 rifles to check. I started on the 100 yard range. I quickly got my 300 RUM set up, and within 3 shots, confirmed it was good. No adjustments. In the time it took to get my 450 out and set up, including a new target at now moved up to 50 yards, I could see two guys a few benches down struggling to get their rifle on target. It ended up being a Remington 700 in 30-06 with a new Leupold 3x9 scope. Nothing fancy. The owner of the rifle (in his late 70's) intended to teach his Son-In-Law (in-his 50's) to shoot. I could see they were struggling from the start and the range masters were trying to help, but not making much progress. Then as luck would have it, some inexperienced black rifle shooter was shooting my freaking target before I could fire my first shot on the 450 Dakota! After I tongue lashed him a bit and explained to him that at $10 a round it was important that I didn't have any extra holes in my target while I'm trying to sight in my rifle with open sights and to pay attention to what he was doing! SO, I took a break.
Now, the 30-06 guys were screwing with windage and elevation and it was driving me bananas. So, I politely asked if they wanted help? -Yes was the plea, and I quickly have them bring the target up to the 50 yard line and gave them a new Shoot-N- C target as well as taped all their extra holes... I explain to them that they were wasting time and ammo with their current method and I'm going to get them zero'd in one shot. I bring over my lead sled, set their rifle up, and explain that I will aim at dead center bullseye and wherever I shoot and hit the target will be one obvious hole. Then I will reset the rifle and scope crosshairs on the center of the bullseye as before. Then dial over with the elevation adjustment and windage adjustment to find center of the hole with the crosshairs as accurately as possible and without canting the rifle or moving it. My next shot will be Bullseye or close. They looked at me like I had 2 heads. I shot, adjusted the scope, and shot again for bullseye. Second shot confirmed. Of course no good deed goes unpunished! I spent the next hour teaching the son-in-law the basics of shooting a rifle; as politely as possible. I told them to continue to shoot on the 50 Yard line until he had it down. We exchanged numbers and I sent them a video of the method I used...
All be damned if another range master doesn't come out and set up next to them with his version of a competition shooting style rifle, and do the same thing, and was getting the same bad advice, from the same range masters that were trying to help the father-in-law and son-in-law team. Even to the point where they were spotting for the guy and giving him bad instructions! They just watched me help the other two guys!! I took two shots on my 450 and packed it in...
Now, the 30-06 guys were screwing with windage and elevation and it was driving me bananas. So, I politely asked if they wanted help? -Yes was the plea, and I quickly have them bring the target up to the 50 yard line and gave them a new Shoot-N- C target as well as taped all their extra holes... I explain to them that they were wasting time and ammo with their current method and I'm going to get them zero'd in one shot. I bring over my lead sled, set their rifle up, and explain that I will aim at dead center bullseye and wherever I shoot and hit the target will be one obvious hole. Then I will reset the rifle and scope crosshairs on the center of the bullseye as before. Then dial over with the elevation adjustment and windage adjustment to find center of the hole with the crosshairs as accurately as possible and without canting the rifle or moving it. My next shot will be Bullseye or close. They looked at me like I had 2 heads. I shot, adjusted the scope, and shot again for bullseye. Second shot confirmed. Of course no good deed goes unpunished! I spent the next hour teaching the son-in-law the basics of shooting a rifle; as politely as possible. I told them to continue to shoot on the 50 Yard line until he had it down. We exchanged numbers and I sent them a video of the method I used...
All be damned if another range master doesn't come out and set up next to them with his version of a competition shooting style rifle, and do the same thing, and was getting the same bad advice, from the same range masters that were trying to help the father-in-law and son-in-law team. Even to the point where they were spotting for the guy and giving him bad instructions! They just watched me help the other two guys!! I took two shots on my 450 and packed it in...
