A Guide to Sighting In a Rifle Scope for Hunting

If you hunt with a rifle equipped with an optic, you need to ensure that your scope is correctly aligned with your rifle. If the scope is not correctly dialed in or the mount is loose, you risk missing that trophy whitetail deer, elk, or varmint. Or worse, wounding it. 

Sighting in a rifle scope for hunting allows you to put the bullet exactly where you aim, which is vital for accurate and ethical shooting. Let's walk through the process of sighting in your rifle scope for hunting so you can have the confidence that every shot you take in the field counts.

What Do Sights Allow a Hunter to Do?

Your rifle's sighting system — whether it's a scope, red dot, open sights, or peep sights — empowers your hunting ability in several ways:

• Improved accuracy by providing a consistent alignment between your eye, the rifle's barrel, and your target. 
• Confidence in knowing your rifle is sighted in correctly so that when the moment arrives, you'll trust your equipment and not second-guess your shot placement.
• Longer-range precision allows you to take ethical shots at greater distances, where the target may be difficult to see with the naked eye. 
• Adaptability to take accurate shots at various distances while precisely adjusting for the effect wind, elevation, and temperature will have on the bullet's trajectory.

This precision afforded by a rifle's sighting system allows for more consistently lethal shot placement, which results in more ethical and humane kills.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Sighting in a Rifle Scope for Hunting

Learning how to sight in a hunting rifle takes a little practice! Follow these five steps to ensure your rifle scope is sighted in correctly:

1. Review the Foundation

Before taking the rifle to the range, make sure all screws in your scope mount are correctly torqued to the manufacturer's specifications to prevent the optic from shifting. 

Since bullet weight, design, and quality control by the manufacturer all impact precision, use the same brand, bullet weight, and bullet type while sighting in your rifle. Once the rifle is zeroed for that cartridge, you can switch to your hunting cartridge and should only have to make minor adjustments. 

Zero your rifle using a stable shooting platform. A bench rest with sandbags (front and rear) or a bipod will provide stability for consistent alignment between your body, eye, rifle, and scope. 

2. Bore Sighting

Bore sighting provides a rough alignment between the barrel and the scope, saving time and ammo.

To bore sight your optic, remove the rifle's bolt. Look through the barrel and align the 25-yard target in the center of the barrel. Use sandbags or a rifle vise to keep the barrel from moving. 

Now, view the target through the scope and adjust the windage (left/right) and elevation (up/down) until the reticle is centered on the target. Look through the barrel again to ensure you are still centered on the target and didn't move the rifle while adjusting the scope.

3. Alignment by Fire

Fire three rounds, aiming at the same spot, on a paper target at 25 yards. Once you can place all three rounds in a 2-inch group or less, you can start making any necessary windage and elevation adjustments. 

When you're confident you are zeroed at 25 yards, move to 100 yards, the standard zero range for sighting in a rifle scope for hunting. Fire groups of three shots at the same point. Adjust windage and elevation based on the group average, not individual shots. 

4. Understanding MOA and MIL

Modern optics use reticles configured for MOA (Minutes of Angle) or MIL (Milliradian). If you think of your reticle as a ruler, MOA and MIL are units of measurement for each line on the reticle. 

At 100 yards, one MOA equals approximately 1 inch, and one MIL equals 3.6 inches. To put this into practice, if your shot group is 4 inches to the right and 3 inches below your target. To get back on target, you would need to adjust the scope turrets by 4 MOA left (windage) and 3 MOA up (elevation) or 1.1 MIL left (windage) and 0.8 MIL up (elevation).

5. Confirming Zero

Remember that environmental factors like wind, temperature, elevation, and humidity influence your bullet's trajectory. Practice in various conditions and times of day to understand how your rifle performs and how those factors will affect your zero.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even if you're experienced with sighting in a rifle scope for hunting, there are still some common mistakes people tend to repeat.

Here are three mistakes to avoid:

1. Not Bore Sighting: I've been to the range just before hunting season and have seen several people who didn't take the time to bore sight their new scope. Each one burned a lot of expensive ammo trying to get their rounds on paper at 50 yards. 
   
   
2. Improper Shooting Position: Make sure you're using a natural shooting position that gives you a repeatable grip, cheek rest, and shoulder pocket position with each shot. Any variation between shots will lead to inaccurate adjustments. 
   
   
3. Ignoring Your Environment: Wind, temperature, humidity, and elevation will affect your bullet's performance. These factors may not be as noticeable under 100 yards, but they will definitely influence trajectory when trying to hit targets beyond 200 yards.

Being aware of these issues can help you perfect your sighting-in process to get ready for a hunt!

How to Maintain a Sighted Scope

You must verify your zero even after successfully zeroing your scope at 100 yards. Scopes get knocked out of alignment, scope mounts loosen over time, and some cheaper optics will even have minor movements in the reticle. 

Consider using a scope cover to protect your optic when hunting and transporting. Use flip-up or bikini-style lens covers to protect the glass elements from scratches, rain, and dirt.

When you're not in the field, keep your rifle and optic stored in a secure location that is not subject to extreme temperatures or humidity. 

Sight-In and Stay Safe When Hunting This Season

Sighting in your rifle scope for hunting is more than an administrative task that enables you to be accurate. Using a rifle that you are confident maintains its zero is critical to your success in the field and demonstrates your commitment to ethical hunting. The ability to put the bullet precisely where you are aiming reduces the risk of wounding an animal or missing entirely. 

To keep advancing your shooting and hunting skills, consider taking a hunter safety course through ilearntohunt. Not only can you learn more about hunter safety and skills, but your state likely requires hunters to pass a hunter education course before getting a license to hunt. An online course can count toward that requirement!

Our state-specific online courses provide vital training in firearms fundamentals, hunting ethics, basic field skills, and best practices that can lead to hunting success. Plus, it's a fun way to learn hunter safety essentials!

Before heading out for your first hunt this season, make sure you're certified.
Choose the course for your state and start learning!