Mount It Correctly First
A scope has to be mounted level and torqued to spec before zeroing means anything — a canted scope will shoot progressively further off to one side as range increases, which looks like a zeroing problem but isn’t.
Bore-Sight Before You Shoot
Bore-sighting gets you roughly on paper at 25–50 yards, saving ammunition and frustration versus starting blind.
Start Close, Then Extend
Shoot a 3-shot group from a stable rest at 25 yards first. Adjust to bring that group to your point of aim, then move to 100 yards and repeat. Most hunting rifles are zeroed at 100 yards, though some hunters prefer 200 yards for flatter trajectory — check your cartridge’s drop chart.
Read the Turrets Correctly
Elevation and windage turrets are typically labeled with the direction impact moves, not the direction you’re turning — double-check your specific scope’s markings before adjusting.
Confirm With a Cold-Bore Shot
A first shot from a clean, cold barrel often lands slightly differently than later shots in the same string — which matters for hunting, where your one shot is a cold-bore shot. After zeroing, let the barrel cool and fire one more single shot to confirm your true cold-bore zero.
Find scopes, mounts, and everything else you need in GTO Armory’s full scopes, sights, and optics selection.
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