Sighting In Your Optics: The Three Shot Method

Joe Wolf   Sep 29, 2023

Sighting in your optics:

 

The Three shot method

 

Three shots. That’s it. With the price of ammo these days, who wouldn’t want to use less ammo on non-training activities like sighting in your optics. Plus, you’ll look really cool at the range when you only need to fire three rounds to get that spiffy new optic sighted while everyone else is still getting their range bags out.

 

So, what do you need to successfully sight in with just three shots?

• Know the four rules of gun safety, we have covered it in the past, go back and read them if you need to.
• Your gun and optic (already bore sighted, don’t worry we will go over this as well)
• Some ammo (at least three rounds)
• A Target spaced out at a known distance (You need to be able to see the holes you have made so if you are using a high-power rifle scope then let’s say 50 or 100yrds, for a red dot let’s say 10 or 20 yards)
• A rifle rest capable of holding your rifle in place without you touching it (Don’t have one? Won’t get one? We will go over some alternative ways to do this, but it might take a couple extra shots)
• A buddy (Optional but very helpful if you don’t have a rifle rest).

 

Bore Sighting:

 

Before we go over the process lets get a few things ironed out. For starters you are going to need to get the gun bore sighted. This is very easy; you can do this in your backyard in a long hallway or at the range with a close target. All you are going to do is remove the bolt from your bolt action rifle.

If you are using an AR, pistol, or some other platform that doesn’t allow you to look down the barrel from the back (or you just would rather use the cool laser) then you will need to get a bore laser like these Bore Lasers

 

If you removed the bolt, then you will stare down the barrel from the back and center it on a target (it’s hard to see here but that orange at the end of the barrel is the target)

 

 

 without moving the gun adjust your optic to be centered on that same target and that’s it. You are done with bore sighting.

 

 

Now if you are using the laser it’s even faster and easier, turn on the laser and drop it in the chamber.

 

Close the action, look through the optic and adjust the reticle until it is centered on the laser. With that you are done.

 

Setting up:

 

Now to tackle the rifle rest. If you already have one that has sandbags or a strap to hold the rifle in place like this then great, move on down. If not, let’s get after a substitute but do note, this may not be as effective as a proper rest.

 

 

Yes, rice, or sand but I like rice because its multipurpose as in you can put it in the pantry and eat it later. Get a big bag of rice, 10lbs should do the trick. Now lay the bag of rice on its side and nuzzle the the front of the rifle in there good and tight, grab a piece of tape and wrap it over the top pull the rice together and that will hold the rifle in place perfectly. 

 

 

 

You’ll be surprised at how well this works. 

 

Taking the shot:

 

Alright, now we can finally get to the sighting part. Get your rifle shouldered up and comfortable, there should be no movement at all. If there is, adjust the bags till they sit just right. Line up your reticle on the bullseye and take your shot nice and slow and controlled.

 

 

See that blue dot? Lets say that’s where your shot landed while you were aiming at the Bullseye. Now, Line your reticle right back on the bullseye AND DO NOT MOVE. This is the whole point of the bags to prevent any movement for this key moment. Once you are lined back up on the bullseye hold that spot. Let your buddy adjust the turrets at your direction until the reticle lines up with the hole you just made.    

 

 

That’s it, that’s the key. You just move the site directly from where it was supposed to shoot (bullseye) to where it did shoot (bluedot) without moving the rifle. Pretty easy right? Now line back up on the bullseye and shoot one more time, again slow, controlled, and smooth. Dead center? If you did this right it should be, if it’s a little off don’t worry too much you may have slightly shifted during the turret adjustment, just line up on the bullseye again and repeat. Now follow the same steps but this time when you are adjusting the turrets, split the difference of those last two shots you made and there you go, drop two more shots to check and repeat if necessary. If you have had to do this more than once that means you are moving when the turrets are getting adjusted. You CANNOT move during this time otherwise you will be chasing shots all day.

 

If you have more questions about this process or anything firearms related, please reach out, we are always happy to help!