From which point do you range your targets?

[beerthief]

My local range sets up the front edge of the table is exactly 50 yards from the front surface of the paper target.
Local rule , line up the tip of the muzzle with the front of the table .

 

[Gerry52]

50 yard zero for me. I rangefind target, put end of barrel at 50 yards away.

 

[NorCal David]

Not being a target shooter or enthusiastic about bench shooting, what difference would it make?

Actually, as a beginner I think this might be correct. Even though you might use a tape measure initially, you would practice for months before a World’s match and adjust by where the pellets hit the target. So maybe being consistent with parallax ranging and bracketing during practice might be the most important part. But remember I am just a beginner and am guessing. It sounds like many things work for many people.

 

[Firewalker]

I range ( rarely ) with my friends range finder, and i measure from where my ass are.

If i was to shoot a 50 paper to share in here, it would be in EURO measurements and so i would actually be shooting longer than 50 yards.

It is a bit funny i cater to the imperial crowd when i think they should get on the Metric bandwagon and come in for the win.
But i use FPS and foot pound and really i should not be that silly.

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M U R I C A​

 

[cavedweller]

When shooting prone, my hand where my rifle is resting, is touching the stake. The distance is measured from the stack to the target.

You shooting European HFT?

 

[Lt.Dan]

You shooting European HFT?

No but I do measure the distance to target the way they do.

From stake to target. So by the screenshot below that's roughly from optic to target.

 

[Caliber 22]

It is a bit funny i cater to the imperial crowd when i think they should get on the Metric bandwagon and come in for the win.
But i use FPS and foot pound and really i should not be that silly.

Bravo. It is really only USA that still use the imperial measurements. Metric is so much easier to use and makes more sense. Why get stuck in the stone age.

 

[skeeekerz]

We Belizeans also still use the imperial measurements. My scope is mil which I find really nice when dialling (except imo the 1/10 mil clicks are a bit too big for precision stuff) but the measurements don't mean much to my brain.

 

[cavedweller]

No but I do measure the distance to target the way they do.

From stake to target. So by the screenshot below that's roughly from optic to target.
View attachment 463152

Since my scope is always just behind the lane posts, I always use my front objective as ground zero. Pretty much like your picture shows. Since my shot will be taken based on known presets and dope…all good

 

[skeeekerz]

Lots of great answers already. One example where it matters for me would be the 30yd challenge. Being the type of guy that I am, I won't shoot a card at 29yd when I'm supposed to do at 30.

I think for targets I personally have used the scope as ground zero but usually add about 1/2 yd to be on the safe side. For hunting/pesting I just do from where my head is at.

For me getting a precise range of a bird that's sitting on the ground is hard, and getting a perfect range of a bird sitting in a tree is near impossible

 

[Motorhead]

In Field target .... ONLY thing that matters is, That the distance you parrilax range at ... MATCHES the correction you will be applying.

It can be yards, A B C etc ....You can have the range on wheel not even there having any place in focus range be the hold required.
IT IS SIMPLE AS DISTANCE & D.O.P.E. and no right or wrong way to archive it.

Some miens are easier or more intuitive ... but miens used and shooter understanding the configuration in play ... They all work.

 

[beerthief]

Would FT shooters go nuts if i build a FT range that was diagonal downhill for the first lane and diagonal uphill for the second lane ,and so on , walking straight across a hillside .

 

[Motorhead]

Would FT shooters go nuts if i build a FT range that was diagonal downhill for the first lane and diagonal uphill for the second lane ,and so on , walking straight across a hillside .

Go shoot the Nevada State / GP if wondering what that's like
Few years ago Ashland OR had a hill course that sorta followed that layout trend.

Fun and hard which is a Good thing

 

[JohnTaylor]

Ok this is maybe a silly question. From where do you range for target shooting (when range matters) or zeroing your scope? From the muzzle, scope or shooter? Yeah it's not gonna be much more than a yard of difference, but that would still be a yard.

This might sound weird… when I set up my rifle/ scope for field target, I set out my targets at known ranges…focus, shoot, and record hold in my reticle on my wheel. Where I start from relative to muzzle,scope, bench or the range is of no consequence…if its in focus, I shoot that hold point…works well for me..

 

[delooper]

I pest at 10-30 yards, so I zero my scope at around 30 years.

 

[bigHUN]

Rangefinding from my eye, why to complicate?

 

[Motorhead]

Rangefinding from my eye, why to complicate?

because it IS NOT accurate to a competitive level of accuracy ... sigh

 

[bigHUN]

because it IS NOT accurate to a competitive level of accuracy ... sigh

Regardless where your muzzle is positioned in relation to the "stick" you can sight in your tape with a distance measured from shooters eye?
At least this what I did with (compound) archery FITA or Field... I measured the distance from body centerline hanging below my head, but my "front scope" was further out towards the target... I measured let say 37.5 meters standing on the stick but the scope "reticle - also arrow tip - was minus 0.8 M (same as your muzzle tip) and I call that 37.5 ... the consistency is a key and worked for me almost two decades ...

 

[Treefrog]

From the muzzle.

J~

 

[Spartan]

To always stay consistent with my ranges for archery and airguns, I range from the target to my eye when in a shooting position. Both for hunting and target work. Works great for me in my practical situations. I don't do any competitive shooting.