Scope Adjustment and Zeroing

[Madhatter]

My apologies if this has been thrashed to death else where BUT I am confused. Using novice language if your scope is on the centre of the target, making a good shot but the bullet strikes 2" to the left and 2" low the rifle barrel has to move up 2" and to the right 2". For this to happen the crosshairs need to be adjusted to the LEFT for 2" at range and 2" DOWN. Is my thinking correct?
Do the turrets say left or right and up or down AND if so does does it refer to the movement of the crosshairs OR the movement of the barrel?
Also when the crosshairs are correctly positioned do you ZERO the turret knobs so that you are working from a zero position?

Really sorry if I have confused you guys, please ask for clarification as to my meaning if I have explained the issue incorrectly.

[safetyfirst]

This used to do my head in. I still occasionally forget when using iron sights.

On most scopes, think of the turrets as moving the bullet, or “point of impact”.

If your group is 2” low then turn the turrets up. 2” left then turn the turrets right.

There’s a great one shot zero method if you can keep the rifle steady enough which involves centering the rifle on the bull, firing a shot, then without moving the rifle, turn the scope turrets so the crosshairs are over the hole the first bullet hole and voila.

There are no stupid questions on here, though I have contributed my fair share of stupid answers :)

[ovenpaa]

Or aim your rifle as per the previous shot, hold the rifle in place and adjust the cross hairs until they are over the first bullet strike. It does work if you can hold everything steady :)

[safetyfirst]

Or aim your rifle as per the previous shot, hold the rifle in place and adjust the cross hairs until they are over the first bullet strike. It does work if you can hold everything steady :)

isnt that what I said?

You did say it better.

Neither as good as a video tho.

https://youtu.be/PG13s1bj-jw

[Rockhopper]

I can still never remember which way to adjust my sights so i have a little note stuck to my ammunition box to remind me.

You are not moving your barrel two inches to make the bullet move two inches though, it'll be far less than that.

[Daryll]

The turrets normally have a letter on them with an arrow.. so the top turret will probably have "U ->", so turning the turret in that direction will move the POI up. If you need to go down, move it in the opposite direction.

Similarly, the side turret will probably have "L ->" to move the POI to the left.

[Blackstuff]

You are not going crazy/being daft, the adjustments on most scopes/red-dots/sights reference moving the point of impact to where you want it, but some do the opposite and reference moving the crosshairs/dot/blade TO the POI, its GREAT fun trying to work out WTF is happening when (if!) you realise you have one of those(!)

[1066]

I shot this short video with my phone camera, you might find it helpful. - Over 1.25 million views so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwD5zu7yTeI

[snayperskaya]

You are not going crazy/being daft, the adjustments on most scopes/red-dots/sights reference moving the point of impact to where you want it, but some do the opposite and reference moving the crosshairs/dot/blade TO the POI, its GREAT fun trying to work out WTF is happening when (if!) you realise you have one of those(!)

Belarusian POSP and Russian military scopes such as the PSO-1 move the reticle rather than the image and are very easy to zero.

[kennyc]

You are not going crazy/being daft, the adjustments on most scopes/red-dots/sights reference moving the point of impact to where you want it, but some do the opposite and reference moving the crosshairs/dot/blade TO the POI, its GREAT fun trying to work out WTF is happening when (if!) you realise you have one of those(!)

Belarusian POSP and Russian military scopes such as the PSO-1 move the reticle rather than the image and are very easy to zero.

I used to have scopes that did that when i was a kid moved on from that 50 years ago