edit

[Mesa Defense]

edit

[Sir Toast]

Well if you're going after pests and small game, you're probably shooting at 50 or so yards or shorter. Given that, I'd probably sight it in for 25-30 yards.

[pacrat]

What is the best distance to zero a .22 rifle for hunting pests and very small game?

What say all ya'll?

Scope or Open. Sight for the longest range you can consistently hit a pest size target. Limit your shots to that range. At which range you will POA dead on.

For shorter ranges you will "Hold Under" appropriate amount. With opens, holding over makes the small target be obstructed by the barrel. And you are JUST Guessing. So I use the Hold Under System for both Scope and Open.

JM2c

[SonofWWIIDI]

For what it’s worth...

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-distance-to-sight-in-a-22lr-rifle-to-engage-targets-from-25-yards-to-about-a-hundred-yards-away

[Unforgiven]

That was good info, thanks.

[Mesa Defense]

edit

[foothillman]

Little pests dig at my water lines, leach field and irrigated plants.
What I did was use paper plates stapled to a small 2x4 with a small sticky note, easy to replace bulls eye.
Place them around the potential areas of infestation.
Have a 14 foot wrap around porch with large base for each column for the roof.
Makes for perfect rifle rest.
For my needs the 25yds zero was the best.
Need to think about the size of target and terrain.

Here is a simple table that shows the results of using a ballistic calculator. This is the trajectory in inches for a typical .22 LR 40 grain, round nose bullet at 1255 fps MV when zeroed at different ranges.

Zero range...Muzzle...25 yards...50 yards...75 yards...100 yards
25 yds...........-1.5..........+/-0...........-0.06........-1.89.........-5.59
50 yds...........-1.5..........-0.01..........+/-0.........-1.80.........-5.47
75 yds...........-1.5..........+0.59.........+1.19.......+/-0..........-3.10
100yds..........-1.5..........+1.38.........+2.76.......+2.33...... ..+/-0

Let every other animal do its thing except the pocket gopher.
Do not want to use poison since neighbors have barn cats keeping the mice population down.

Makes morning coffee a little more interesting.
Have about 75% success if you catch them just starting a new dig.
They are fast at popping up and down just like Wack-A-Mole.

[The War Wagon]

20', in my experience. YMMV.

[Sir Toast]

Just get a shotgun with a full choke.

[ACfixer]

For field use I zero mine to be about two inches low at 100 yds. That chart above kind of bears out why, at 2" low and am never more than 2" inches either way out to that distance and you get a feel for it.

[FeuerFrei]

For those with no patience to wait for the shot.

[FeuerFrei]

The current tunnel complex on my property is about 80 yards away from my shop buildings so I zero the 22 for 100yds and confirm where the POI is @80 and 125yds. They never hold up a sign showing their distance.

Confirm your POI/POA at close range.
Different ammo types have different trajectories so find a good load and stay with it. I like subsonics in my little Savage mk2.

[GreggieBoy]

I've had pretty good luck with zeroing them at 50 yards.

[homelessdude]

I gas the tunnel video was great. So was the ladies UFC fight after it. Thanks

[Epaphroditus]

I zero at 35 yds. Anything from 5 yds to 50 yds is in the bag. Anything over 50 yds needs dope. I have a bdc reticle so doped out to 200 yds.