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[boattail]

I like my 22's zeroed at 75 yards. I drop the cross hairs as I come in closer and will aim top of fur on critters at 100 yards. No matter where you set them find out where they impact at different ranges and remember those drops/rises. I have dope tags on a lot of my working guns just as a reminder of where to aim.

The gun I shoot most while working is a .204 caliber. It is zeroed at 200 yards. If my target was a beer can I can aim 1.5" over the top for anything ten to forty feet away and hit center, start dropping POA down on the way out until centered at 50 yards. Keep dropping POA until at the base of the can at 100, start bringing POA back up as you go out to 200 yards with a center hold at 200. From there I keep raising POA until I am back to the top of the can at 300 yards. 1.5" above the can will get me close to 400 yards.

[minden]

I have read many different articles on this subject & i have came to the conclusion that 75 yds is the distance. A lot of science (which i have forgotten) supports this. jmop

[k1dude]

I've always used 25 yards. But after looking at foothillman's chart, I might have to start using 75 yards.

[foothillman]

I like my 22's zeroed at 75 yards. I drop the cross hairs as I come in closer and will aim top of fur on critters at 100 yards. No matter where you set them find out where they impact at different ranges and remember those drops/rises. I have dope tags on a lot of my working guns just as a reminder of where to aim.

The gun I shoot most while working is a .204 caliber. It is zeroed at 200 yards. If my target was a beer can I can aim 1.5" over the top for anything ten to forty feet away and hit center, start dropping POA down on the way out until centered at 50 yards. Keep dropping POA until at the base of the can at 100, start bringing POA back up as you go out to 200 yards with a center hold at 200. From there I keep raising POA until I am back to the top of the can at 300 yards. 1.5" above the can will get me close to 400 yards.

Yup.....the only thing to add is use the same ammo every time.
.22LR is severely impacted by wind and gravity.
Starts slow so drops faster at distance.
Lots of charts and graphs that allow you to "see" what is happening.
What matters is that you go out and shoot at multiple distances with life sized targets.
Large paper plates, 2x4, staple gun and sharpie pen or free printable target.

Reminder when shooting up into a "tree" what is behind is more important than the varmint.

https://www.targets.ws/shooting-targets/squirrel-target-2.pdf

http://gundata.org/ballistic-calculator/

[LynnJr]

According to the world's most accurate rimfire gunsmith 42 yards is the best sight-in distance.

[Mesa Defense]

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[RandyD]

This has been my tried and true technique for using .22 hunting rifle. I sight in at 50 yards, and then shoot at 100 yards to know my drop. With the 50 yard zero, I can put my sights on any game animal out to 50 yards and I will have a hit. From 50 to 100, with knowing my drop at 100 I just estimate and shoot. For example, lets say I have a 6" drop at 100 yards, and I have a shot at 75 yards. My estimate is that I will have a 3" drop. This is not scientific or precise, but when you are shooting in the field at an animal, and only have a second or two to figure out your hold, it works. Plus, many shots are taken off-hand and most people cannot hold 3" at 75 yards. If you want to be more precise, then spend some time at the range shooting groups at 10 yard increments and memorize your drops. Another factor, with most animal sightings their range is not precisely known, most ranges are an estimation.

[AR22]

I do 50 yards. Works very well for me. But 25 would be fine too.

[-hanko]

No disagreements with RandyD. 50 yards is fine.

[ar15barrels]

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

What say all ya'll?

The distance that the pests and small game will most likely be...

For 22 matches, I zero at 50yds and my 25yd dope is only a couple clicks off because the 25yds is very close to the near zero with a 50yd far zero.

[JackEllis]

Mine is set at 50 yards. If I have to reach much further than about 75 yards, I switch to the .17 HMR, which shoots really nice groups at 100.

BTW if anyone is looking for pest control help, I'm retired, I have plenty of free time, and I supply my own ammo.

[LynnJr]

Tell me more, Lynn.

42 yards, Calfee
My centerfire benchrest friends:

I just checked back on this centerfire forum.......been busy for a few days...

Is this the planet Mars? (Centerfire muzzle device development?)

My dear centerfire friends, I love you....but.....

42 yards.............................42 yards......

I read what you have written about muzzle devices, and your testing, and, I think I'm in outer space or something............

Rimfire, 1050 velocity, plus or minus 20FPS.......42 yards........

Would one of you awesome, centerfire folks, take time to explain what you're doing?

My dear friends, ......42 yards......my "tests" to stop the muzzle in rimfire is 42 yards... .....

What are you awesome centerfire folks doing? Beats me?

Your friend, Bill Calfee

This was posted by Bill years ago on Benchrest central and at 42 yards you could test ammo with a extreme spread of 20 fps and get the smallest possible groups with your tuner at both extremes.
He called it his "Stopped Muzzle" because best accuracy was found at resonance and at resonance a barrel appears to be standing still at the muzzle with a correctly weighted tuner.
Normally the node is back from the muzzle 1.75 - 2.5 inches.
According to Doctor Geoffrey Kolbe you can adjust up to 60 fps of extreme spread with a tuner.

[RandyD]

The OP's question was "What is the best distance to zero a .22 rifle for hunting pests and very small game?"

Sighting in a rifle for a match at known distances, is an entirely different environment than hunting pests at unknown distances.

In most hunting shots, you are not going to know the precise distance to your target, and you will have to do some estimating. To further complicate matters, your sights will most likely not be set for the distance where your target has momentarily stopped, and then your target may move closer or farther away. Next, most hunting does not take place from a solid rest that a bench offers. Most shots also have to be taken when the opportunity presents itself, and from a position and angle that you would not want to take a shot. This is why hunting is more of an art and lesser of a science.

Shooting from a bench at known distances will enable you to learn your firearm and ammo limitations and drops. Practicing shooting from an unsupported position you will learn your limitations. Go out an have fun learning your firearm and ammo and practice improving your skills to make a shot from an unsupported position.

[DrewTheBrave]

Depends on your intent and optic. I had mine zeroed at 100 yards, since that's the range I typically shoot at. But I'm going to be hunting varmints on a small ranch soon, where most shots will be well within 100 yards, so I adjusted my zero to 36 yards with subsonic ammo. The image below shows the ranges for the hashmarks on my reticle, so hopefully this helps me bag some critters if I can estimate the range correctly.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[ar15barrels]

if I can estimate the range correctly.

Don't estimate.
Use a laser rangefinder to MEASURE the range.