Zero for Elephant

[Tucketed]

I am prepping my Winchester 70 in 404 Jeffery and wanted to see recommendations for zeroing my CEB solids for a future elephant hunt. I zero my Swift AFrames at 100 yards but since this would be primarily for elephant thought 50 yards might be best? What do you guys use for your bolt rifles?
Thanks
Ed

 

[Altitude sickness]

My PH told me 100 yards. And know what it does in increments all the way down to 20 yards. Which shouldn’t be enough difference to notice

 

[Flipper Dude]

I sight in my elephant rifle at 50 yards. That’s all it’s used for though. Elephants.
Make sure you know where it’s hitting at 20 yards though. That’s where you’ll be shooting. Don’t worry about being too precise, however. Your knees will be knocking together enough to keep that from happening anyway.

 

[Fatback]

I have my 416 Rem zeroed at 50 yards for my upcoming buffalo and elephant hunt. I’m shooting 400 grain Barnes flat nosed solids at 2400 ft/sec for the elephant. I have 400 grain AFrames at the same muzzle velocity for the buff. I know where I hit out to 200 yards but that would ably be for a PG animal.

 

[Rare Breed]

I am prepping my Winchester 70 in 404 Jeffery and wanted to see recommendations for zeroing my CEB solids for a future elephant hunt. I zero my Swift AFrames at 100 yards but since this would be primarily for elephant thought 50 yards might be best? What do you guys use for your bolt rifles?
Thanks
Ed

My 404 for elephant was zeroed at 50 yards as my backup rifle for elephantt

 

[grand veneur]

I am prepping my Winchester 70 in 404 Jeffery and wanted to see recommendations for zeroing my CEB solids for a future elephant hunt. I zero my Swift AFrames at 100 yards but since this would be primarily for elephant thought 50 yards might be best? What do you guys use for your bolt rifles?
Thanks
Ed

50 yards is a good option, but ultimately zeroing has to be made dependent on the external ballistics of the bullet. If after a zeroing at 50 yards the bullet drops 10 feet or more at 100 yards, there can be problems if you have to shoot further than 50 yards on an elephant, what can happened.

 

[tygersman1]

50 yards is good. But check it at 25 and 100 for piece of mind. My 404s are good to go set this way with CEB hand loads - also shoot Hornady factory ammo to nearly the same POI in case ammo gets lost. The 404 is just so versatile for everything. Solids and softs from ele to cats to buff to everything else.

 

[Green Chile]

People don't think about windage for some reason on these questions. I would first of all want to know if it was hitting left or right of sights. Ok, then check the sights at 20 and 50 yards. If it's within reason...couple of inches or less and if you like that, it's good for elephant. Anything further would be a follow up shot on a wounded ele and for that, any shots you can get into the wounded ele can be helpful. I would not be taking longer shots on unwounded ele, with either scope or irons. 50 is a long shot for unwounded ele and you are actually cheating yourself out of the real experience that is hunting ele. For me, the hunt begins at 50 and anything further just needs more work to cut the distance.

 

[Andrew NOLA]

check a ballistics chart. "Generally" there is very little difference between a 50 yard zero and a 100 yard zero - like .5 inches.

Pick one and practice with it at 20 yard increments.

 

[375Fox]

25 yards or 50 yards. I would not sight it in at 100. If you sight in at 100, It will be low at 25 yards and lower at 10 yards. An inch or two won’t make a difference on a body shot but it definitely will on a brain shot.

 

[sgt_zim]

I am prepping my Winchester 70 in 404 Jeffery and wanted to see recommendations for zeroing my CEB solids for a future elephant hunt. I zero my Swift AFrames at 100 yards but since this would be primarily for elephant thought 50 yards might be best? What do you guys use for your bolt rifles?
Thanks
Ed

It doesn't matter.

A 100 yard zero with a 400 gr bullet at 2400 fps and a 50 yard zero with a 400 gr bullet at 2100 fps are within 3/4" of each other out to 100 yards.

Sight height above center bore will make a difference out to 10 or 15 yards, but not beyond there

 

[Tucketed]

Thanks everyone. Initial shots will check at 100 to see where they impact compared to my Swift AFrames. Then zero 50 and check 10 and 20. I was glad that the CEB solids cycle well and excited to try them out at the range and field. Thanks again

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I am prepping my Winchester 70 in 404 Jeffery and wanted to see recommendations for zeroing my CEB solids for a future elephant hunt. I zero my Swift AFrames at 100 yards but since this would be primarily for elephant thought 50 yards might be best? What do you guys use for your bolt rifles?
Thanks
Ed

Always remember to zero in your rifle for it’s maximum point blank range.

Much of the ideal range for elephant hunting, also depends upon which country you’re hunting elephant in. Botswana ? Ranges tend to run 65-80 yards on average due to it being relatively open country. Zimbabwe or Tanzania ? Ranges are usually under 50 yards due to dense vegetation.

 

[Tanks]

Furthest I have shot an elephant has been 55 meters, closest was a charge at 15.

 

[Aaron N]

I am prepping my Winchester 70 in 404 Jeffery and wanted to see recommendations for zeroing my CEB solids for a future elephant hunt. I zero my Swift AFrames at 100 yards but since this would be primarily for elephant thought 50 yards might be best? What do you guys use for your bolt rifles?
Thanks
Ed

Could you see the 404 being used on another “oppertunity” animals? If so, 100 yards might make more sense in case you’re stretching it out to 200 yards on a 58” kudu you stumble upon.

If a dedicated elephant and even buffalo rifle, 50 sounds about bang on.

 

[ActionBob]

If i recall correctly, it was 11 years ago... I wanted to be dead on at 25 yards and with a scope mounted my 416 Rem Mag was pretty close at 100 and high at 50. I shot my elephant at 19 yards.

 

[Green Chile]

If i recall correctly, it was 11 years ago... I wanted to be dead on at 25 yards and with a scope mounted my 416 Rem Mag was pretty close at 100 and high at 50. I shot my elephant at 19 yards.

Right...which is a good reason to sight in scoped DG rifles at 25 or 50 and check results. That's been my approach with my 416 Rigby, which has also been an effective rifle in hand when that random trophy PG is encountered.

 

[RLP]

I never shot or hunted an elephant. But I would take the advice of the ph responsible for taking me. Then I would do what everyone here has stated know the point of impact from 100 down to 20 yards.

 

[IvW]

People don't think about windage for some reason on these questions. I would first of all want to know if it was hitting left or right of sights. Ok, then check the sights at 20 and 50 yards. If it's within reason...couple of inches or less and if you like that, it's good for elephant. Anything further would be a follow up shot on a wounded ele and for that, any shots you can get into the wounded ele can be helpful. I would not be taking longer shots on unwounded ele, with either scope or irons. 50 is a long shot for unwounded ele and you are actually cheating yourself out of the real experience that is hunting ele. For me, the hunt begins at 50 and anything further just needs more work to cut the distance.

Windage in a bigger bore rifle for elephant??? Never crossed my mind.....

 

[grand veneur]

I hope that we are all hunters and that the majority of us hunt outside of Africa as well. Every experienced hunter knows that hunting conditions for the same game species can vary greatly on the same terrain and therefore also when hunting elephants. That is why all these discussions about shooting distance are very theoretical. In practice you have to be prepared for anything that might happen and that means to being prepared to shoot on an elephant between 0 and 100 meters, possibly even further if necessary.