When sighting a rifle the method I use is when on paper @ 25 yds. I move to 100 yds to fine tune about 2 in. high and it has worked well and succesful for my 30.06. Does that seem the way to proceed with the .44 mag? (adjusting the yardage of course). Or should I strive for dead on at a certain distance(maybe 60 yds.) Also when using shooting sticks should I be resting the revolver itself in the X of the sticks or more like my hands themselves?

I zero my iron sighted revolvers at 50 yds using the same method you mention and the same with scopes except the final zero on my 44s' would be 100 which should make you a couple inches high at fifty depending on the load, my 460 is actually 1" high at 150 which should be close to zero at 200 which is my self imposed limit with that gun. I always zero off of a pistol rest or sandbags and then spend time with shooting sticks or on my belly shooting off fallen trees or resting against standing ones to simulate a field situation. One more thing that is not mentioned often, if at all is that once your gun is zeroed take a cardboard box and paint it black, this takes away the bulls eye and makes you pick a spot to hit which is more like what you will face with an animal, I've found that my groups increase when I lose that orange dot to focus on.

What he said, pretty much, although I sight my iron sights for a 75 yard zero which keeps it in the kill zone from muzzle to 100 yards which is a far as I like to shoot with irons. A scope or red dot on a .44 or .41 (like mine) will nicely zero at 125 and stay in the line of sight kill zone to about 150 and then the bottom drops out. FWIW, Rod.

I appreciate the views and the replies so far. Anyone have any insight on the question I asked about the shooting sticks?

With my stony point steady sticks I rest the barrel of the gun in the sticks. Now I have a set of bamboo 3-legged tall sticks that I rest my hands in when shooting a revolver but for sitting with my stony points then I just rest the bbl. and the only reason for this is that I choose what is most steady for me with the different situations.

I have my 44 sighted about 3/4" high at 50 yards. Has worked good so far.

Most of the time I rest the barrel in the "V" of the shooting sticks just lightly. About the same pressure as the barrel resting on the sand bags when shooting from the bench. I always use a 2 handed grip from the bench and the sticks. If you keep grip tension and barrel pressure the same on each, the POI will be close if not the same. The sticks and sandbag keep the barrel more steady for a better sight picture.


Practice is the key. Usaully I take my 44 to winter league and practice offhand before we shoot. Always a good idea to keep in shape. I'm closing in on 2,000 rounds.

I try to never rest the barrel itself on bags, sticks, my hat on a rock or limb, or knapsack. When shooting my SBH Hunter, I rest the frame just ahead of the trigger guard on my improvised rest, my Contenders and Encore pistols the same way, on the forend just ahead of the trigger guard. Resting the barrel itself on a hard rest causes bad jump and big impact shifts for me. Then who knows where the bullet goes. We have a responsibility has humane hunters to know, and to take a clean sure shot. The PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE thing is damn good advice.

D'Keyman (non sibi sed patriae)