Don't use it 'to the letter', but I know the maximum range for holding vitals on each of my hunting rifle/loads with a set zero. Let me explain...
Most all of my rifles are ZEROed at 200yds. The flatter shotting calibers have a 250yd ZERO. I did my ballistic homework to settle on those ranges since it affords me the ease of holding center mass for a quality hit. Any critter inside my ZERO range is hold on fur + squeeze = dead. Beyond that, I know the drop of each of my loads and its ballistic limitataions.
Before I start calling, I'll quickly laser any available landmarks from stand and try my best to determine these distances. Then I'll have a pretty good idea when a coyote shows up if it's inside the "ring of death" or not...
For example:
My 16" 6x45 pushes a 60grHP @ 2950fps. With a 2.5" scope height above bore and a 200yd zero, I am about just about 4" LOW at 250yds and 10" LOW at 300yds. Based on that, any yote inside 250yds has entered the "ring of death" & in serious trouble of being ventiliated. Beyond 250yds, I know and I need to hold over or HOLD OFF with the shot altogether...
For comparison:
My 22" 25Wizzer pushes a 75gr VMax just over 3600fps. With a 2.5" scope height and 250yd zero, I am about 4" low at 320yds. So my "ring of death" distance for a point blank hold has effectively been increased by ~70yds from the 6x45. Beyond that, I have a 'cheat sheet' inside my scope cap for dialing elevation and wind and have used it to kill yotes at over 500yds and hit steel targets much further away...
I like to have a nice round distance value for a ZERO as opposed to an arbitrary distance derived from a maximum point blank range calculation. Just another way of looking at things...
