From hunting to target shooting, accuracy is the key to success. A rifle has one simple job: To be directed at a target lacking a bullet-sized hole, and then to reliably make that hole. The target could be anything. Paper. Cardboard. Squirrels. Deer. Junked-out appliances. Yet the objective remains the same.

To punch those holes reliably, first you must sight in your rifle at the range. And once sighted, the zero of your scope must be maintained through regular practice. Because things happen. Firearms get dropped. Stocks swell or dry out. Your hunting buddy kicks your gun case down the stairs and forgets to tell you.

From the most affordable Vortex, up to the most luxurious Leupold, a scope is only as good as the work you put into keeping it accurate.

Starting materials:

A scoped rifle with the rifle scope mounted.

A stable surface to shoot from, like some sandbags.

A target, 25 yards away, with a nice, clear, easy-to-see bullseye.

Note: Getting your optics mounted in the first place can be tricker than expected. Mounting hardware needs to be tight. The scope should be aligned and level. And make sure a comfortable amount of space naturally exists between your eye and the eyepiece, to avoid the classic black eye or other facial damage.

Starting at the bore.

Before you can punch a satisfying hole in the center of your target, first you need to get on the paper.

To get boresighted, you need to line up the bore of your rifle with the target.

For a bolt action, boresighting simply involves pulling out the bolt, looking through the entire length of the barrel, and centering the bullseye inside the barrel. In the case of a semi-auto, lever or other type of rifle, a laser boresight does the exact same job with just a little additional monetary investment.

Once your bore is lined up, then line up your scope to the bore.

Adjusting a scope is as easy as turning the windage and elevation dials, until the reticle cross hairs are centered on the bullseye. While each scope is on some level different, remember that you'll need more clicks at shorter ranges than you will at farther ranges to result in the same perceived amount of reticle movement.

Getting zeroed in.

At this point, you should be able to shoot your rifle and have the bullets punch paper. To fine tune your aim, you need to fire a group of 3 shots, check the results, readjust your scope for the center shot, then fire another group of 3. And so on.

When you're on-target at 25 yards, it will be time to get farther out, typically to 100 yards.

Keep shooting, verifying and adjusting until your rifle is punching a hole a couple inches higher than where you're aiming at 100 yards.

You will now be good-to-go for most shooting situations, either when closer or slightly farther away than the 100-yard mark. It will not make you ready to be an elite long-distance shooter, but that's not the objective of this guide.

Note: Once you're on-target shooting from a rest position (sandbags), it will be helpful to also take some shots from a less-stable position, especially if setting up your rifle for hunting. Practice using the same stance you would use out in the woods, as some rifles can unexpectedly show a big difference in accuracy once taken off the bench.

Practice makes perfect.

It can't be stressed enough. You can't just sight in your rifle once and then never do it again. Beyond the single bullet you punch into the vital areas of Ol' Mossyhorns, there should be a long lineage of ammo you have purchased and then fired into the vital areas of Ol' Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C, or similar targets.

If you own a gun, you are doing yourself (and your empty chest freezer) a disservice but not enjoying all the shooting practice along the way.