How , where and to what distance due you sight in your AR?

 

At an indoor range do you bring a rest for your AR to sight in?

 

Also if it's for home defense what yardage you sight in at?

This saturday i used a barrel rest at Brick armory and sighted in at 25 yards. It was by no means perfect but it worked well enough for my red dot and irons. This has been the only place ive been shooting, so again, 25 yards suits my needs. I am looking forward to seeing some of our long time members post their methods/opinions.

Here is a great video about sighting in your rifle. Choose what suits you best. I personally like the 50/200yd sight in. 

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60zbwMYJiLI&feature=player_embedded

Great video. Im going to dial it in a bit better next weekend

How , where and to what distance due you sight in your AR?

 

At an indoor range do you bring a rest for your AR to sight in?

 

Also if it's for home defense what yardage you sight in at?

I'm sure a few people might disagree with me on this but I would set it up for what I shot normally but as far as HD goes........ If you shoot someone further then 7 to 10 yards you'll probably have a lot of explaining to do. If you set it up for 25 yards your dot or irons should be sufficient at closer ranges.

I shoot at 100yds cause that's what I have access to. My sights are set at 50/200 l. Good general purpose zero for in close to 200 yds.

 

At HD range if you aim for the chest, you will get hits. You only have to worry about barrel offset which at 7 yds is like 1.5-2 inches lower than your optic.

Use this and keep a copy in your rifle case: 

 

www.harvardriflemen.com/AR15zero.pdf

 

And get a shotgun for home defense

Use this and keep a copy in your rifle case: 

 

www.harvardriflemen.com/AR15zero.pdf

 

And get a shotgun for home defense

Thanks for posting this. I was looking for something like this.

Thanks for posting this. I was looking for something like this.

I eat and sleep this stuff an still carry it around.

Thanks for the feedback...was using HD as a reference just wondering what everyone else is using as a zero.

 

More importantly do you do it with the rifle on a bag or while standing...

Thanks for the feedback...was using HD as a reference just wondering what everyone else is using as a zero.

 

More importantly do you do it with the rifle on a bag or while standing...

If you want a good sight in use bags and support the rifle VERY close to the receiver. Takes out the human error.

I prefer a 50/200 yard zero. (Green trace on graph below)

 

 

Most of the higher speed teams use it at it is the most versatile zero out there for DA/CQB/FISHing. It is very simple to use, simply account for mechanical offset when taking a high percentage shot by aiming high 2.5"-2" inside of 10 yards, 1.5" high at 15 yards and around 1" at 25 yards. Everything else from 0-215 yards is +/- 3" from point of aim and requires no holdover adjustments.

As a few have already mentioned, the best all around is 50/200 yards.

Dumb questions: is a 100 or 200 yard zero done with magnification?

 

The one time i was able to look down an AR red dot at 50 yards or greater all I could see was the entire paper. Basically I was HOPING it would hit bullseye. Can you guys see the red bullseye from 50+ yards without magnification? It's like micro invisible small to my eyes from that far.

Yeah, depending on the size of the "bull".

 

Your "target" area should be appropriate for the rifle/ammo you are shooting.

 

If you are zeroing a carbine with a RDS shooting normal ammo, 4 MOA is a realistic target area, so you should have an aiming point that is 8" in diameter at 200 yards/4" in diameter at 100 yards/2" in diameter at 50 yards/1" in diameter at 25 yards. All rounds in the bull, you are zeroed. If the group is less than 4" then that is a bonus. You can make small adjustments/corrections to try to center the group in the 4" target if you wish. But, it is hard to get a group size that is more precise than your aiming point. There are a couple of tricks like turning the intensity to the lowest visible setting or using the edge of the dot at the 12 o'clock position as a finer aiming point that will help with this.

 

RDS with 3x Magnifiers are a whole other animal with an entirely different process. Just remember. That dot size doesn't change even though it looks bigger through the magnifier. And your zero may shift with and without the magnifier in place.

 

If you are shooting an SPR variant with a 4x optic (or 9x or 12x) and match ammo, this of course changes what an acceptable zero is and the steps to achieve it.

 

 

Shoot 5 round groups, 3 shots really tell you nothing. When you are satisfied shoot a 10 round confirmation group. I usually shoot a second 10 round group to confirm zero at the end of the range day as well.

 

In my experience zeroing both the RDS and the magnifier in conjunction without first zeroing the RDS by itself would lead to wild inaccuracy when running the RDS alone. Same thing with zeroing the RDS by itself and not confirming with the Magnifier. I'm talking completely missing the target from 25 yards when working from barricades inaccurate, with tight groups in the other configuration on the same course of fire. This is what I have come up with to prevent that.

 

If you are using a FTS or removable magnifier I have found that this is the best way to zero it. Keep in mind this is with the Aimpoint magnifier that has screws for fine adjusting the magnifier for parallax.

 

1) Zero the T1 itself at your desired distance. (50 yards in my case.) Magnifier is offset and not utilized during this portion.

 

2) Once the T1 was zeroed with a tight group, paste the target. Do not cover up the 10 shot final confirmation group that was the final zero, just markered up the borders of the holes to designate they were the final group.

 

3) Place the 3x Magnifier over in line with the RDS. Shoot two rounds per iteration with an observer behind whatever we had (spotting scope, binoculars, monoculars) and then corrected it with the Allen Wrench until it was hitting in the same position as the RDS final group. We confirmed with a shot string of 10 shots for this.

 

Once both the RDS standalone and the RDS/3x Magnifier combination were both zeroed at the desired distance, if possible head over to the 200 yard range and confirm a good 50/200 zero.

Here is a great video about sighting in your rifle. Choose what suits you best. I personally like the 50/200yd sight in. 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60zbwMYJiLI&feature=player_embedded

 

good video, thanks. 

Fancy Smancy....I love A2 sights on a 20" barrel  @ 300 yds these old eyes shoot 6-8" groups using the A2 elevation adjustments.

 

Yes I have to dial in 400 for 300yds because of my ammunition.   But I guess you have to know your rifle ammo combo.

 

I would suspect you groups would open up a little with a 16" tube because of the sight radius.

 

With magnification (1-4X Millet) my wifes Bushy shoots an 1" at 100yds.  I'm not kicking in doors in Fallujah so longer rifles and optics work for me.

 

BTW close up the A2 battle aperture works pretty well. 

 

 

Edit:  all these groups are off of bags...LOL

Another vote for 50/200 it is getting to be the nearly universal zero for both LEO/military (see HE's post) as well as 3gun/action shooting sports, for exactly the same reason. Within the likely engagement range (0-400) it is the best compromise.  I just wish optics manufacturers would catch on and stop making so many BDC's calibrated for 100y zero, and switch to the more common 200y.

 

The other option is spend big bucks on really good optics you trust to adjust on the fly. I don't.

Another vote for 50/200 it is getting to be the nearly universal zero for both LEO/military (see HE's post) as well as 3gun/action shooting sports, for exactly the same reason. Within the likely engagement range (0-400) it is the best compromise.  I just wish optics manufacturers would catch on and stop making so many BDC's calibrated for 100y zero, and switch to the more common 200y.

 

The other option is spend big bucks on really good optics you trust to adjust on the fly. I don't.

 

Vlad - I'm in total agreement on the 50/200.  Understandably the 25m is for limited distance restraints. 

I use a 50 yard zero, but there so thing I'd like to point out most carbines will be more like 50/185 due to the shorter length. I have yet to confirm but I an about 2.25 + at 100 yards.

 

Dumb questions: is a 100 or 200 yard zero done with magnification?

 

The one time i was able to look down an AR red dot at 50 yards or greater all I could see was the entire paper. Basically I was HOPING it would hit bullseye. Can you guys see the red bullseye from 50+ yards without magnification? It's like micro invisible small to my eyes from that far.

 

 

If your eyes are bad, use a ballistic calculator to pick a point of aim and point of impact at 27 yards that equates to a zero at 50, 100, or 200m as you prefer. Measure below the bullseye on your 27 yard target and mark the desired impact point. Then aim at the bullseye, but adjust point of impact to match the mark you put a measured distance lower on the target. Then put a target out at 50, 100, or 200 (per your zero choice) and fire a ten round group to confirm the bullet path.

+1 on the 50/200 yard zero.

 

I've used these targets to reach a 50 yard zero using a 25 yard range.

 

 

Use this for a 100 yard zero using a 25 yard range. Yes they are different.

 

 

This should be good enough to get you on paper at those distances so you can fine tune afterwards.

 

Source: http://www.ar15.com/mobile/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=556355

Just remember, whatever zero you set up at 25-50yards, go check it at 200 or whatever. Each bullet is different, each barrel is different, etc. The notion of 50/200 is an approximation, for example I've seen barrels do 50/190 and with the same ammo a different barrel doing 50/235 and so on. Your best bet is to do a 50yard zero, then refine that into a 200yard zero, and then shoot that zero at ranges between 0 and 300 and know what the offsets are for you and your equipment. 

okay let me clarify a little..  and I think it was answered a little bit on the SIZE of the bullseye..   what i'm saying is that (and my eyes are fine).    When i'm looking at the red dot.. or iron sights for that matter..  like when its greater than 50 yards away like the dot (or iron tip)  is completely covering the "bullseye" and then some.    I mean do you guys specicially see a 2 inch red bull on the paper from 50+ yards away?   I mean we "know" where it is in the paper.   Or do you guys generally pick "a spot" at  50 yards away and then go for the consistent groupings to zero.    Or are you guys literally seeing a 2 inch red bullesye and putting your red dot exactly on it?   Or is the goal just to hit the heart box area consistently?

okay let me clarify a little..  and I think it was answered a little bit on the SIZE of the bullseye..   what i'm saying is that (and my eyes are fine).    When i'm looking at the red dot.. or iron sights for that matter..  like when its greater than 50 yards away like the dot (or iron tip)  is completely covering the "bullseye" and then some.    I mean do you guys specicially see a 2 inch red bull on the paper from 50+ yards away?   I mean we "know" where it is in the paper.   Or do you guys generally pick "a spot" at  50 yards away and then go for the consistent groupings to zero.    Or are you guys literally seeing a 2 inch red bullesye and putting your red dot exactly on it?   Or is the goal just to hit the heart box area consistently?

You place the reticle or sight pin in the same consisten spot and make adjustments until the rounds are hitting where you want them to.... I rarely shoot bullseye and normally use Q or scenario targets so it would be hard for me to recall the size of the bull VS dot size... But that will also depend on the optic... The point more is consistent placement....

If I am zeroing my AR with RDS I use take a 3"x3" or 2"x2" post it note (you can get highly visible colors - neon orange, pink, & green) and place them in the target as an aiming point. If I can center my dot on that post-it note and get 10 hits centered on that post it from 50 yards, I call it zeroed.

 

I chose the post-it's size to be slightly larger than my dot size. It using a 4moa T1 I use the 3"x3" since the dot will be 2" in diameter at 50 yards. If I am using a PRO or a 2moa T1 I use the 2"x2" since the dot will cover 1" at 50 yards. Have the aiming point be slightly bigger lets me center the dot on the square without covering the whole thing

 

Remember also that zeroing exercises and bullseye shooting have absolutely nothing to do with fighting with a rifle. People don't have bullseyes on them. They have "critical zones", for lack of a better term that you will have to visualize.

 

If training for SD/Social occasions, vice shooting/marksmanship after you zero is set and confirmed you should shoot at targets where you can't see the "critical zone" and you have to visualize an aiming point.

 

They are 2 different things.

I was zeroing my rifle at 50 yards and some guy started making fun of me for shooting so close in with a scope, the best part was his friend then explained the 50/200 zero and i don't recall him saying much for the rest of the day. I'm tempted to get the new nikon reset zero turrets. They are spring loaded so you can pull them out and set zero on the dials for your zero, makes it really easy to find 50yard zero once set up and you can adjust for distance knowing zero on the turret is zero at 50.

Vlad and High E: Perfect answers. I'm clear on it now.

You need ballistic software if you plan to predict/mark POA vs. POI. It's free online.

 

Nobody that posted anything said what kind of ammo they are using, let alone barrel length, or sight type/height. They also didn't say which aperture they are using at different ranges.

 

I guarantee I don't have anything that will match Lalo's POA/POI graphic, for example. Or the cop's bullet path graphic. And I'm using the most common ammo, in three different barrel lengths.