I want a 100 yard zero. So I figure I should start at a closer range to get on target and to make it easier.
However, all the ways I read on here is starting at 25 yards, then compensate by making low, then going to your 50 yard zero for fine tuning, or where ever you are doing it at.
So my question is: have you found that brand new irons, and an Aimpoint- which was zero’d for 50 yards but is in a new mount now- will be on paper at 50?
The range I use to zero seems to cater to more shooters using powered optics that shoot from at least 300 and beyond. But they do have a 50 yard targets, off to the side, and no 25 yard ones.
I could not really find a thread where some talks about it, if there is one then send the link please and delete this one. Thanks.
New mount can easily take you off paper. Windage as well as elevation.
Can zero either way. Can go right to 100 and shoot the backstop to see where you are hitting to get on paper there and dial it in. If you can change targets without waiting on the line may be faster to do it at 50 and then go to 100.
I shot at 100 when I first got my rifle just to see where I was at. Then I received advice here to start at 25 then 50 then keep going up if I wanted. But in the stickies above I used tons of the info charts there and printed them out to bring to the range with me. I sighted in at 50 with irons, then bought a Troy folding sight and an Aimpoint and rezeroed at 50 meaning at 100 I would be about 1.5 inches high… Just check out the thread stickies above here is the one I mostly used and I used same ammo. I also keep a D.O.P.E book to record basically every adjustment, ammo type , weather, temp, wind etc. It helps to keep one IMO.
Here is the picture I used
And here is a picture of my first range trip with my new V1 at 100 yards
At 50 I should be close at 220 yards. Doing the 50 yard 0 with the Aimpoint took 6 rounds 12+ if you count the times I removed the Aimpoint pro on the LaRue LT-129 mount… I was very happy my POI did not change a bit…
I have read the stickies and only recall one person saying they’ve started at 50. So I was just wondering what peoples expirences were.
Also I have to wait for a cease fire to get my target. So for me that makes it more difficult as I like to mark each hole and look at the group. But if I get the groups tight enough I could just use the spotting scope there and remember where the group is.
have you tried boresighting? I take the upper off the lower and remove the bcg.
place the upper on a secure rest and look through the bore at something with distinct vertical and horizontal lines at the distance you want to zero (I like 100 yds).
adjust the sight to that point and you should be close - close enough so that you can now reassemble the gun and be on target with a minimum of wasted shots…
When I bought my AR, I couldn’t hit squat at 50 yards. I found out the factory zeros them for 300 yards. I couldn’t even see where my shots were going at 50 yards, :eek: so I started at 25 yards and worked out to 50 yards. It’s rare for me to get somewhere I can get out to 100. In your case, I would start at 50 and use binoculars or what ever you have to see the paper.
When zeroing, i always start at 25 yards, but i dont zero my sights for the 100 yard zero. I prefer the 50 yard zero myself. Unless im using magnified optics. Then its 100 yard zero. Boresights are ok, but they can be a hassle sometimes. Gettin on at 25 yards is easy to do with just a few bullets.
I start at 50 because that is what is available on the range I shoot at and the first shot will often miss the 28 inch square targets we use. If you can, bore sight the gun, take the upper off, the bolt out, peer down the barrel and figure out where exactly it is pointing then peer down the optic or sights and see how much difference there is. You can make an adjustment that will get you on the paper at 50. Alternatively there are lasers and optical devices that can help get you on the paper. If all else fails, shoot for the center of your target, if you can’t find the bullet hole, aim at the lower left corner then lower right corner then upper left and upper right corner. This will usually get you on paper. Don’t waste time and ammo shooting groups until you are within a few inches at 100 of the desired zero, that is, shoot one shot, make an adjustment, shoot, adjust. I always adjust about 2/3 what I calculate I need, i.e. if I am off 12 inches at 100 and a click is 1/4 inch, I will move 30 or 35 clicks, maybe 40 but not 48 clicks. Over compensating can cost ammo. I used to volunteer for sight in days at my range. I have sighted in hundreds, maybe thousands of rifles. It ain’t hard. Even so, I have seen people waste boxes and boxes of precious, expensive factory hunting ammo trying to get sighted in. One very common mistake is to turn the screw the wrong way. Always think twice, move once when making an adjustment.
For Christmas my wife bought me an Aimpoint Pro, I had an idea she was buying it for me so I took off the fixed rear DD sight and put on a Troy folding sight, and as I said earlier I bought a LaRue Lt-129 lower 1/3 co-witness mount. Then I went to the range to sight them in, they only ammo I have now is good ammo, managed to stock up on LC M193 and LC M855 before everything but god knows how long it will last.
As a pervious person said don’t waist ammo on the sight in 2 shots and check, make adjustments. I had to sight in the irons which took me the most time and ammo, I was by myself and forgot my good range spotting scope, I only had my archery binoculars. Finally I was making 1.5 groups at 50 yards. So then I put on the Aimpoint and also sighted that it which as I said earlier took hardly 6 rounds, but a gentleman showed up and was picking up brass, so I allowed him my brass if he sighted me in… Such a time saver. He had a 308 In his car with a great scope on it. I opened up the turrets on my AP shot 1 round and stayed in the same position while he checked, made adjustments and then gave me the ok to shoot again and repeat…Aimpoint zeroed, I also shot using my irons while looking through the Aimpoint just to be sure both were on point.
Just a bit of common advice, when sighting in your rifle try to set yourself up aiming and shooting in the same position, a rest is awesome for this. Any way that you can take human error out of movement will help. I have a pair of Browning MOA bags that work well but much better options are available. I credit much of my quick Aimpoint sight in to me staying in the same position while adjustments were being made. Anyway you can save ammo the better off you are, at least for the time being.
Anyway, personally I am kinda a greenhorn with my AR but have been shooting hunting rifles and shotguns since I was 5. With my hunting rifles I have always sighted in at 100 or 200 yards, but with my AR I feel the 50 yard or even the 50 meter sight in is great, if you start to know your shot trajectory of a certain distance,you can start to estimate how high or low you need to aim. I also think its a great all around zero.
