Just wondering if everyone takes the same route when sighting in a low power optic i.e. 1X4 scope as they do when sighting in the irons or 0 power dots? Do you sight in for the same BZO whichever you choose or do you sight in different for the powered optic?
I use the same 200m zero.
I just zero’d at 50yds. Almost dead on at 200yds
(1-3x24mm weaver scope)
Same for me.
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For my optics: 1X, 2.5X 2-7X, 2.5-8X and my T-1, I sight-in at 200-yards and verify POI at 50 yards. Generally, at 200-yards the 50 is very close…too close to adjust.
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100 meter zero for all of my optics.
1-4x optics with the ability to rapidly adjust elevation are generally setup to work with a 100 meter zero.
I also greatly prefer the 100 meter zero for work from 3 to 250.
What do you find lacking in the 50/200 zero?
It isn’t so much that the 50 or 200 is bad so much as I simply prefer the 100.
I really appreciate how “flat” the trajectory is out to 100, which makes 3 to 150 as easy as 3 to 50 with a 50 or 200 zero with regard to hold over (no hold-under for the 100 zero). It makes my hits more precise with no higher skill or time.
All of my magnified optics (ACOGs, low-powered variables, and 10Xs) all have a default 100 meter zero with the ability to hold-over based on the BDC, apply mil-holds, or be dialed in for longer ranges. It made sense to have everything set on the same “default” zero.
If I was primarily shooting irons I would probably stick with a 200 meter zero (or 50 if I didn’t have enough room to make 200), since the front sight covers a significant portion of target area past 50, making hold-overs a pain in the ass (if one were using a 100 meter zero).
MPBR Zeroing is pretty much a 200 meter zero, but the initial point is closer than 50, with the resulting issues with hold-over and under, BDC/come-up conflict, and trying to find a range that will let you shoot at some weird distance isn’t easy. The juice just isn’t worth the squeeze in my opinon.
Great post there F2S.
If I may, I’d like to add another couple of points as to why a 100M zero is a good idea:
First off - shooter ability. While most people can get at least a reasonable group at 100M, its not always the case when you start pushing out the distances. You see this time and time again (in a military setting trying to get a unit of soldiers zeroed, for example). You tend to find that shooters will have different POI/POA for each different string of fire, countless flyers, etc. It is easier and more confidence boosting to be sure at 100 rather than trying to find the center of a huge group at 200…which may change again the next string of fire as the shooter “warms up”.
Second - weather conditions. At 100, even with a bit of a crosswind, the 223 round is not too badly affected at 100. When you get out to 200, it absolutely is. Unless the wind conditions are near perfect, I’d be more inclined to at least adjust for windage at 100 over any further distance.
Also - ammo quality - if you are zeroing with some of the cheap ammo, while at 100M it is usually more than acceptable, it can really start to show its ass at 200M. This shows up in the form of more what you might consider flyers, as opposed to the expected linear increase in MOA, due to minor loading differences round per round and barely perceptible imperfections in bullet, etc. All the little things add up and are more pronounced as the zeroing range increases, the point being that sometimes a person can be less certain of where their actual zero is at longer ranges.
You’ve said all the rest - the fact that most scopes are parallax free at 100 etc, all makes for a very strong case for the 100 zero.
Now all that said…I personally have a 200m zero on my rifle…but my primary reason why is that at my local match, which I shoot once a month, the hardest shot that invariably comes up every time is a piddling tiny steel plate which is exactly at…200M. Therefore for me, it makes sense to zero for the hardest shot in the match - and it is also a happy coincidence that it is a nice flat shooting zero, and one I have become accustomed to through military service so I instinctively know the holds. I do however know on my Trijicon TR24 exactly where I need to click the turret to for a 100M zero, and also 300M zero - generally don’t click down to 100, but the 300 is useful.
With a 1-4x scope you can’t cowitness. You will see a fuzzy front sight post, but it isn’t “real” - so you can’t just move the red dot to the top of the front sight post “lining” it up.
That said, I keep the same zero with the 1-4x scope as I do with the irons.
200 Meters for everything. (Exception is an ACOG with BDC reticle.)
For scopes with turrets and zero stop I leave ~2 MOA negative adjustment in the zero stop; so dialing down to 100 is an option.
All very good replies fellas. I am not going to co-witness I have fold down front and rear irons.