Help with an AR, I'm feeling real stupid right now.

J

Joe Portale

New member
AARRGGHHHH!!! Am I feeling real stupid right now. I have been having a bear of a time getting my wife's AR15 sighted in. There have been other problems, and I have pestered the good folks in the other departments. SO I hope you folks don't mind.

Here is what's happening. I decided to sight in at 25 meters. The rifle hits low and left. The rifle was mechanical zero'd. All the little marks lined up, the front sight post set flush with the well and the rear sight set to 3/8. (This is the version that bottoms out at the 3/8 setting, so no extra down clicks).

Squeeze off three rounds from a rest, front sight located on the center of the "X". The rounds hit about two inches to the left and three inches low. Zero the windage,no problem.
Don't like the fact that I have to windage adjust that rear sight at 25 meters, but that is another story.

The rifle is still hitting low. Run the front post up a revolution. Still low. Do it again...still low. Run it up until it looks like it is wobbling due to lack of threads...still low by about an inch and a half.

The wind was way to strong today to try a 100 yard sight in, so I skipped that. My gut feeling is that this puppy will hit way..way high at 100 yards with this post run up like that. Aim at the foot of the 20 foot berm (100 yards)...the rounds hits the top. Aim at the target at 25 meters, hits low. Aim at the foot of the berm, hit the top, aim at the 25 meter target, hits low...you get the picture.

Okay, there is some principle here that I'm forgetting. What the heck am I doing wrong. Its me boys, the rifle can not be this stupid.
 
C

Chris Orndorff

New member
If you want to raise poi, then you want to lower the front sight post. Sounds like you're going in the wrong direction, elevation-wise.
 
N

Noban

New member
What Walter said: When adjusting the front sight, move it in the opposite direction you want the bullet to impact. For the rear sight, move it in the direction you want the bullet to impact.
 
J

Joey

New member
Take and turn your windage drum 1 click clockwise when sighting in at 25M. Then after sighting in turn the drum back that one click. Next shoot your 100M group and see how things work out.

With our M16A2's at work (USAF/SF) this is how we sight them in and then qualify.
 
J

Joe Portale

New member
My friends,

I stand here, head bent, looking at the top of my shoes. I am so ashamed! Jumping Jeez!!! What was I thinking? I was turning the post the wrong way!!!!! Man, am I embarrassed!

Thank you for all your help. And I do mean that. Oh by the way, the Maryland AR15 is really a great sight.

Now excuse me, I have to go crawl under something for the shame of making such a stupid mistake.

Joe
 
T

The Gooch

New member
AR-15

Sir,

Sounds like you have solved your problem, but I just want to add one thing. Being in the Marine Corps for almost six years now and being an expert on the range and also a range coach for a little bit, the wind will have no real effect on a round at 100 or even 200 meters with that rifle. So you can sight in with confidence at 100 or 200 yards, I would actually rather do that than at 25 yards. Hope this helps a little

Ooh Rah
 
U

uglygun

New member
When you're back on the range zeroing the rifle, now with the correct sight blade adjustment, do yourself a favor and double check both aperatures as well.



I just shot a rifle match 2 weeks ago with iron sights and while I did alright on the long range stages using the long range aperature when I flipped up the combat short range aperature I ended up encountering a hopeless shift in my zero that I never expected in the slightest. If I had known going into the match that my rifle had an aperature that was off I could have known how much additional adjustment to put into the elevation wheel so I could have an appropriate zero.


When I originally zero'd my rifle on the range the only aperature I used was my long range aperature since all my shooting was 100 yards and beyond, it never dawned on me to put a target up at 25 yards and shoot a group with the other aperature.
 
K

Kharn

New member
Doesnt your front sight have an arrow and a direction next to it? IIRC, My Oly has an arrow and 'UP' forged into the base right next to the front sight.

Kharn
 
Q

quantico

New member
Geeze, I am glad I did not post about setting up rifle sites and then confuse the direction. I have made every other mistake in my time however.
 
B

Big Bear

New member
Everybody does a <DUH!> at one time or another

I second that recommendation to use the Chuck Santose 200 meter "improved" battlesight zero. I've tried it, and it works very well, but I still prefer the USMC zero method, where the elevation wheel bottoms out at -3 clicks rather than Chuck's -2 clicks. Gives me good zeros at 100, 200, 300 meters and beyond using the small "long range" aperture. The USMC zero method is on the Maryland shooters site as well. Experiment with different zero methods until you find one you like. Some AR15 zero methods tend towards "combat" readiness and some tend more towards target shooting. This ain't rocket science. This is simply adjusting your sights to line up with where your barrel is pointing to put bullets where you want them to go at various ranges.
 
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