Zeroing AR

Kevin_d77

New member
What distance do you recommend for zeroing an AR. Only has an Aimpoint on it so I don't see myself shooting much distance. I have heard camps saying 25 yards and other saying 50 yards.

Which do you recommend and why?
 

NCummins

New member
What ever distance you are going to shoot. If you will mainly be shooting 50 yards, but sometimes 150, and sometimes at 25, zero for 50 and just hold over or under accordingly.
 

Mobuck

Moderator
Considering the height of the sight above the bore, sighting @ 25 yards will make hitting targets at 100-150 yards tricky. Even an Aimpoint is sufficient for 150 yards at 8-12" targets. By sighting @75 yards, you will have the bullet strike "on the dot" out to 150(generally speaking since there are several size dots).
 

Nathan

New member
I would 0 the Aimpoint at 50 yds 1" high, I think. What load?

The irons, I would likely do the same.


You would be on target 0-300 yards....well, 11" low at 300, which ain't bad.

Maybe on 0-250yds.
 

Ridgerunner665

New member
Don't sell the Aimpoint short...good groups at 100 yards are no problem at all.

I bought mine last year and thought of it the same as you, then I shot it at 100, 200, 300 yards... 1.5" groups at 100 are as easy as any scope....and hitting basketball sized targets at 300 is just as easy with good ammo...I was using Hornady 75 grain Match ammo.

I ended up zeroing mine for 200 yards.
 

Kevin_d77

New member
In all honesty, I've been having a hard time seeing the target at 100. Probably need to get a more vibrant color and try a range with better lighting!
 

SVTCobra306

New member
I always do an initial zero at 25 meters, then move out to the desired max range to verify the windage. Zero at about 1.5" low at 25 meters if you want a 100 meter zero.. it will be fairly close on elevation. You will find that when you shoot at 100 meters you might have to dial more windage in, what is centered at 25 meters might still be off by the time you reach 100.
 

marine6680

New member
I like 50yd zero myself. An inch low at 25yds, on at 50, an inch high at 100yds and 2 inches low at 200yds... if my memory serves.

Basically point and shoot out to 200yds with that zero. The shot will hit within 2 inches if you do your part.

It lets me be able to have fun and shoot at targets of random distances without much worry about hold overs. And if the S really did HTF, then out to 200yds seems like a reasonable engagement distance if it came to such. (choose how likely you think this will be and then keep your mouth shut about it... LOL) :cool:


Others like different zeros for different reasons.
 

kraigwy

New member
My ARs are zeroed for 200 yards but I use irons w/ 1/2 Min Clicks. With the rear sight bottomed out, its set for my 200 yard zero.

This is based on the High Power ranges, 200, 300, 600 and 1000 yards. It works quite well for shorter ranges also.

Because the sight set so high above the bore, you would normally be low at shorter distances. For example if I'm shooting 3-gun, at 25 yards I'd come up 14 clicks, at 50 2 clicks up, at 100 I shoot the 200 zero, its 1 min low, but I can live with that. Then zeroed at 200 yards, and I come up for what ever further range is called for.

I don't recall shooting between 600 and 1000 but I so shoot 600 and 1000 yard matches. Normal come ups to get to 600, but when I shoot 1000, I use my 600 zero and turn the front sight down 4 full revolutions.

I just never seen any need for using scopes on my AR's. I first started shooting ARs (M16s) in 1967 when I was introduced to them when I got orders for Vietnam. After 47 years I've pretty much know what they'll do and what I can do with them using irons.
 

220lover

New member
The answer is it depends on the optic you are using and your intended use.

With an eotech/aimpoint type of sight my experience has been the 50 yard zero allows me to not think about any shot between 0-250 yards.

At 300 I would have to account for 6-8 inch drop. I don't shoot at 300 often, but I have done it so I know what to expect.

So for 50 yd zero this is what I expect (not always what I get though) :
25yd : -1.25
50 : 0
100 : +2.0
150 : +1.25
200 : +.5
250 : -2.0
300 : -6.0


As a counterpoint to the 50 yard zero...I have a burris MTAC that I love and I have it zeroed for 100 yards per its instructions. It has BDC aiming points on the scope so at 300,400,500,600 it is simply a matter of moving the reticle aiming points. Like I said I don't shoot over 200 that much, but you should do it at least once just to know what to expect.

If you have irons or a red dot, I would do the 50yard zero. That is what I have done to my AR with an eotech on it.

Good luck and let us know how she shoots at distance with the zero you choose.
 
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