Zeroing

Jude Thaddeus

Jude Thaddeus

Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
2,823
Likes
2,527
Location
The hills of TN
Feedback: 7 / 0 / 0
I have a question. A noob question. Seeing I just got my first AR, I am trying my best to get the thing on zero. However, I have seen numerous way of doing this. I was wondering how to go about doing this. Should I use my laser bore sight or should I go about zeroing another way? Unfortunately, I have no experience with the AR style of sights, so I would need a really detailed way of doing this.
I know I may get flamed for the question, but I don't really care. I would much rather take the crap and get the correct answer than to struggle and be shooting ten feet off the paper!
Thanks guys!
 
the army uses a 300m battlesight zero that is done at 25m. The advantage is that it is easy to do since pretty much everybody has a 25m range. You will shoot on the standard 25m zeroing targets for M4 or M16, which you can find online. The disadvantage is that your point of impact will be much higher than your point of aim at 50-200m.

Alternatively, you could do the 50m/200m improved battlesight zero (http://grburnett.us/guns/ImprovedBattlesightZero.pdf) which involves you having to screw with the sights for a bit. But the end result is that your point of impact will be much closer to your point of aim at all practical distances.

These are the two zeroing distances I am familiar with. I started out with the 25/300 zero when I was shooting with the carrying handle, but then changed to the 50/200 when I got my optic and BUIS. There is no need to use a laser boresight. Just set your rear sight to mechanical zero (bottom out elevation, center the windage). The circular base of the front sight post should be flush with the front sight shelf. that will get you on paper.
 
Last edited:
Several questions come to mind. What kind of AR and what type sights do you have? Is it a rifle or carbine? (this really does not matter that much) What kind of sights? Are they the standard iron sights? Are you using a scope?

If iron sights, the best way I have found is to sight a brand new (to me at least) rifle is to start at a short distance and see where the rifle is shooting. High, low, left, right. You can then adjust the sights to shoot straight for you. After that, you should choose a zero distance, based upon what kind of shooting and what distance(s) you will probably be shooting.

Here is a reference for the Santose Improved Battle Sight Zero which many people seem to like.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=22

Does any of this help?
 
A couple of things that might help.... Mark and I typically zero our sights by putting something readily visible on a clear spot on the berm and then with that as a point of aim, shooting/observing the point of impact and adjusting accordingly.... We repeat this until the point of impact is really close to the point of aim and then move to paper....

As for adjustments, this pdf should help: AR15zero.pdf

Windage is pretty straight forward but you will need a tool for elevation....[wink]
 
If you have a bore-sighter, you can save a few rounds by getting POA (about 2.5") directly above POI while you're still at home.
 
Depending on the gun it's either a 4 or 5 prong tool that depresses the detent and allows you to rotate (raise/lower) the sight post..... Looks like this

Suppose you could use the tip to depress the detent and rotate the sight post but the tool makes it much easier....
 
Last edited:
Bob J said:
Depending on the gun it's either a 4 or 5 prong tool that depresses the detent and allows you to rotate (raise/lower) the sight post..... Looks like this

Suppose you could use the tip to depress the detent and rotate the sight post but the tool makes it much easier....
Click to expand...

Or use a pencil eraser pushed down on the post and a paper clip to depress the detent.
 
Another vote for 50/200 zero and for reading a bunch of stuff on trajectory so you understand what is happening.

Also get out to a range where you can shoot 200/300 with someone knowledgeable to learn how YOU AND YOUR GUN actually shoot at those distances. Reading and looking at drop/windage charts will help, but actually getting out and shooting will be the only way you'll really learn.

Oh, and your first day at 200 or 300 will be frustrating as you realize it's actually difficult to hit a man sized target that far out with an AR when you're new to it. My advice would be to plan a long day that first time you do it to get past the initial "I suck" feeling.
 
Bob J said:
Depending on the gun it's either a 4 or 5 prong tool that depresses the detent and allows you to rotate (raise/lower) the sight post..... Looks like this

Suppose you could use the tip to depress the detent and rotate the sight post but the tool makes it much easier....
Click to expand...

I have one which is four prongs on one end and five on the other.
 
Here's a great way to bore sight your gun:

Make sure there are no magazines attached, and that the gun is safely UNLOADED.
Take the upper off of the lower, and place it on a shooting bench of some sort, sights up.
Remove the bolt assembly and the charging handle.

Look down through the actual bore of the barrel (obviously from the breech end) , and find something out where the berm is to sight on. Move the upper as you have to to place that object, dot, whatever, in the MIDDLE of the bore.

Without moving the upper from that position, adjust your sights so that they are looking at the same object. The fussier that you do this, the closer you'll be when you test fire a group.

Re-assemble the gun (upper to lower), and fire a test group of about 3 rounds. You should at least be on paper. If your group is right of where you are aiming, then you have to move the group left. To do so, locate the right/left adjusting screw on the right side of the scope/sight, and adjust it to the left. Likewise, if you are shooting high, and need to lower the pattern, then adjust the adjustment screw on the top of your sight in the DOWN direction.

By bore sighting the upper first, you should be able to fine tune the sights with a minimum of shots fired.

If all else fails, place a HUGE piece of white paper behind your target, as a backer. Any shots off the target will still hit the backer, and tell you where you are.

You can use this through the bore process in any bolt action gun where you have the ability to look down through the bore of the barrel.
 
My Army ( 1983 ) used a bullet as a front sight tool , and a pin punch , and a firing pin retaining pin extractor , too .... AR15's are kinda 'sposed to be " tool-less " ... or you could buy something specialized I guess.
 

Similar threads

Interesting zeroing experience today
Replies
19
Views
949
mac1911
M
Zeroing differences
Replies
9
Views
471
safetyfirst2125
safetyfirst2125
Zeroing distance for a Glock 30 45.cal 230g with RDO
2 3
Replies
62
Views
2K
Deleted member 12999
D
School me: Best way for zeroing in new red dot/scope
Replies
20
Views
994
mac1911
M
25 Meters Zeroing Target/MBUS Question
Replies
9
Views
2K
dingbat
dingbat
Back
Top Bottom