ptf18 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 What distance should I be sighting in my handguns? I use them for carry and Im tempted to sight them to the 15 yard distance which is the max distance for Texas CHL qualification. I also would like to use these handguns for IDPA matches and have been told to use 25 yards. Ive heard that my sighting in should be off a solid bench rest using 2 hands BUT that type of sight-in might be different than the "practical" 2 hand, off hand sight-in that is the type of shooting I'ld be doing with these handguns. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Sight in at 25 and you'll be covered for anything. As for using a rest, if you have a different point of impact from rested to freestyle then there is an issue that you are causing and you need to work on this. If you want to know how accurate you and your gun can be then you need to rest it, then try to duplicate it freestyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Sight in at 25 and you'll be covered for anything. As for using a rest, if you have a different point of impact from rested to freestyle then there is an issue that you are causing and you need to work on this. If you want to know how accurate you and your gun can be then you need to rest it, then try to duplicate it freestyle Not necessarily. I've documented a change in POI with certain guns when going from freestyle to a rest or vice-versa. It's repeatable, and consistent. Both produce good groups, but the elevation changed. That's not an issue that need fixing, it's just something to be aware of. For the OP, I'd zero for 25yds...put the POI at the top of the front sight or a touch above it, but not below. I'd also check the exact point of impact is at 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15yds (checking 50 isn't a bad idea either) as well just to make sure there wasn't an unusual discrepancy. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 By how much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouSlide Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 I know many people like to sight in for 25 yds but I always zero my competition handguns at about 12-15 yds and am GTG for pretty much anything the match throws at me. As always, YMMV. Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 By how much? I didn't measure every group precisely, but about the worst I saw was something like a 2-2.5" difference at 25yds. I even found that I could even vary the POI with more or less grip pressure at that same distance, which really had me scratching my head, but I could do it on demand and even showed it to a fellow instructor at work when he was zeroing a new Glock (it happened for him too). It seems (and I stress that) that polymer frame guns are more prone to this. Some ultra high speed video I've seen from work showed Glocks in a Ransom Rest and the dust cover was almost making contact with the barrel, and the guide rod was making contact with the barrel. Obviously, it's a harmonic event, and if you change your grip, you change the harmonics, and a slight change at the front of the frame might be enough to shift the POI higher or lower a little...the front frame rails have to move a little if the dust cover is bending half an inch....just a theory. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Typically when sighting-in from the bench (at 50 feet, the maximum distance possible at the indoor range on which I do most of my shooting), I'll hit about an inch high compared to firing the same gun, with the same ammo, freestyle. This is not a problem, just something I'm aware of. IOW, if I'm hitting one inch high compared to the center of the bull, I consider that good to go. Sighting in at 50 feet, I haven't seen enough difference in POI/POA, either in close, out to 35 yards, or even 50 yards, to make a difference. Coolness, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Once sighted in, a person ought to fire their gun for groups and placement(POI) every 5 yards (out to a distance you can still keep a decent group together). Use a fresh target every 5y. I suggest the gray-scale grid target found here (free): http://www.mytargets.com/ Knowing where your gun hits...priceless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRev1911 Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 I agree with Flex but would expand this to include weak and strong hand. An area I need to work on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broadus123 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I sight my gun in at 25 yards but I practice mainly at 15 yards you must know where your gun shoots head shots are usually up to 15 yards away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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