Sight in distance for IDPA

[JANIJ00]

I plan on replacing the original sights on my Commander to a Dawson FO front and a Heinie Slant Pro rear. Is there a recommended sight in distance for IDPA? If so that may determine the height of my front sight which was suggested as .160 by Dawson.

[Merlin Orr]

IMO sight in distance will very seldom be a factor in IDPA. In my experience shots over 15 yards are rare and 25 yards very rare. You may have an occasional shot at longer distances but ..... don't lose sleep over that occurring.

I "think" I usually check mine at around 7 yards...

[JD45]

You could go with dead-on at 15yds. and be just fine. I've always liked a 50yd. zero for both sports with a .45 .

If you can hit the exact center of the head box at 10yds. with ease, that should have IDPA covered.

[mikegot38]

I sight in my ESP 1911 at 25 yards. It is a .38 super comp shooting about a 150 PF. I sight in my CDP 1911 at 20 yards. I find that the ocassion 35 yard shots are easier with the gun sighted at 25 yards as there is no drop.m I must hold a littel high with the 45 at 20 yards.

[Duane Thomas]

Be aware that exactly where your gun/load hits re elevation is very dependent on how that gun, with that load, recoils in your hands. There's no way for someone over the phone, or the Internet, to sort of magically say, "Yes, you need an X height front sight and that'll zero you in."

While the folks on this forum may well share their experiences with you, of what height front sight has allowed them to zero their gun, with their load, in their hands, that really has nothing to do with what will work for you. Because you're not them. Not only are you - in all probability - firing a different gun, with a different load, you have a different body: a different muscular system, a different skeletal system, a different nervous system. Recoil energy is going to travel through your body, and the gun is going to move in your hands, in a fashion quite possibly very different from the people telling you what worked for them. You're actually going to have to go out to the range, see where your gun hits in your hands - and then quite possibly buy a higher or lower front sight to get the gun zeroed.

The classic sight-in distance is 25 yards. I sight-in at 50 feet, mostly because that's the maximum distance possible at the indoor range on which I do most of my practice, and with both .45s and 9mms that has put me spot-on from point blank all the way out to the occasional shots at 35 or even 50 yards at matches and classes. But that's just what works for me.

[Ted Murphy]

I sight in at 25 yards and make sure i know where it hits at 50. It might not be necessary for IDPA but it is a confidence builder and a plus if you get put under the gun and have to

engage partial targets or one covered by a NT at distance.

Max range in IDPA us 35 yards, so it pays to know where you hit at that distance too.

Plus, if you ever decide to try a NRA action pistol match or USPSA match youre gun will be good to go for the longer distances.

Lastly, practicing at 15 and 25 yards instead of the closer distances will make you a heck of a better IDPA shooter (practice weak hand at 15 and a 7yd shot is CAKE) and is how I got bumped to MA this year.

[Boats]

Shot that cost you the most "downs" in matches is the head shot, I always sight on Heads at the IDPA classifer head distance, 7 yards. Some clubs may ask for a head shot longer but not many. Then sight again at 10 yards body shots, Next I group the gun at 20 yards body shots just like on the classifier. This to see were it prints not to make sight adjustments. I finish with body shots at 35 yards. My notebook gives center of impact detail at 7 10 20 & 35. sights are set for 7. Clubs I shoot 90% of the shots are 7 & 10 but I don't want to miss the 20's either.

Way I sight and adjust is from freestyle position on the actual target. Take a large group say 10 shots, throw out any wild shots or flyers. Then using a framing square box in the bulk of bullet holes 80 % is the often quoted number of shots, drawing a square with a pencil. Then put a X through the corners of the box. Center of the X is center of your impact. Adjustments should be made from that point.

It's a shotgun pattern you are centering not a pin point. Center of impact held in a rest postion or on a bullseye target is not the same as shots fired in a match. Carried this method over from Rifle Silouette. It's a good way to center up offhand rifle or freestyle handgun groups.

Boats

Edited November 5, 2010 by Boats

[CRDB]

JANIJOO,

Measure the sights on your gun, if it shoots were you want it to,order sights the same height.

Is your gun a .45acp, 9mm, .40 ? this can change things a little, at 10 yards aim at the minus zero mark in the circle of an IDPA target, if you can hit the mark or very close to it with a mag full you should be good to go.

[GForceLizard]

There was an artice in Front Sight (USPSA magazine) where IIRC it suggested that your best distance is usually to sight in at 20 yards. It showed the bullet rise and fall from a ballistics program.

[Merlin Orr]

Shot that cost you the most "downs" in matches is the head shot, I always sight on Heads at the IDPA classifer head distance, 7 yards. Some clubs may ask for a head shot longer but not many. Then sight again at 10 yards body shots, Next I group the gun at 20 yards body shots just like on the classifier. This to see were it prints not to make sight adjustments. I finish with body shots at 35 yards. My notebook gives center of impact detail at 7 10 20 & 35. sights are set for 7. Clubs I shoot 90% of the shots are 7 & 10 but I don't want to miss the 20's either.

Way I sight and adjust is from freestyle position on the actual target. Take a large group say 10 shots, throw out any wild shots or flyers. Then using a framing square box in the bulk of bullet holes 80 % is the often quoted number of shots, drawing a square with a pencil. Then put a X through the corners of the box. Center of the X is center of your impact. Adjustments should be made from that point.

It's a shotgun pattern you are centering not a pin point. Center of impact held in a rest postion or on a bullseye target is not the same as shots fired in a match. Carried this method over from Rifle Silouette. It's a good way to center up offhand rifle or freestyle handgun groups.

Boats

[mark carr]

One of the top shooters had an article on sighting in a IPSC gun way back in the day he would sight in at 20yds and get elevation perfect then shoot at 50yds to get windage perfect then double check impact at 3 7 10 15 25 35 50 and I have stuck with that ever since and its worked pretty good all around, Mark,

[EmanP]

Duane pretty much covered it. I sight in at 25 as well and confirm at 50 later. I also confirm zero with my carry loads and then hope that my reloads hit pretty close to the same. Otherwise I have to think about my load and it's POI during matches. Sometime those reloads are tailored to that specific gun to try to match them up closer.