Gunsmith Question Never Heard Before

[JimmyZip]

So...

 

Took a budget RIA 1911A2 to a local gunsmith for a set of sights. Showed him the sights on my production guns. Sevigny and Trijicon. I tell him that either type is acceptable. Then he asked me what distance I wanted my zero to be. 
I shoot poa-poi for the most part inside of 25yds. I don’t start to compensate for drop until I get out to past this distance and I practice on a-zone size steel from 7-25 yards almost daily and aim center mass out to that distance and get easy center hits.

Mind you that’s with a G17 and G34 with reloads 135grBBI over 4.3gr SOLO 1000 that seem pretty accurate and soft shooting.

So I’m curious. I used to shoot a CZ TS in .40 S&W and before that a Browning HiPower. Now I run Glocks and I’ve never had accuracy issues with 9mm or 40S&W. When I was younger I started IPSC with a revolver and even then I had no accuracy issues and holding over inside 25 yards.

I have had numerous pistols resighted and have never been unhappy with the work done installing a sight on my pistols. I also have never been asked at what distance I would like my pistol zeroed.

Is this something I should be noting? Is this different from shooter to shooter?

[Maximis228]

It all depends on what you want to do with it. Most people never shoot out to 25 yards with a pistol ever. So why zero the pistol there...

[jwhittin]

You should know or at least be aware.  It does depend on what the gun is being used for but not the make or model.  Look at the bullet trajectory which is determined by the bullet time-of-flight (how long gravity has to act on the bullet) and the mass.  Take a look at a bullet trajectory calculator and you can get a better feel for the bullet path versus the POA at various distances.  JBM is a good one as is shooterscalculator. 

Edited August 11, 2020 by jwhittin

[Jim Watson]

25 is fine.

Service pistol trajectory is trivial to 25 and not as much as most people think to 50, if zeroed there.

If you are having to "hold over" at such distances, you are yanking and flinching.  

[JimmyZip]

I told him to match the stock sights as far as difference between heights front to rear. Out of the box, running factory ball, I can make a 4” group at 25 with the pistol, but those gi sights at speed will cause me issues and I want to run this chunky boy in L10. 
My eyes are old and tired, but I don’t seem to have glaring trigger control issues. I do shoot sa triggers better than glocks, but for some reason I am faster on the clock with the glocks than any sa platform I have competed with. Maybe it comes from revo beginnings, idk.

I sent him the link for a Trijicon set that has a thinner front blade that were on the G17 I got here and am very happy with.

Eager to see the new sights. Just got another rig, a caliber change/tool head/powder dispenser set up. Going to wear it out and get another. For some reason I really liked it in drills. 
Chunky

[Ollies930]

If you sight at 30' then you will be sighted at 25 yards as well, or really close to it. Try this shooters calculator, it will give you a pretty good idea.

 

http://www.shooterscalculator.com/ballistic-trajectory-chart.php?t=1902169b

[shred]

If you sight in at some distance, your shots are never above that line out to that distance (ignoring 'second crossing and such trivia).  Some people prefer that over 'low to here, high to there' thinking.

 

[Prange]

You may also try a .125 wide front and a .140-.155 wide rear notch.

 

The wider front is easier to see and the wide notch in the rear will give you enough light.

[PhotoRecon]

I zero at 20 yards as we shoot Bianchi plates at 10, 15, 20 and 25 yards. Works well.

[mpolans]

He might have been asking to make sure your front sight height was correct.

[38super]

Outer Limits has a plate at 40yds, Speed Option 35yds.

[BJB]

Both are 35 yds max.

[SteelCityShooter]

On 8/11/2020 at 3:57 PM, Maximis228 said:

It all depends on what you want to do with it. Most people never shoot out to 25 yards with a pistol ever. So why zero the pistol there...

As mentioned above, Steel Challenge has two stages with a 35 yard target and PPC matches require shooting at 50 yards. 

[Absocold]

National Match pistol bullseye goes out to 50 yards. On a 9mm it's no biggie but on .45ACP, it matters.

[Prange]

7 hours ago, Absocold said:

National Match pistol bullseye goes out to 50 yards. On a 9mm it's no biggie but on .45ACP, it matters.

Using Fed GMM which is 775fps, it's about 1" to 1-1/2" drop from 50yds to 25 yds.

[belus]

On 8/11/2020 at 4:42 PM, Jim Watson said:

25 is fine.

Service pistol trajectory is trivial to 25 and not as much as most people think to 50, if zeroed there.

If you are having to "hold over" at such distances, you are yanking and flinching.  

I agree with this.

 

10yd and 25yd are often the same zero on pistols. In south Texas I've never seen paper beyond 35yds or so. Poppers are sometimes set out at ~70yds, but they're big and tall.

[lefty o]

if he is serious, the question should be, what distance, and what ammo.

[GOF]

On 8/11/2020 at 3:53 PM, JimmyZip said:

So...

 

Took a budget RIA 1911A2 to a local gunsmith for a set of sights. Showed him the sights on my production guns. Sevigny and Trijicon. I tell him that either type is acceptable. Then he asked me what distance I wanted my zero to be. 
I shoot poa-poi for the most part inside of 25yds. I don’t start to compensate for drop until I get out to past this distance and I practice on a-zone size steel from 7-25 yards almost daily and aim center mass out to that distance and get easy center hits.

Mind you that’s with a G17 and G34 with reloads 135grBBI over 4.3gr SOLO 1000 that seem pretty accurate and soft shooting.

So I’m curious. I used to shoot a CZ TS in .40 S&W and before that a Browning HiPower. Now I run Glocks and I’ve never had accuracy issues with 9mm or 40S&W. When I was younger I started IPSC with a revolver and even then I had no accuracy issues and holding over inside 25 yards.

I have had numerous pistols resighted and have never been unhappy with the work done installing a sight on my pistols. I also have never been asked at what distance I would like my pistol zeroed.

Is this something I should be noting? Is this different from shooter to shooter?

I can't imagine a 'gunsmith' asking that question and expecting to be 'on the money' without knowing the intended load, or the shooter. Loads will vary, and two different shooters can pick up the same gun & load and shoot to different POI. I suspect the smith was "going by the book" to pick the proper front height sight for a standard load in that caliber. That doesn't mean your load will be on for you. A Swiss file and a drift punch are your friend when it comes to zeroing fixed sights for you & your load. 25-yards is a good place to zero because it won't hurt you at any range found in USPSA/IPSC/IDPA/Steel Challenge/ICORE.