Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Sight-in distance for red dots


BARRYJ

Recommended Posts

I always try to sight in at 50 yds. Any error at that range is minimal at average ranges shot. 8 min dot bullet hits inside of dot at all ranges. Slight error on a close range sight in is large at the occasional 50 yd target.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched a few videos when I first got into dots. Sage dynamics and the humble marksmen’s seemed to be the most informative.

 

A 25 yard zero is a good all around set up. But for most uspsa matches a 15-18 yard zero will work just fine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Use a ballistics calculator.  I sight all my Open guns at 25 yards.  At 1525fps, POI would be too high at distance if I sighted in closer.  Most of my other guns are sighted in at 25 yards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most will say something between 15-25 yards. I would just zero for the hardest shots your typically see. If you only shoot indoors, then 10-15 will work fine. If you shoot a lot outdoors and your local clubs have larger bays, then 25 yards. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, zzt said:

Use a ballistics calculator.  I sight all my Open guns at 25 yards.  At 1525fps, POI would be too high at distance if I sighted in closer.  Most of my other guns are sighted in at 25 yards.

+ 1. 25-yards is perfect for USPSA/SCSA, ICORE, IDPA, regardless of what gun & load you're using.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/21/2023 at 1:15 PM, GOF said:

+ 1. 25-yards is perfect for USPSA/SCSA, ICORE, IDPA, regardless of what gun & load you're using.  

 

Most people can't shoot groups well enough at 25 yards to zero there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, waktasz said:

 

Most people can't shoot groups well enough at 25 yards to zero there.

 

It is easy for most from a good rest.  Even if it takes more than three shots, you eventually find the center.  Adjust as necessary.  Then fire free style to see if the POI is the same as off a rest.

 

If you have trouble with that, zero at 15.  Make POI 1" under POA and you are good at 25 for a pistol with a dot.  If using irons, 1/2" below POA.

 

I still prefer 25.  All my Open pistols wear frame mounted dots.  If I'm dead on at 25, I'm 1" low at 15.  Very slightly less low with slide mounted dots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, zzt said:

 

It is easy for most from a good rest.  Even if it takes more than three shots, you eventually find the center.  Adjust as necessary.  Then fire free style to see if the POI is the same as off a rest.

 

 

I don't know, I think sometimes we think things are easy because we shoot all the time. I was helping a friend zero his optic a few weeks back. This guy is a NRA pistol instructor, and a CCW instructor. Those are credentials that mean little in competition circles but he's still a better shot then most of his students. 

 

Yet he could not get repeatable results from a rest at 25 yards off the bench. I'd bet there are a lot of C class shooters out there who will still struggle to zero at 25. 

 

I now zero at 25 from a bench. The gun needs to be able to print 5 shot groups into a 2" circle. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The difference between a 15 and 25 zero is almost nothing though. Anything from 15 to 25 should be fine.

I usually tell people I zero at 18.5...meters. Their heads explode. 

It doesn't really matter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, barry said:

What amazes me is the number of shooters ,some quite good who zero their guns, or try to, off hand.

 

I used to. For the longest time I zeroed at about 18 yards off hand on the head box. Then I'd confirm at like 20-25, figuring if I can hold a head box at that distance I can make most anything I'd see in a match.

 

*I picked 18 mainly due to the bay I use and that I can shoot pretty well at that distance didn't hurt. I use 25 from a bench now in part because the benches are 25 from the berm. 

 

I like the bench better even though it's more effort. This way if the gun just sucks I know pretty quick. I recently ditched a gun due to groups it was printing at 25 off a bench. 

Edited by Racinready300ex
Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, barry said:

Well Matt for sure, I know it works for you but many people sight in to their flinch.

 

This^^^^^.  Even if you zero from a rest, you still have to shoot freestyle.  Believe me.  I coach enough people to know POI isn't always the same.  One guy in particular dumps the trigger.  He is going to shoot under no matter what.  He can't seem to cure the problem, so he sights in to compensate for the problem.  Nothing wrong with that.  The idea is to hit what you aim at.

 

How you shoot from a rest also makes a big difference.  For competition shooting, standing with your wrists on a rest is closest to freestyle.  If any part of the gun is on the rest, there will be a difference between the two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, zzt said:

 

This^^^^^.  Even if you zero from a rest, you still have to shoot freestyle.  Believe me.  I coach enough people to know POI isn't always the same.  One guy in particular dumps the trigger.  He is going to shoot under no matter what.  He can't seem to cure the problem, so he sights in to compensate for the problem.  Nothing wrong with that.  The idea is to hit what you aim at.

 

How you shoot from a rest also makes a big difference.  For competition shooting, standing with your wrists on a rest is closest to freestyle.  If any part of the gun is on the rest, there will be a difference between the two.

Excellent advice! Dead on the money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
On 8/23/2023 at 1:56 PM, zzt said:

 

This^^^^^.  Even if you zero from a rest, you still have to shoot freestyle.  Believe me.  I coach enough people to know POI isn't always the same.  One guy in particular dumps the trigger.  He is going to shoot under no matter what.  He can't seem to cure the problem, so he sights in to compensate for the problem.  Nothing wrong with that.  The idea is to hit what you aim at.

 

How you shoot from a rest also makes a big difference.  For competition shooting, standing with your wrists on a rest is closest to freestyle.  If any part of the gun is on the rest, there will be a difference between the two.

Yep, if they gun touches anything other than your hands, POI will be slightly different than when you shoot off hand

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...