Handgun Zeroing Technique

[dsb45acp]

I've done a search on this and found the distances that people zero their gun at, but not the method of manipulation. Do you use a Ransom rest, sand bags or free stlye hold? How exactly do you adjust the sights (Bomars) ? How many "clicks" at a time? I assume that you would use your "match" ammo. Thanks in advance for all the help.

[HSMITH]

Well, here is what I do.

I definately use my match ammo. I shoot from a rest, sandbags or rangebag or whatever I can use. I get it dialed in pretty much dead on at 15 yards. I want the bullet hole to appear on top of the front sight, but still touching the front sight. You can't see the bullet hole appear, but you know where you were holding so you know where the hole is in reference to where your sights were.

Once I get that dialed in the rest goes away and does not come back. I shoot the gun at 15 yards again freestyle, I can shoot well enough that 15 yards isn't too far. If you can't put 10 rounds into one big hole at 15 yards bring the target in to where you can. You are looking for the center of the hole to be where you are holding, allowing for your error to be up, down and side to side. The center of the hole you make with 10-20 rounds is where you will likely hit on a very good shot. Rather than adjust your sights if point of impact is different look for the cause of it being different from a rested shot.

Then I shoot some at 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 yards to see where it hits. This really isn't necessary, but it is good to do so you will KNOW where your gun hits at all distances. Some 50 yard work is good too if you shoot well enough to learn from it. No foul if you can't shoot that well, from what I see at club matches less than 10% of the shooters in attendance can hold the C zone at 50 yards and very few can call an alpha.

It works for me, hope it helps.

[Loves2Shoot]

If you sight in off a rest you will not be sighted in for freestyle, so the above post is a good way to do it.

[blackdragon]

I have always sighted my pistols from a rest. I don't want to second guess my equipment. Then I learned to shoot where the pistol is sighted to.

Ivan

[kevin c]

I think you can summarize it this way:

A Ransom Rest group will tell fairly well how accurate your gun is, but won't zero it for other use.

Sandbag/rested group shooting will tell you fairly well how accurately you can shoot, but may not zero the gun for other use.

Group shooting with the hold/stance/distance that you are planning to use the gun for will tell you how accurate you and the gun are for its intended use, and will have the most appropriate zero.

Edited March 3, 2006 by kevin c