Here is the reason i am making this thread:
I am having a hard time deciding to what distance i want to zero in my stock iron sights (to then help zero in my red-dot). Since I dont hunt (nothing against it, just not my thing) and add in the fact that I live in a pretty populated residential area (multiple neighboring homes less than 100' away on either side), so i wont ever need to defend a large farm-like property from a distance. so it leaves me with the idea to sight in this rifle for a home defense distance; basically like a pistol would be.
any other hints, tips, advice, warnings - please feel free.


1. To What Distance Did You Zero In Your Iron / Back Up Sights Too?

2. Whats your reason for this distance?

• Hunting Small Game (within 25yards)
• Hunting Small Game (25 - 50 yards)
• Home Defense (or to mimic my home defense AR)
• Long Distance Shooting (or practice of)
• other (please explain)
  

25 yards. Target shooting from 15-50 yards.

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Cliff

50 yards, mimics my work gun.

Iron sights, which I seldom use - 25 yards.

Scope, 50 yards.

50 yards. Gives a flatter trajectory over the ranges I think I would be using for the most part.

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Frosty
S&WCA # 2816

thank you everyone for your input. great advice from all.

question, when you say you want it to mimic your work rifle, does that mean you use the 15-22 for high risk entry style of practice?

50 feet for MBUS flip up, 100 feet with AO scope. Like to make small holes in paper at the indoor range.

I zero at 50 yards for this reason too.

No, when we train at work we use our Colt AR15s. I sight my 1522 in for the same yardage so when I shoot on my own I have the same sight offset. I have made my 1522 as similar to my work gun as possible.

My MBUS's are zeroed at 50 yrds. So is my 1-4x scope . If I was using a red dot I think I would have it zeroed at 25 yds, but my flip ups would still be at 50.

I zeroed my mbus at 50 yards, using my mbus I had my holo sight zeroed in 3 rounds. I'm good to go with good groupings from 25-100 yards with both! I'm mainly using mine as a plinker and home defense

zeroing in at that distance, you are not worried about the shots being so off, at close range, when used a some home defense rifle?

when i use a laser bore sighter, my current "zero" is dead on at 10-15yards - but at 5 or less, it starts dropping by 1-2 inches or more.

At close range you'll always be between -2.5" at the muzzle and 0" at your zero range, whatever that may be. If you sight in at 10 ft. you will always shoot below the aim point up to 10 ft. At 50 yards on that same zero, you might be 3"-4" high.

I personally zero irons at 25 yards with high velocity rounds. This puts me about an inch high at 50 yards and then back to the zero point around 75-80 yards. I'm about 2.5" low at 100. That's simple enough for me to remember and make accurate hits at anything up to 100 yards.

My suggestion is to download a free ballistics software and play around with zero ranges and see what that does to your impacts at various other distances. This will help YOU decide what works for you without spending needless amounts of time and ammo. Select a zero range and test it out in the real world. What works for someone else on this forum may not necessarily be what you WANT.

great post.

any link/name to this ballistic software?

Just search for "free ballistic calculator" or "free ballistic software." Nikon and Winchester also have great ballistic calculators on their websites.

The one I have is very generic and runs off Excel. It works, but these days you can find better stuff.

If you're an Iphone kinda guy, there are a couple of apps.

I went to the range today to confirm zero for my iron sights and my cheap red dot.

I zeroed the irons (mbus front sight, factory rear sight) by setting the rear sight at 6/3, and then I adjusted the front sight until it was on. I zeroed at 50 yards. I found that when shooting at 20 yards, if I adjust the rear sight drum to "4" then it is hitting dead center of my target. So when I shoot at 50 yards I set the rear sight drum at 6/3, and when shooting at 20 yards (my indoor range) I set the rear sight drum at "4".

For my red dot, I zeroed at 50 yards and made a mark on the elevation adjustment. I then zeroed at 20 yards and made another mark on the elevation adjustment. That way, depending on what range I am shooting at I set my elevation accordingly.

I admit that I got fussy with this, but I had fun doing it.

I zeroed my M4 at a distance of 50 yards. Both the irons and the Eotech. The reason I did this is simple - from about the end of the muzzle out to 250 yards, the M193 projectile travels relatively flat and will never vary from about 2-inches above or below line-of-sight. All I run through mine is M193 ammunition. I don't really have a need for taking a shot beyond 250 yards. Should I have to though, say out to 350 yards, I'll just use the reticle in my Eotech to compensate.

My carbine is set up with a Matech BUIS and a YHM, fold-down front and an Eotech XPS2-0.

I don't (and cannot) hunt with my M4 here in Pennsylvania. Mine is relegated for use as a range gun with the primary and express purpose of being a SHTF carbine.

I find this an acceptable solution and a simple one.

'Hope this helps you out.

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JWS3
1SG, USA (Retired)

My flip-up MBUS sights (front & rear) I set at 50 yards.

My 3-9X scope is sighted for 100 yards.

Just because.....

50 yards on an AR and 25 yards on a .22.

Zeroed all sights at 50 yards.

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True, or about 1/2" at 100 yards. At 20 yards it would be 1/5 of 1/2" or 1/10" difference per click at 20 yards.

When I shot it at 20 yards with the rear drum at 4 it was dead nuts on.

Smart move, having similar 'feel' going from one rifle to the other is the best way to build consistency and proficiency.

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Maker of The TALON Video Mount

Back in 1967 they handed me an M16A1, ran me out to the makeshift range at the sandpit by the Song Bo river and told me to take a primary zero at 50-meters. Then they said I should also note the zero at 25-meters and also at 100-meters. Since all my stateside training had been on the M-14 and 100-meters was almost considered "CQB" on that thing, I asked why the 25 and 50-meter zeroes were needed and was told that in our AO the incidence of targets farther than 50-meters was infinitesimal and that 50 might be too much. I have zeroed my 15-22 iron-sights at 25-yards (the limit of my local indoor range) and will set my red-dot up for 50-yards when I get it on an outdoor range. For the scope I imagine I'll do 100-yards just because I can. I don't consider my 15-22 for home defense anymore, I have Mossy 500 12-gauge in tactical dress and two .45 ACP 1911's for that duty should it ever arise. The 15-22 is purely recreational, just like the Henry that sits in the safe next to it.

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Vide - Aude - Tace

by this you mean inside your home, with neighbors less than 100' away? not sure if I'd pick a rifle at all, any miss could be bad regardless of where you zero it, and it would be hard to maneuver in tight spaces. with 56 y/o eyes and specs I now zero open sighted rifles at 50 yd's (formerly 100), open sighted larger/hunting handguns to 25 yards (formerly 50) and sd guns at 10 yards, but doubt I'd have time to use the sights, and practice point shooting with both hands and eyes. the wife and I have a rehearsed plan. she is in the bath tub with the cell phone to 911, I am crouching in the bathroom doorway (hiding like a little girl), the big mag light is on the bureau app 10-15' away from me, which lights up the bedroom door (which is always closed for fire/smoke reasons) and the only warning they MAY get is "leave the police have been called" and anything that enters the bedroom doesn't stand much of a chance. if they do manage to get a shot off it will likely be at the flashlight. if I had kids in the house it would be different. but there is nothing in the house that isn't insured or worth getting shot for. that's the plan, I don't always stick to it.

My Magpul sights are sighted in at 50 yards--used for hunting aluminium cans at 7 yards-100 yards and occasionally punching holes in paper.

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Sappers Lead The Way