How To Adjust Sights on 15-22?

[Bedrockk]

Recently got a 15-22 & she seems to be shooting high. I have the folding sights that came on the MOE configuration.

My question is: where/how do I begin to adjust the sights? Do you start w/ the front or rest sight? Any pointers for a newb on how to address this? I had asked an employee at the range for a bit of guidance &, before he blew me off completely, asked me what range I was shooting - will the sights differ depending on how far I'm trying to shoot?

 

[ragingyeti]

Yes, your sights will differ depending on how far you are trying to shoot. Because the sights are above the bore line of your barrel, the rear sight is just slightly higher than your front sight. This will mean that the barrel is angled slightly upward when you shoot. Therefor, the bullet is actually traveling upwards, will cross the line of your sights, will even out, then travel back down past your sights again. This means that if you sight in your rifle at a certain distance, such as 50 yds, anything closer than that will be shooting low, it will be dead on at 50 yards, and then high from 50 yards to another certain distance (which would change depending on round size and firearm) and then low after that.

Here is a diagram of what I am talking about:

So just pick the distance you shoot at most often, and adjust them to that distance.

As far as actually adjusting them, the rear sight is for windage (left/right) adjustment and the front sight is for elevation (up/down) adjustments. In order to adjust the front sight, usually a tool is required, such as this one: link

Rotating the front sight post clockwise will raise the post, and LOWER your point of impact.

I hope all of that made sense. Good luck and happy shooting

 

[AR-Getsome]

There is a front sight adjustment tool in the bag which also contains the lock. The rear only has windage adjustment. The stock rear sight has windage and elevation. Sighting the rifle depends on how you have your sights aligned aiming at the target for POI. Also distance also matters. How far are you shooting at your target? It might be sighted to hit targets say 50 yards.I'm sure someone else here will be able to provide more input and pics of sight alignment. For the MOE sight you will have to adjust the front sight post.

 

[Bedrockk]

There is a front sight adjustment tool in the bag which also contains the lock.

Cheers for the feedback!

I was about to gripe that I didn't think I had gotten the mbus tool w/ my 15-22, then reread the fantastically specific response & there it was!

 

[Zax]

The responses so far are excellent, and it looks like you're all set. Just two additional comments (and perhaps obvious).

Use a gun rest or bags to eliminate as much 'human error' as possible.

If you are unfamiliar with the MBUS style 'ghost' sights you may want to double check that too. I only say this because the sights are usually pretty close out of the box, but of course it will depend on your distance as already mentioned.

 

[Bedrockk]

If you are unfamiliar with the MBUS style 'ghost' sights you may want to double check that too.

Huh? No, I'm not familiar w/ mbus sights (I'm still an all-around firearms newb [only got my first firearm just a month ago]). What are ghost sights?

 

[Hohopelli]

He's referring to the sights you have and the aiming considerations for the peep or aperture style rear sight. Take a look at this.. Ron

Trigger squeeze, Sight picture, and breathing - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kavu1rOQCcs&feature=related

 

[Bedrockk]

He's referring to the sights you have and the aiming considerations for the peep or aperture style rear sight. Take a look at this.. Ron

Trigger squeeze, Sight picture, and breathing - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kavu1rOQCcs&feature=related

Cheers for the link! That first one in particular answered a bunch of stuff for me (I found that second one last night )

Since none of my friends are into firearms everything I've learned has been YouTube/Forum-based self-taught. These threads have been invaluable as I learn-as-I-go.

 

[p51mstg]

I don't mean to muddy the waters, but I spent what I thought was an excessive amount of money (50 smackers) for a laser boresighter. I got this one:

Cabela's Laser Boresighter


Since then, I haven't wasted more than about 10 shots sighting in any new gun.

What I do is wait until about dusk, so that I can see the laser at a given distance and still see the markings on my sights. I safety-check the gun and then put the boresighter in the muzzle end of teh barrel and get it snugged in firmly (any wobble will mess up the settings, and I do mean ANY).

I set up a board or pace off a tree that's about at the distance I'll be shooting. I'm not too picky - all I care is that I get in the ballpark.

I rest the gun on a picnic table or something solid. When I sighted in a new pistol last spring, I wrapped the handle with a towel and put it in a portable bench vise.

Then, I just adjusted the sights until I was aiming directly at the laser dot. Because I have the luxury of a big yard, I don't worry about factoring in the offset of the sights and the actual path of the bullet - I sight in at the distance I'm shooting, and it's as simple as that.

I still don't like how expensive they are, but that stupid little gadget has saved me at least that much in ammo!

 

[Hohopelli]

I also use a laser boresighter for initial setup, but I don't have one for the rimfire. Typically I'll just boresight them across the living room.. As long as you are "on paper" you're good to go. Just start as close as you have to to get it on paper and then move the target out.. Cheers.. Ron

 

[Majorlk]

Another way, and this really does require a solid rest, is to shoot a single round at the target, then adjust the scope so the reticle is centered on the hole, where ever it may be on the target. It seldom takes me more that three shots to sight in any rifle/scope combination this way.

This is essentially the same as using the laser boresighter, without buying a boresighter.

 

[rraisley]

This is essentially the same as using the laser boresighter, without buying a boresighter.

It's actually much better, and takes into account bullet drop, etc. As you say, however, it does require a solid rest/clamp so that the gun does not move.

 

[hkyplr]

Does a laser bore sighter work with a flash hider?

 

[Kayback]

Yes.

I don't know of any .22 case laser boresighters.

All the others ones I have see have a long taper that fits into the barrel, and many are designed to work with the AR-15 and other rifles with flash hiders. You might have to spring for a .22 - 50 cal one instead of a .17-.22 set, but they will work with flash hiders, the main "fitting" is the parts out put on the "tail" to center it in the bore. The flash hider just stops the taper before it stops at the barrel. What's that 1/4"?

LASER BORE SIGHTER - Brownells

For example will work with any .22 with a 3" or longer barrel...

KBK

 

[Hohopelli]

Lasers typically don't work very well outdoors in daytime anyhow. The beam is also too big at distance. Twenty-five yards indoors is the best mine will do, than just shoot once at distance and click it in.. Ron

 

[Kayback]

Since none of my friends are into firearms everything I've learned has been YouTube/Forum-based self-taught. These threads have been invaluable as I learn-as-I-go.

Hey don't worry about being a noob. I've been shooting since 1998 and I learnt just the other day that on a pistol front sight with a dot you don't align the dot with the top of the rear sights, it is still the top of the front sight.

Now most of my sights were "black on black" but I did have a dot front night sight on my 1911, and I couldn't understand why my groups went off when I got the new sight. Since I learnt that my groups are back exactly where they should be.

No one knows everything.

KBK

 

[Zax]

No one knows everything.

Very true, however, the collective 'one' of the forum probably knows everything there is to know related to the 15-22. So at least you are likely to find answers to your questions.

I wouldn't bother with a bore sighter on a 22, the method Majorlk suggested works quickly and is very accurate. I can usually get sighted it within 3 rounds unless it's a long way off to start with.

They do make case lasers for 22 but they have trailing leads out to a battery pack and tend not to be very reliable.

 

[Majorlk]

Does a laser bore sighter work with a flash hider?

Yes, as long as you can get it straight into the end of the barrel.

 

[deallad]

with the 15-22 if you zero at 25 yards you will be 1.5 inch high at 50 yards an bang on at 75 yards and 3.8 inch low at 100 yards using aguilla 40 grn copper solid hv ammo