Red dot "Sighting in"

[Dueeast]

OK group, Which is better?

1. Sight in optic to coincide with iron sights. (Like with a bore sighter)

2. Sight in optic by firing actual ammo, and adjust sight to the shooters grouping


And why?

 

[cololab]

I do both. Bore sighting gets you close. Live firing is the "fine tuning" of your zero.

 

[Krogen]

Actual firing, for sure. Depending on the red dot, you can have parallax error at certain distances. Of course "they" say you can shoot with the dot placed anywhere in the window, but that isn't always true.

I speak from experience with Ultradots on Bullseye guns. All you need to do is place the gun on a solid sandbag rest. Don't touch the gun, but bob your head around so the dot's in different places inside the window. You'll see it move around to different places on your target, but the gun isn't moving. That will be the error on your target. It depends on the sight and the distance, and can be minor or very significant. Don't believe the "anywhere in the window" story.

Long winded, I am. But, this is why simply aligning the red dot with your sights may not work so well for you!

 

[MikeNV]

I would add, when you get to the range, your gun should be supported or fixed to eliminate as many human variables as possible (mainly hand and trigger control). Use weighted bags or, my choice, a shooting tripod to hold the barrel when slowly squeezing a shot. The average gun should produce tight groups.

It won't take hundreds of rounds to zero your optic. Shoot a group (3-5 rounds), adjust, repeat. When you have a supported group in the center of the target, your done.

Remove the supports and have fun.

 

[Leonard]

I used laser ammo to site in indoors at home, with it I determined I needed a shim. That got me really close and did final tweak at range. But this saved a lot of time due to needing a shim.

 

[Rodan]

I generally put the slide in a vise and do a rough adjustment to aligned sights. This will get you in the ballpark to do the final zero at the range. I recommend shooting supported to minimize human error and zero at 15-25 yards for a defensive gun.

Most top tier optics that are designed for use on a defensive/duty gun are zero parallax. Can't speak for 'bargain' brands.

 

[GnarlsR2]

OK group, Which is better?

1. Sight in optic to coincide with iron sights. (Like with a bore sighter)

2. Sight in optic by firing actual ammo, and adjust sight to the shooters grouping


And why?

What firearm are you sighting in?

 

[shovelhead]

I use a laser boresighter and stack dot on dot initially. Then to the range.

 

[Saudade]

Kinda, sorta, in a way, I do both.

After mounting the optic, I use the iron sights to get a good sight pic and if the dot is on, or even close, to the front sight dot, it's good enough. I don't really make any adjustments unless it's way off. Then off to the range to verify and adjust as needed.

Bear in mind the irons and the optic don't need to have the same zero.

As others have said, use something to support yourself while you make adjustments. Any "wandering" of the front sight becomes more evident using an optic.

 

[dajogejr]

I use a laser boresighter and stack dot on dot initially. Then to the range.

This is the way…
Once it's bore sighted, if you can co-witness, it should be very close if not dead on.

I would also add, if you're gonna laser bullet sight in a red dot…give yourself some distance… not just a few feet.

 

[45Smashemflat]

Just a tip. Assuming your irons and dot are zeroed to the same range, it adds a good step to your "daily checks." Before gunning up for the day, sight your pistol in a safe direction and line up the irons. Your dot should appear aligned with your irons. Did it move? Does it show up at all? Take action now if there are issues. (My other checks are magazine full and a press-check for loaded chamber. All good? Holster up.)

You do your daily checks, don't you?

 

[M1A4ME]

I generally put the slide in a vise and do a rough adjustment to aligned sights. This will get you in the ballpark to do the final zero at the range. I recommend shooting supported to minimize human error and zero at 15-25 yards for a defensive gun.

Most top tier optics that are designed for use on a defensive/duty gun are zero parallax. Can't speak for 'bargain' brands.

Pretty close to what I do. I just adjust the dot so it's above the top of the front sight by a little bit.

Once I get to the range I usually only have to make a vertical adjustment to get it right.

 

[stavey]

I use a ransom rest . Fire a round then adjust the dot to the hole in the target. Fire again to confirm. Done.

 

[gwpercle]

Option #2
There is no real substitute for actually shooting the gun when sighting in .
There are a lot of variables to the human eye , opticals, ammunition and iron sights .
Bore sighting can get you close ... but here in Louisiana we say ...
Choot 'Em ... make sure they hit where dey Lookin !
Gary

 

[shovelhead]

Well as a addendum to my optic sighting in, I received a complement from a co-worker Sunday. He's wanted to shoot a Sig Fuse.

I've Had one since December and was on the fence about an optic. So a week or so ago I got a Holosun 407K in green, mounted it and a quick zeroing in with the Bushnell boresighter in the basement ready to go.

He was impressed how close it was especially since I hadn't test fired it since the optic was mounted, just set up with the boresighter. I guess I'll get to the range this week to try it myself, to me it was dead on, the green covered the red totally.

 

[GnarlsR2]

Like so much of the huge number of firearm and ammo discussions, the process to sight in a red dot on a pistol or rifle is way overblown.

I've sighted in 2 red dots and 3 lasers on 6 firearms.

I use a $23 laser bore sight. It takes less than 30 minutes to stick it in the barrel of the gun and adjust the red dot to the bore sight laser on the interior wall of my house.

It has been extremely accurate. The next step is taking the gun to range and test it at the desired distances for final tune and accurizing. On a bench with a rifle stand or pistol stand, after 15 rounds, and less than 30 minutes, the red dot can be set to exactly where I want it.

It's that's simple.

 

[Oldsalt66]

Actual firing, for sure. Depending on the red dot, you can have parallax error at certain distances. Of course "they" say you can shoot with the dot placed anywhere in the window, but that isn't always true.

I speak from experience with Ultradots on Bullseye guns. All you need to do is place the gun on a solid sandbag rest. Don't touch the gun, but bob your head around so the dot's in different places inside the window. You'll see it move around to different places on your target, but the gun isn't moving. That will be the error on your target. It depends on the sight and the distance, and can be minor or very significant. Don't believe the "anywhere in the window" story.

Long winded, I am. But, this is why simply aligning the red dot with your sights may not work so well for you!

The "anywhere in the window story" requires that the red dot sight has absolutely no parallax error, which, unlike holographic laser defraction sights such as the Eotech, every single red dot sight is subject to.

 

[Rodan]

The "anywhere in the window story" requires that the red dot sight has absolutely no parallax error, which, unlike holographic laser defraction sights such as the Eotech, every single red dot sight is subject to.

They may be "subject to" parallax error in theory, but in practice it's a non issue with just about any duty worthy handgun red dot at realistic handgun distances.

We actually had students 'move the dot' to the corners as part of our red dot transition training to demonstrate this. Trijicon, Holosun, Aimpoint, etc.... no issues.

 

[Cphobes]

Like so much of the huge number of firearm and ammo discussions, the process to sight in a red dot on a pistol or rifle is way overblown.

I've sighted in 2 red dots and 3 lasers on 6 firearms.

I use a $23 laser bore sight. It takes less than 30 minutes to stick it in the barrel of the gun and adjust the red dot to the bore sight laser on the interior wall of my house.

It has been extremely accurate. The next step is taking the gun to range and test it at the desired distances for final tune and accurizing. On a bench with a rifle stand or pistol stand, after 15 rounds, and less than 30 minutes, the red dot can be set to exactly where I want it.

It's that's simple.

+1 on this!

Pretty much what I've come to after much trial and error. The laser bore sighter off amazon gets you nearly there. Trouble is you don't want to chase your dot all day long. Understand the distance, shooters accuracy and other factors it won't be a tack driver.

 

[GnarlsR2]

+1 on this!

Pretty much what I've come to after much trial and error. The laser bore sighter off amazon gets you nearly there. Trouble is you don't want to chase your dot all day long. Understand the distance, shooters accuracy and other factors it won't be a tack driver.

I have 3 laser sighters, this one is the best one so far.

https://a.co/d/5Ippy1C