These days AR-15s are a popular choice for home defense weapons, and even for game hunting. When using your rifle for hunting, you will need to be able to shoot at a greater distance than the vast majority of defensive scenarios. And if your next meal is riding on your shot, you will want to hit exactly what you are aiming at.
What is zeroing?
Zeroing a rifle is basically getting the sights of the rifle (or additional optics) to align on the point that the rifle is shooting. This is your “zero”. Once your rifle is set to zero you can then adjust your sights to account for distance and windage.
How to zero
You will need to start 36 yards from your target. (The reason for this has to do with the arching path a bullet takes).
It will help you greatly if your target has a marked grid of 1-inch squares. From 36 yards, get in the most stable position available to you, either in the prone position with a sling for better dynamic tension, or at a table with a bag to rest the rifle on.
Take 3 well-aimed shots, 1 at a time. Then examine your target and adjust your sights accordingly (always start with the rear sights and leave the front sights as flush as possible). If your shots are too high, lower the sights, if they are too far the left, move the sights to the right, and so on. If your shots are spread up and down, work on firing when you have exhaled completely, at your respiratory pause.
If your shots are spread left and right, work on squeezing the trigger while remaining relaxed instead of pulling the trigger while tensing. You should be able to get an effective zero by firing 3 groups of 3 and a final group of 4. This zero will be effective from point blank to 300 yards. The rear sight will need to be adjusted to fire at greater distances.
When stocking up on ammo don’t always buy “green tip” full metal jackets. Full metal jackets will not do you any good when hunting large game like deer. Make sure you are also storing hollow point game rounds. Because despite what CNN well tell you, the AR-15 makes an effective hunting rifle.
A evry good and easy corse thanks
I have commented on this once before and you still did not correct the errors….Here is your information, “If your shots are too high, lower the sights, if they are too far the left, move the sights to the right, and so on’ This is totally incorrect…….If your shots are high RAISE YOUR SIGHTS, if your shots are left, GO LEFT. If you use your method you will continue to add to incorrectness of your shot. Moving right when you are hitting left will only make your shots go further left because you are moving the sight to the right increases the angle from the sight and thus the round will go further to the left…..C’mon guys give the correct info……
Steve — You have got to be a complete idiot. The information is correct. Someday — when you get a real gun — go ton a shooting range and try the BS you think will work.
The only other thought I had is, in the Military – we zeroed at 25 yards — not 36 as specified.
Lol- Steve is right, you are wrong Mike. If you’re shooting left, move your crosshairs left; that brings the barrel to the RIGHT
I wanted to chime in here. The directions are correct for zeroing iron sights. Please take a look at this zeroing target, that illustrates the instructions in the post: http://survivalstronghold.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/zeroing-target.jpg
Here is a video further explaining the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5QCGWYfHWk
There are different schools of thought for distance, based on the bullet trajectory. I think 36 yards is a happy medium, but it is a matter of preference.
Steve, take 2 pens or pencils and fix one of them in front so it won’t move and line up a target at your table then imagine firing a shot and it hits left, now you have to move the rear sight to the right without moving the front sight or the target, Now you can see that you have to move the gun to to realign the gun by moving the rear of the gun to align the sights to hit the bullseye. the front sight nor the target move. I hope this helps you understand