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I've always zeroed our M4's with 16" barrels, both iron sights and red dots at 50/225 yards. My Mk 12 has a scope so it's zeroed at 100 yards. It has adjustable turrets so I can adjust for longer ranges.

Now I'm playing the AR15A4 game. It has a 20" barrel (w/plastic handguard and free float tube/sleeve) and I use the removable A4 carry handle for the rear sight, no optic or red dot. This is a range toy and a general fun gun. I'm not sure if I should stick to the 50/225 yard zero or use a different one because of the added velocity of the longer barrel. The range I shoot at mostly is only 200 yards.

This is becoming my favorite AR/M4 platform rifle/carbine to shoot. It's a blast.

NYH1.
I used to confirm zero at 200 yards but after using scopes that dial and now Trijicon BDC scopes that require a 100 meter zero, I have switched over even with red dots.
Military AR sights are a complicated gadget. You might need an A-2 rear sight to do what you want.

However, the referenced article notes that some people advocate:

"... zeroing the rifles and carbines using the large (0-200) apertures with the rear elevation set at 8/3 or 6/3. This zero provides a very flat trajectory with a maximum ordinate of just over 1.0” between 50 and 200 yards. Thus, when aiming center mass with a 12” standard at 300 yards one could expect that most rounds will impact within 4 to 5 inches from point of aim out to 250 yards.

Check this article
Originally Posted by TWR
I used to confirm zero at 200 yards but after using scopes that dial and now Trijicon BDC scopes that require a 100 meter zero, I have switched over even with red dots.

We do everything in yards, that's what all our ranges are around here. The range we belong to now (10 mins. from house) is 0 to 200 yards.

I like the 50/225 zero (except for scoped Mk12). I works the best for what we do.

Right now it's zeroed at 50 like our carbines. With the longer barrel it definitely shoots flatter then our carbines. I should probably just leave it. Just wondering what others zero theirs at, particularly 20" barrels.

NYH1.
Originally Posted by night_owl
Military AR sights are a complicated gadget. You might need an A-2 rear sight to do what you want.

However, the referenced article notes that some people advocate:

"... zeroing the rifles and carbines using the large (0-200) apertures with the rear elevation set at 8/3 or 6/3. This zero provides a very flat trajectory with a maximum ordinate of just over 1.0” between 50 and 200 yards. Thus, when aiming center mass with a 12” standard at 300 yards one could expect that most rounds will impact within 4 to 5 inches from point of aim out to 250 yards.

Check this article

Thanks for the link.

I can't put A2 sights on my rifle. The A2 sight is the 8/3 sight. To get that much adjustment the sight has courser threads and the elevation screw go's down into the receiver. I have the A4, 6/3 carry handle. The elevation screw is shorter and it doesn't go into the receiver like the 8/3 does.

NYH1.
All of my ar's are zeroed in for 100 yards.
Short barreled AR-15 EoTech sighted house guns, 36 yards.
16 and 18" barreled AR-10 house and bang around the farm guns are zeroed at their PBR.

For example, my 16" 308 REPR firing 155 gr Scenars at 2669 fps PBR zeros at 272 yards, I verify that zero, then loosen the cap on the 2.5-10x24 Nightforce, spin back to zero and retighten, I know I can hold center body to 300 yards and will be approx 4"s high at 100, piece of cake.
Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
All of my ar's are zeroed in for 100 yards.

Thanks!

NYH1.
Originally Posted by gunner500
Short barreled AR-15 EoTech sighted house guns, 36 yards.
16 and 18" barreled AR-10 house and bang around the farm guns are zeroed at their PBR.

For example, my 16" 308 REPR firing 155 gr Scenars at 2669 fps PBR zeros at 272 yards, I verify that zero, then loosen the cap on the 2.5-10x24 Nightforce, spin back to zero and retighten, I know I can hold center body to 300 yards and will be approx 4"s high at 100, piece of cake.

Gunner, MPBR used to work great back in the day before twisting turrets. I can see some efficiency there with quick target acquisition on some targets. But now days, wouldnt it be a lot more precise, to just dial for range? Aim small, hit small or something like that. With a great scope like a nightforce, I'd think you'd be twisting that turret. I know I do with mine. Shooting steel at 400 the other day was child's play.
Maybe I should've said 110 yards
Of course, but for SD/hunting/vermin guns, out to 300 is lock on and shoot, if you need to go longer, smaller numbers can be dialed much quicker starting from PBR and going up. cool

The less math of lower numbers is a blessing to my already strained pea! grin
100 meters
I like 50yd zero the best. Then i can put the dot on an 8" plate at 200yds and ring it consistently.
I'd just sight it in at 100 yards and click up from there. It's not terribly hard to stay in a K zone out to at least 500.

For M193 @ 3,200fps with a 100 yard zero it's +1MOA to 200, +2 more MOA to 300, +3 to 400, 4 to 5 and 5 to 6.

Pretty easy to remember, right? Most guys can't shoot within a minute from a field position anyway, so this is even more accurate than most can hold even if you are off by 75 yards.
Thanks guys!

NYH1.
On my A2 I set the rear drum to 8/3 minus 2 (1 moa clicks). Then zero at 50/200 using the front sight post for elevation correction.

On the carbine, 6/3 minus 4 (half moa clicks). Then zero as above.

If you cannot get minus 2 or minus 4 clicks, you can loosen the set screw on the elevation drum and rotate/retighten to get there.
Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
All of my ar's are zeroed in for 100 yards.


I zero mine just like most other rifles. Those with dials are zero'ed at 100, the rest typically at 250.
Just for fun
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?107572-Zen-of-the-100-Meter-Zero
25yds.
I say, for red dots and most iron sights either 36 yds or 50 yd battle type zeros. If I was shooting national match type competitions I would sight in at 100 yds. Same with any scope that has turrets that work correctly. With a 100 yd zero you will never get confused, everything is accomplished by dialing up.
I zero my AR's at 100 yards or meters and dial up.
Thanks again guys!

NYH1.
100 yds
100yds
If it's got a variable power scope I zero at 100.

For red dots and irons I still use the 50yd / RIBZ.
For a red dot work rifle I zero at 50, but confirm the windage at distance when I check drop.

For a scoped rifle that I'll dial for I do 100.

For weird applications like 3 Gun it'll vary sometimes match to match.
My MK 12 zero scope dead on at 100 yards due to scope turrets on Leupold TS 30 dope.
Iron sights 50/200 zero for urban.
The normal 25/300 is good for longer ranges.

77 Sierra MK
2750 FPS
My 20" SPR is zeroed at 100 yards. The scope is a Burris XTR II 2-10x42 and I use the out to 500 yards, the longest distance that I have access to.
100 yards for all scoped rifles, and 50 yards for iron sights, red dots. The more I think I know about shooting the less I understand.
I use 100 yards.Don't have any with knobs on them.

Even iron sights 100 yards,any correction gets done in my head,just like windage.
I zero the optic @ 100yds but typically carry on an adjusted 200yds zero.

If I am shooting at 400yds I would dial to a 400yd zero.
I use 100 yrs. But that's a generic distance, and a baseline.


You say you will mostly be range shooting, and at 200?

Why would you do anything other than zero for 200?
I zero a green laser I have for one gun at 25!
I like a hundred yard zero.
Assuming 223/75's or better...200yds.

Beaver Dope is in every ocular cap and needles are easily threaded..................


[Linked Image]
Blackout on subs is 50 yards, 100 for supers.

HD rig is 25 yards.

All others 100, and I verify drop/windage and spin to win in the field.
all my AR rifles now have either dots or scopes. I zero at 100 yards with the scope. 50 yards for the red dots.
Might not be 'right', but it works for me.
There are some nice target graphics here showing relative points of impact with different zero distances in AR with 10.5, 14.5, 16, 18 inch barrels. Also AK47.

http://www.arma-dynamics.com/zero-considerations.html
Originally Posted by MontanaMarine
There are some nice target graphics here showing relative points of impact with different zero distances in AR with 10.5, 14.5, 16, 18 inch barrels. Also AK47.

http://www.arma-dynamics.com/zero-considerations.html


That's a good one. I use a 50 yard zero because it's convenient for zero confirmation and I can hold high thoracic and get hits far further than I can accurately discriminate targets without magnification. So if I can tell "that's the guy to shoot" I can just hold at the nipple line and get a hit.
Originally Posted by MontanaMarine
There are some nice target graphics here showing relative points of impact with different zero distances in AR with 10.5, 14.5, 16, 18 inch barrels. Also AK47.

http://www.arma-dynamics.com/zero-considerations.html


Thank you. That is very helpful to an AR newb like me.
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