Red Dot Zero - How-to?
- Thread starter WestCoast777
- Start date
...Mount it, shoot the gun a couple of times, compare point of impact to point of aim, adjust point of aim, shoot the gun a couple more times. Repeat until point of impact is the same as point of aim. There isn't really a red-dot specific zeroing practice?
Also, your zero distance kind of depends on what gun you're mounting it to, and what you intend on doing with that gun. A pistol will likely have a different zero distance than a rifle.
Also, your zero distance kind of depends on what gun you're mounting it to, and what you intend on doing with that gun. A pistol will likely have a different zero distance than a rifle.
Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- S. Ontario
For me it's 6 of the clock hold. I have always thought it's stupid to cover what you're aiming at so you can't see it.
For a competition setup I have always zeroed at 17 yards. I found for IPSC matches that gave me the best combo of still being on target at longer range and not having to worry about parallax on close tight partial targets with possible penalties. Zero it bang on where you want it to impact, to make this easier while zeroing turn the brightness of the dot way down so you can see "through" the actual dot for accuracy.
Also remember with a dot you want to be target focused not looking though the glass, your brain will make the dot appear on the target if you are truly target focused. Best way to test this is to tape over the glass of the dot on the muzzle side of the optic and then present the gun to the target. If you do not have a dot on the target you are likely looking through the glass instead of focusing on the target.
Also remember with a dot you want to be target focused not looking though the glass, your brain will make the dot appear on the target if you are truly target focused. Best way to test this is to tape over the glass of the dot on the muzzle side of the optic and then present the gun to the target. If you do not have a dot on the target you are likely looking through the glass instead of focusing on the target.
Is this only for pistol, or rifle as well? I've only used a RDS twice.
I'll start with the disclaimer that I have never used a RDS on a rifle. For a zeroing distance you would need to look at what distance you are primarily going to be shooting. My choice of 17 yards is based on the distance of the majority of the targets in my competitive environment. As far as the target focus thing I would assume this would be identical but keeping in mind when using the RDS in a competition environment we are not shooting bullseyes but trying to shoot as quickly as possible while maintaining accuracy within the primary scoring zone on the target.
The problem with 6 oclock hold is that it assumes you are shooting at a specific sized target at a specific distance. That's superior for bullseye shooting at 25 yards where you use a standard target with a standard diameter black circle, but not so great for shooting plates of various sizes at various distances as the 6 oclock aim point will strike high or low depending on the target. You might shoot over a small duelling tree plate for instance if you zeroed it on 6 oclock of a larger circle. I prefer center of target for anything like action shooting or just fooling around.
with my PCC.
at the range i take 6 clay pigeons and set them on the sand backstop in a square (like on a dice) Distance about ~40 yards
I aim at the middle one and can see where the shots are landing. I make adjustments till I'm consistently hitting in the middle.
The benefit of this is that i don't need a spotting scope or to walk up and see.
once im consistently hitting in the middle pigeon i can move to paper for fine adjustments.
at the range i take 6 clay pigeons and set them on the sand backstop in a square (like on a dice) Distance about ~40 yards
I aim at the middle one and can see where the shots are landing. I make adjustments till I'm consistently hitting in the middle.
The benefit of this is that i don't need a spotting scope or to walk up and see.
once im consistently hitting in the middle pigeon i can move to paper for fine adjustments.
I agree with this, with the caveat described by grizzlypeg - POI will change at diff distances. You should keep an idea (or dope-sheet) of what hold is needed for several distances, ie for a pistol about 10-yds = 6-o'clock / 30-yds = 12-o'clock - or whatever.
