What does it mean to zero a pistol with fixed iron sights?

[Slavex]

Tightness of grip, pistol weight, muzzle flip are meaningless when zeroing a pistol, really they are meaningless for slow fire too. They really only come into play when you're talking about rapid fire. Zeroing can be done with a grip that barely supports the pistol, you only need to keep it steady enough for the intended purpose of achieving zero.

 

[pacobillie]

Tightness of grip, pistol weight, muzzle flip are meaningless when zeroing a pistol, really they are meaningless for slow fire too. They really only come into play when you're talking about rapid fire. Zeroing can be done with a grip that barely supports the pistol, you only need to keep it steady enough for the intended purpose of achieving zero.

I beg to differ. A pistol held in a vise will shoot lower than a hand held pistol, all other things being equal. A lighter/faster load prints lower than a heavier slower load, because the bullet exits the barrel earlier, as the gun is recoiling and the muzzle moving upwards.

 

[Ganderite]

Tightness of grip, pistol weight, muzzle flip are meaningless when zeroing a pistol, really they are meaningless for slow fire too. They really only come into play when you're talking about rapid fire. Zeroing can be done with a grip that barely supports the pistol, you only need to keep it steady enough for the intended purpose of achieving zero.

Yes, I agree. The pistol will be zeroed for a loose grip and so long as that person shoots it, with that loose grip, it is zeroed.

If I shoot it, it won't be zeroed. It would probably shoot quite low.

It must be zeroed by and for the shooter.