[Fishjager]

I personally do a lot of shooting at 15 yards, and then shoot at 25. The group size opens up to three or four inches but that is okay. I use police type silhouette targets and do head shots at 25. I know that I can hit what I shoot at. I tend to hit to the right at 25.

 

[wcoyne]

I shot a lot at 7 yards and still do sometimes but I have started liking shooting reactive targets which move away from you when shot and seeing how far out you can still hit one consistently. I shoot golf balls a lot and can hit them from 10 to 25 or so yards with a reflex sight on a pistol pretty consistently. Golf balls might not be the safest target but they are fun and easy to shoot rapidly and easy to see. I am pretty sure I am zeroed at 7 yards but the adjustment at 25 or so isn't far off it seems.

 

[DansSIGs]

50 yard zero at a minimum w/ any handgun.

shotgun hulls(empty) will sharpen one's skills.

Anything closer is "Point & Click"w/ both eyes...w/o regard to the aiming device.

 

[woody b]

I am curious, between 15 &25 yard zeros, at what further distance will you also be zeroed at?

Soli Deo Gloria

Obviously caliber and load makes a big difference. With a 9mm 124 grain +P Gold Dot zeroed at 25 yards will be pretty flat to 40 yards or so them the poi will start to drop. You don't get 2 zeros like you do with most rifles. A 25 yard zero is 3/16" low at 15 yards.

With a 9mm 124 grain +P Gold Dot zeroed at 15 yards you'll be close to a second zero at 40 yards. I just did the math, assuming the sight is 1 inch above the bore. A 15 yard zero would be 5/16" high at 25 yards.

A 5 yard zero with the same load would be 1 5/8" high at 15 yards, and 3 inches high at 25 yards. The second zero would be past 100 yards.



This assumes a sight that's 1 inch above the bore. IIRC that's close to most "dot's on most handguns.

 

[paularmola]

25

 

[NorthwestGuy]

7

 

[eford]

I read an interesting article recently that advocated zeroing the RDS on any weapon (pistol or rifle) at the distance that equals the peak of its flight trajectory. For a 9mm pistol that equates roughly to 10-15 yards according to some ballistic trajectory charts I've been looking at online. The rationale for using that point was that it reduces all shooting corrections for other distances, closer or farther, to adjusting your POA above your desired POI. Using any other range would require you to sometimes aim higher and sometimes lower compounding the shooting solution.

 

[mig1nc]

I read an interesting article recently that advocated zeroing the RDS on any weapon (pistol or rifle) at the distance that equals the peak of its flight trajectory. For a 9mm pistol that equates roughly to 10-15 yards according to some ballistic trajectory charts I've been looking at online. The rationale for using that point was that it reduces all shooting corrections for other distances, closer or farther, to adjusting your POA above your desired POI. Using any other range would require you to sometimes aim higher and sometimes lower compounding the shooting solution.

That's the same argument for a 100 yard zero on an AR. It's kind of a religious debate. Some prefer that, some prefer the 50/200, some prefer the 300-whatever.

I prefer a 50-200ish zero on ARs, basically out to around 220 or so, depending on bullet and velocity, you are never more off than your height over bore (over or under).

The only time I do it different is if I'm using a BDC optic that requires a specific zero.

Back to pistols, you absolutely can do the same thing.

Go to JBM - Calculations - Trajectory (Simplified)

Select your bullet, velocity, height over bore, and any other options you want.

Set the range increment to one yard and set the maximum to something reasonable.

Check the checkbox for maximum point blank zero.

Execute.


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[TerminalSigness]

That's the same argument for a 100 yard zero on an AR. It's kind of a religious debate. Some prefer that, some prefer the 50/200, some prefer the 300-whatever.

I prefer a 50-200ish zero on ARs, basically out to around 220 or so, depending on bullet and velocity, you are never more off than your height over bore (over or under).

The only time I do it different is if I'm using a BDC optic that requires a specific zero.

Back to pistols, you absolutely can do the same thing.

Go to JBM - Calculations - Trajectory (Simplified)

Select your bullet, velocity, height over bore, and any other options you want.

Set the range increment to one yard and set the maximum to something reasonable.

Check the checkbox for maximum point blank zero.

Execute.


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That gives me something to think about this morning.

 

[Dkayak]

25 yards. The sight is as much as an inch above the bore. So....doing some quick, non precise math in my head, if you zero at 25 yards your point of impact is going to be 3/4" low at 5 yards. If you zero at 5 yards your point of impact will be 5 inches high at 25 yards. I'd prefer to be off a fraction of an inch off at 5 yards than be several inches off at any realistic difference.

These photos explain it all. Shooting Illustrated: Best Distance to Zero a Pistol-Mounted Red Dot

There’s no close-range disadvantage whatsoever to zeroing at 25 yards and you’re probably pretty close out to 40 yards, depending on ballistics. OTOH, zeroing up close introduces significant error at 25 yards.

 

[NorthwestGuy]

Great paper with target results to back up the facts. Thank you Dkayak.

 

[theLBC]

i have always zeroed as far out as i can shoot at the indoor ranges.
this is likely more important for folks running optics.

 

[bumper]

I shot a lot at 7 yards and still do sometimes but I have started liking shooting reactive targets which move away from you when shot and seeing how far out you can still hit one consistently. I shoot golf balls a lot and can hit them from 10 to 25 or so yards with a reflex sight on a pistol pretty consistently. Golf balls might not be the safest target but they are fun and easy to shoot rapidly and easy to see. I am pretty sure I am zeroed at 7 yards but the adjustment at 25 or so isn't far off it seems.

Yeah, that's fun alright. I used to do that too, but they ran me off the golf course and told me to never come back.

 

[cremaley]

I've pretty much decided on 10 yards.

 

[wcoyne]

Yeah, that's fun alright. I used to do that too, but they ran me off the golf course and told me to never come back.

You should have done it out of your plane

 

[theLBC]

Yeah, that's fun alright. I used to do that too, but they ran me off the golf course and told me to never come back.

hahaha!
reminds me of a funny story.
chi chi rodriguez was asked why he was so fast and didn't take any time for his shots (compared to most pros)?
he said he used to have to sneak onto the golf course as a kid, and the greens keepers would shoot at him with a 22lr if they caught him on the courses. he learned to run out onto the fairway and hit his shots quickly before darting back to cover.

 

[Dkayak]

Great paper with target results to back up the facts. Thank you Dkayak.

Those two pictures say more than any written article. Case closed, for me anyway.

 

[N.H.Rob]

I am curious, between 15 &25 yard zeros, at what further distance will you also be zeroed at?

Soli Deo Gloria

To keep this simple, lets only pertain to 9mm. The reason most use a 25yd zero is because that's where the round crosses down through its zero plane. Bullet elevation at 0yds (bullet leaving the barrel) and 25yds is identical. This makes for a very reliable and consistent zero distance. From roughly 0yds-10yds the round is climbing, it then flattens out and started to drop. Past 25yds 9mm will continue to drop and you will need to know your holdovers in order to accurately hit targets at greater distances (roughly 1ft at 100yds). Basically, your poi inside 25yds will be high (1/4-1/2in) and your poi past 25yds will be low.

 

[jkallner]

Because my indoor range is 50 feet, I start there, but I will confirm and make minor adjustments at 25 yards once I get to the outdoor range.

 

[mig1nc]

Using the ballistic calculator I linked to above I punched in 950fps and chose the 147gr XTP with a 1.0" sight height. If I enter 15 yards as the zero it cross again at 33 yards.

I have no idea how close those specs are, but the reality is, as shown in those photos above, is that 25 yards it's pretty much a safe bet.


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