What Distance Should you Zero your AR 15?

[Paladin]

A lengthy but thought provoking discussion about zeroing rifles:



My thought is that for home defense, the zero you chose (15 through 100 yards) won't make much difference. For distance rifles there are great reasons to use a 100 yard zero. But for your general purpose carbine this is an interesting approach to maximizing the utility of a zero.

[AF-Odin]

When I was active duty, we always zeroed on a reduced size target at 25 meters as POA/POI is coincident at 25 and 300 meters. In between 25 and 300, you may hit a bit high on a human sized target but should still hit. For close HD uses which will generally be less than 25 meters you will still hit COM or still make COM on a head shot. Maybe it is just habit, but I still zero at 25. In actual use, at ~50 meters which is about the distance I shoot most pigs, that zero seems to be pretty much where I aim, I hit.

[The Annoyed Man]

It has been my habit for a long time now to zero my iron sights and RDS optics at 50 yards, and magnified optics for whatever the optic manufacturer recommends, for the caliber of the rifle. For example, the Primary Arms 1-6x24 FFP SLX scope with their ACSS Raptor reticle recommends a100 yard zero for .223/5.56x45, and a 50 yard zero for .308/7.62x51.

A while back, I removed the ACOG and reinstalled the carry-handle rear sight on my A4 clone, and then tried the USMC armorer's modification to the rear sight drum (info here) that adds click values for 50 and 100 yards and allows a 50 yard zero. I have zeroed it at 50 yards, but haven’t yet confirmed the bullet rise/drop at one, two, three, four, five, and six hundred.

[Paladin]

Totally understand with the 25 meter zero.

I still zero most of my rifles at 25. Distance guns with scopes are set up at 100 yards. One rifle has a 50 yard zero because the reflex bullet drop compensator is designed to be zeroed at 50 yards.

But the video has me thinking that my EOTech and Red dot optics probably deserve another look.