50yd or 200yd AR zero?

Mac MacDonald · Nov 29, 2012

I know they are both about the same but the 200yd zero will be shooting like 9" low on 10yd targets. What do you guys zero your optics at?

View attachment 3605

Deathtrap · Nov 29, 2012

I zero mine at 200

Mac MacDonald · Nov 29, 2012

Jake Burki said:
I zero mine at 200

So you just hold high on the short hoser runs?

Spiff · Nov 29, 2012

Your math's all boogered up. You're looking at minutes, not inches, and your sight height should be in the ballpark of 2.7 inches. With a 200 yd zero you're closer to 2" low at 10 yds.

Mac MacDonald · Nov 29, 2012

Spiff said:
Your math's all boogered up. You're looking at minutes, not inches, and your sight height should be in the ballpark of 2.7 inches. With a 200 yd zero you're closer to 2" low at 10 yds.

Thanks for keeping me straight. I'll be zeroing my new optic, hopefully, next week and test all the diff. ranges. I love this s**t!!!

Corey · Nov 29, 2012

Spiff said:
Your math's all boogered up. You're looking at minutes, not inches, and your sight height should be in the ballpark of 2.7 inches. With a 200 yd zero you're closer to 2" low at 10 yds.

Spiff is correct change the moa to inches and everything will make more sence.

A recent article in Shooting Times had the ranges in 100 yd increments and reported the bullet drop in MOA I wondered any many people would be would be confused.

I also use a 200 yard zero when I shoot at 300 yds I always make sure I have a poster board when running a new load so I will know how big the group is and where it is; wind my or may not be your friend some days

Mac MacDonald · Nov 29, 2012

Spiff said:
Your math's all boogered up. You're looking at minutes, not inches, and your sight height should be in the ballpark of 2.7 inches. With a 200 yd zero you're closer to 2" low at 10 yds.

Just re-ran it. With a 2.5" height, 200yd zero I'm looking at:

1.9" low at 10yds,

0" low at 50yds

1.3yds high at 100yds.

Good stuff!

View attachment 3606

DonC · Nov 29, 2012

Mac...that would still be only 1.3 INCHES high at 100 yds.

jtischauser · Nov 29, 2012

I'm assuming you bought the model with the JM reticle seen in the link below?

http://www.vortexoptics.com/uploads/sub_rzr-g2_1-6x24_jm-1.jpg

If so your first BDC aiming point is 2.5 MOA down. If you zero at 200 yards that puts the 1st hash down dead on at 300ish, 2nd hash at 400ish, 3rd hash at 500ish and the 4th at 600ish yards.

That's actually a very useful reticle! I'd say its the best BDC for 3 gun that I've seen. I would like to have seen some horizontal bars for windage and sone sort of designator at each BDC mark but that's not a deal breaker. Looks like my Swaro Z6i has some competition.

If I bought that scope I would zero the first BDC mark down at 300. Then shoot the gun at 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250 to see where the bullets impact using the center cross hair/dot. I like having my 300 yard BDC aiming point dead on since those longer shots are the harder ones. If your center dot is off by an inch high or low at 200 its not a big deal compared to being off an inch or two on your 300 yard aiming point IMO.

As with all reticle its important to go with whatever works best in your mind. If you can remember where to hold in a split second your not doing yourself any favors using the BDC.

Mac MacDonald · Nov 29, 2012

DonC said:
Mac...that would still be only 1.3 INCHES high at 100 yds.

And I really dig that! The way I pull the trigger I tend to pull downwards, ever so slightly, and this extra 1.3" might come in handy at 100yds.

Mac MacDonald · Nov 29, 2012

Jesse Tischauser said:
I'm assuming you bought the model with the JM reticle seen in the link below?

http://www.vortexopt...1-6x24_jm-1.jpg

If so your first BDC aiming point is 2.5 MOA down. If you zero at 200 yards that puts the 1st hash down dead on at 300ish, 2nd hash at 400ish, 3rd hash at 500ish and the 4th at 600ish yards.

That's actually a very useful reticle! I'd say its the best BDC for 3 gun that I've seen. I would like to have seen some horizontal bars for windage and sone sort of designator at each BDC mark but that's not a deal breaker. Looks like my Swaro Z6i has some competition.

If I bought that scope I would zero the first BDC mark down at 300. Then shoot the gun at 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250 to see where the bullets impact using the center cross hair/dot. I like having my 300 yard BDC aiming point dead on since those longer shots are the harder ones. If your center dot is off by an inch high or low at 200 its not a big deal compared to being off an inch or two on your 300 yard aiming point IMO.

As with all reticle its important to go with whatever works best in your mind. If you can remember where to hold in a split second your not doing yourself any favors using the BDC.

I did buy that one, Jesse. And the BDC lines will come in handy. Around here we have one stage per match where we shoot multiple targets between 225-300yds. To be able to plop and hash mark on the target and press the trigger will be awesome. Last weekend I was taking 225yd shots with a 1x. I made my hits but it wasnt fun.

Wall · Nov 29, 2012

Jake Burki said:
I zero mine at 200

me too

giarc01 · Jan 1, 2014

Our range is so short most people stick with 50 yards

MetropolisLakeOutfitters · Jan 1, 2014

Check out the Winchester ballistics app. Really neato to graphically see where you'll be hitting, and very easy to use.

http://ballisticscalculator.winchester.com/

According to it, zeroing at 200 yards with a 55 grain fmj 5.56 you'll be maybe 1.2" low at 10 yards and will probably never know the difference between that and being dead on with high speed hoser targets on the move.

MetropolisLakeOutfitters · Jan 1, 2014

IF you go by what the Army says, I think they say sight in at 25 yards. Your groups will be tight for one, but the math works out that you're pretty much dead on at nearly 300 yards, about 275 with the typical sight height of an AR. According to the ballistics calculator, sighting in at 25 yards, the most you will ever be off by at 300 yards is 3.7", and that is right at about 160 yards, shooting 3.7" high. You will be 2.9" high at 200 and 2" low at 300. A lot of the tacticool guys do this.

Spiff · Jan 1, 2014

No no no no no. Only sight in at 25 yards as the very last resort unless you're shooting 50 yards and closer. Zero at the longest possible range you have access to. I zero the first BDC mark in my Swaro at 300 yards. All that stuff the Army says is very approximate and is only good for one rifle shooting one load, which they get away with because that's what they do. We don't. A lot of the tacticool guys also can't shoot past 100 yards.

jtischauser · Jan 1, 2014

Austin T said:
No no no no no. Only sight in at 25 yards as the very last resort unless you're shooting 50 yards and closer. Zero at the longest possible range you have access to. I zero the first BDC mark in my Swaro at 300 yards. All that stuff the Army says is very approximate and is only good for one rifle shooting one load, which they get away with because that's what they do. We don't. A lot of the tacticool guys also can't shoot past 100 yards.

Dead Effin serious Semi Pro Tip right there!!! Consider yourselves lucky and warned.