Zero pistol?

zombiegirl · Jun 2, 2014

Any suggestions on how I should re zero my pistol? Just curious how ya'll do yours. I had an issue with a couple set screws coming loose on my rear sight

so I'm needing to re sight it in for this weekend. I just normally use sandbags and sight in at 25yards..............not sure if there is an easier method.

Thanks
~Jamie

TerryKendell · Jun 2, 2014

A good bore Lazer will get you close at home and then fine tune a the range

technetium-99m · Jun 2, 2014

I center the sights in my vise then shoot at 25-30 yards for an iron sighted gun. Bullet hits at the top of the front blade. Shooting from sandbags or a rest can be slightly different from freestyle. A gun that's a few inches off is annoying as hell.

jtischauser · Jun 2, 2014

Tech-99 is spot on. I shoot pistol from a rest much differently then off hand. So I zero off hand. I can usually shoot a good enough group at 10-15 yards to make adjustments.

mike cyrwus · Jun 2, 2014

i know of no one who has ever used a laser to zero a handgun

eyeball the sights to center, shoot a group, measure center of group to POA; do the calculations, move rear and or front sight by necessary distance to make POI POA.

zombiegirl · Jun 2, 2014

I used my bore sight but it's still low. Range was way too crowded last night for me to fine tune it much....and way too many distractions...several classes going on

I'm thinking the off hand might me the best for me as well......since that's how I shoot mostly. Just really hard to see my target at 25 yards lol. I'll attempt to go back out tonight but hit my friends place so I can focus more and not have a hundred people asking me what I'm doing every 5 seconds lol .......................sometimes I regret these adjustable sights

Wall · Jun 2, 2014

zombiegirl said:
I used my bore sight but it's still low. Range was way too crowded last night for me to fine tune it much....and way too many distractions...several classes going on
I'm thinking the off hand might me the best for me as well......since that's how I shoot mostly. Just really hard to see my target at 25 yards lol. I'll attempt to go back out tonight but hit my friends place so I can focus more and not have a hundred people asking me what I'm doing every 5 seconds lol .......................sometimes I regret these adjustable sights

be sure to loc-tite the set screws or you'll be doing this again relatively soon

zombiegirl · Jun 2, 2014

Already on it Tony thank you!!

mike cyrwus · Jun 2, 2014

mike cyrwus said:
i know of no one who has ever used a laser to zero a handgun

eyeball the sights to center, shoot a group, measure center of group to POA; do the calculations, move rear and or front sight by necessary distance to make POI POA.

Hey Mike, I dont understand what you wrote here, so instead of trying to figure it out and do something the right way, I will just derp away

zombiegirl · Jun 2, 2014

Totally understand what you are saying Mike

and appreciate your info! I still don't understand why the screws backed out though---they are the screws underneath my elevation screw......2 small ones on each side of the sight...not sure of their purpose? I have the Dawson sights....if anyone has any insight as to what those screws do would be helpful as well. I didn't even realize they were there until I took the top screw all the way off and lifted the rear sight up....and bam there was my problem. I can take a pic if that helps also.

drmitchgibson · Jun 2, 2014

Those screws lock the sight into the dovetail. Use Loctite.

zombiegirl · Jun 2, 2014

Thanks Mitch! I will

Wall · Jun 2, 2014

Yes, those screws are set screws to lock it down & prevent the sight base from moving. They need to be secured with loc-tite. Let the loc-tite dry before flipping the sight back down & re-installing the adjustment screw. I like to use a little bit of loc-tite on the bottom of the sight base as well, not just the set screws.

You can make a small mark in the dovetail at the base of the sight (each side) to use as a visual indicator while cleaning, to see if your sight has shifted.

zombiegirl · Jun 2, 2014

Great idea. I did put a little lock tight on the sight bottom when I first installed them, just never paid attention to those screws I guess. Kinda one of those things...until it happens to you, you didn't notice it. Thanks for the help guys and hope to see you at OKCGC this weekend to try her out!

Corey · Jun 4, 2014

I Just use the redneck approach if I think my sights are off I just setup a paper plate and shoot for the center, I just practice slackout of the trigger aim shoot repeat for a mag or two, make adjustments to sights then repeat. This helps me practice trigger control and allows me to see how big or small a group I am shooting at that distance.
I fire the pistol the same way I would in a match.
I know when I went to TDSA I was doing some fine tuning to the sights.
It may sound wasteful to some to use 80-90 rds to confirm zero but it is a good feeling to shoot a clip or two and tear the center out of a target.

On the flip side if it looks like buckshot hit your target at a close distance then it is not the guns fault

Sundance74 · Jun 12, 2014

Do all of you zero your pistols at 25yds? I've been using a 17yd zero since I started shooting competively. Before that I always zeroed my carry guns at 35yds.

Wall · Jun 12, 2014

Do all of you zero your pistols at 25yds? I've been using a 17yd zero since I started shooting competively. Before that I always zeroed my carry guns at 35yds.

Just curious, how did you come to choose 17?

Corey · Jun 13, 2014

Wall said:
Just curious, how did you come to choose 17?

Blaise was a huge Winger fan when he was a kid.

Good question Tony 17 is a rather random number.

Blaise I never really thought about what distance to sight in a pistol. At my little range honestly I just picked a point probably 17-20 yds. I do know at 50 yds I am hitting the upper 6 inches of a 12 inch plate. I have always practiced with paper plates and steel plates as long as I was hitting I never worried much about the vertical component. I started with 3 gun and two hits anywhere neutralized a target I figured if I was getting perfect doubles everytime (lol) I was taking to long to aim. I am curious as what others do.