Zeroing Red Dot on my AR

[illini40]

I need some guidance.

Bought my first red dot (Vortex) for my AR last fall and just now getting a chance to try it out. Took it to the range this evening to play around and see about getting it zeroed in.

I started at 25 yards just to see where it was at - low and right. Went to 50 yards, but could not even track it. Not sure what the deal is - I know I can have a lot of shooter error, but is there that much difference between 25 and 50 yards with a red dot?

Any suggestions on what could be going wrong?

What yardage should I zero it in at?

 

[The Bubba Effect]

How big was your group at 25 yards?

 

[MontereyC6]

Nothing wrong with a 25 yard zero. If you get it set then want to move it out to 50 and make that your zero, you can do that too.

 

[jrh84]

How large was the group, and how far low and right as it?

As far as what yardage to zero at...what are you planning on using the rifle for? Target shooting only, home defense, hunting?

 

[illini40]

How big was your group at 25 yards?

Several inches unfortunately. 25 yards was standing, so probably not the best setup.

 

[actaeon277]

Several inches unfortunately. 25 yards was standing, so probably not the best setup.

I love freestanding shooting. But NOT when sighting in.

 

[illini40]

How large was the group, and how far low and right as it?

As far as what yardage to zero at...what are you planning on using the rifle for? Target shooting only, home defense, hunting?

The group was several inches.

I got the red dot for my AR for plinking around. I have always shot with magnified glass - first timer with a red dot.

 

[churchmouse]

I set mine up with a bore laser. I have a solid 25 yds. available and do it at night so I can see the laser. I set the dot in the optic above the laser just a bit. This will put me on paper at 25 and even 50. Might be low at 50. Work from a rest and be patient. I zero at 50.

 

[illini40]

I set mine up with a bore laser. I have a solid 25 yds. available and do it at night so I can see the laser. I set the dot in the optic above the laser just a bit. This will put me on paper at 25 and even 50. Might be low at 50. Work from a rest and be patient. I zero at 50.

If I'm low at 25, does it mean I will likely be really low at 50?

 

[churchmouse]

If I'm low at 25, does it mean I will likely be really low at 50?

If you draw out a straight line through the bore out to 25 yds and then find the point at which your optic crosses that line (the optic is higher than the bore therefore the straight line from it will angle down) you will see that POI will change with distance. If you are low at 25 then why are you shooting farther out. Get a handle on it at 25 and then stretch it out. If you zero at 25 then you will have to adjust for greater distance. A cross hair magnified glass is easy to compensate with. A red dot takes practice to compensate for distance.

 

[drewtitans]

I use a 50/225 for my red dot and have no issue with 8" plates at 300yds. Use a rest like suggested above and set your 25yd zero about an inch and a half low, this will get you close to center at 50yds. Do your final adjustments at 50yds and that should put you back on at just over 200yds. I use a 2moa Aimpoint so it covers 1" at 50, I will put a 1" orange dot on a black target and cover the orange. Works pretty well for me.

 

[philbert001]

When you hit low and right at 25 yards, did you adjust to zero, or did you move out to 50 with no adjustments? Original post didn't really specify. Start close, adjust to zero, move out a little, re-adjust zero, etc.

I bore sight the old fashioned way, whenever possible. On my bolt guns, I remove the bolt, visually align target to the bore, then bring the optic to the same point.

On my ARs, I pull the upper, remove the BCG, then do it the same way.

I've never had a problem getting on paper at 100 yards, using this method.

 

[churchmouse]

When you hit low and right at 25 yards, did you adjust to zero, or did you move out to 50 with no adjustments? Original post didn't really specify. Start close, adjust to zero, move out a little, re-adjust zero, etc.

I bore sight the old fashioned way, whenever possible. On my bolt guns, I remove the bolt, visually align target to the bore, then bring the optic to the same point.

On my ARs, I pull the upper, remove the BCG, then do it the same way.

I've never had a problem getting on paper at 100 yards, using this method.

I used to do that and still do on a bolt gun. It does work.

 

[indyblue]

Simple solution, don't use a red dot? It took me less than 15 rounds to get a 2" group @ 25 and another 15 to get the same group @ 100yds with a 4x scope. I was in the 10 ring fairly consistently by my third mag.

I know, I know. Using a scope does seem like cheating sometimes because of how easy it is to hit what you're aiming at. I'm sure I'll be put in my place (as a novice shooter) as soon as I get a chance to go out to 300+ yds, but if people can do 300 with irons it must be possible with a 4x or red dot.

It was "highly" recommended to me by an experienced shooter to leave the red dots alone and just use a scope.

What make/model red dot is it? I have read that several lower end red dots do not hold zero well as well as having parallax issues.

 

[churchmouse]

Simple solution, don't use a red dot? It took me less than 15 rounds to get a 2" group @ 25 and another 15 to get the same group @ 100yds with a 4x scope. I was in the 10 ring fairly consistently by my third mag.

I know, I know. Using a scope does seem like cheating sometimes because of how easy it is to hit what you're aiming at. I'm sure I'll be put in my place (as a novice shooter) as soon as I get a chance to go out to 300+ yds, but if people can do 300 with irons it must be possible with a 4x or red dot.

It was "highly" recommended to me by an experienced shooter to leave the red dots alone and just use a scope.

What make/model red dot is it? I have read that several lower end red dots do not hold zero well as well as having parallax issues.

For urban self defence the red dot seems to us the way to go. Fast target acquisition and such.
I have the dot on 2 of my AR's and a 3rd that is .308.....works for me.
I run a Vortech strike fire on the AR varminter. It is a red dot of sorts....with some of the other features from a cross hair type optic.

 

[throttletony]

Simple solution, don't use a red dot? It took me less than 15 rounds to get a 2" group @ 25 and another 15 to get the same group @ 100yds with a 4x scope. I was in the 10 ring fairly consistently by my third mag.

I know, I know. Using a scope does seem like cheating sometimes because of how easy it is to hit what you're aiming at. I'm sure I'll be put in my place (as a novice shooter) as soon as I get a chance to go out to 300+ yds, but if people can do 300 with irons it must be possible with a 4x or red dot.

It was "highly" recommended to me by an experienced shooter to leave the red dots alone and just use a scope.

What make/model red dot is it? I have read that several lower end red dots do not hold zero well as well as having parallax issues.

He said it was Vortex in the OP. Thus a solid mid-price red dot. (either sparc or strikefire). Should hold its zero

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I would go back to 25 yards and do what it takes to get a smaller group. When I am zeroing a red dot, I shoot prone using a loop sling at 25 yards until I am zeroed. Once I am zeroed I move out to 50 yards and adjust the elevation to zero for 50.

Get in a stable shooting position and zero it for 25 yards. Then either leave it set at 25 or move out to 50 yards and zero it for 50. Either a 25 or 50 yard zero is good for a .223/5.56 AR.

Don't let Indyblue get you down. Red dots are great! I have both magnified optics and non magnified red dots for my AR's. My go to gun wears a red dot. If it's 20" square or bigger and it's within 300 yards, it gets hit. I haven't tried the red dot out to 400 yards, but I figure it will hit out there too.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

When you hit low and right at 25 yards, did you adjust to zero, or did you move out to 50 with no adjustments? Original post didn't really specify. Start close, adjust to zero, move out a little, re-adjust zero, etc.

I bore sight the old fashioned way, whenever possible. On my bolt guns, I remove the bolt, visually align target to the bore, then bring the optic to the same point.

On my ARs, I pull the upper, remove the BCG, then do it the same way.

I've never had a problem getting on paper at 100 yards, using this method.

Agreed. There are even targets out there designed to sight at further yardage, while limited to shooting 25 yds.
Simply moving further back isn't going to bring your zero in... need to sight in the rifle, for whatever given yardage you are wanting.... in some cases, thats a 'middle ground' within the ballistic arc

 

[jrh84]

Like others mentioned, don't try an sight in from standing. Use a pack, rest, sandbag, bipod...anything stable.

Shoot at least 5 rounds, draw an outline around the whole group. Hopefully it is somewhat round-ish. Draw a dot at the center of your group. Measure the distance between the center of your group, and where you were aiming in inches.

Use good old IMC to figure out how much you need to adjust....
I= Inches = how many inches your shot or group is away from your point of aim.
M= Minutes = Minutes of angle (MOA) you are off. 1 MOA = roughly 1 inch @ 100 yards, 1/2 inch @ 50 yards, 1/4 inch @ 25 yards, 10 inches at 1000 yards, etc
C = Clicks = Clicks of adjustment you need to make on your sights, scope, red dot, etc. to bring the point of aim to your point of impact.

Vortex Sparc = 1 MOA clicks: 1 click = 1/4 inch @ 25 yards = 1/2 inch @ 50 yards = 1 inch at 100 yards = 10 inches at 1000 yards

Vortex Strikefire = 1/2 MOA clicks: 1 click = 1/8 inch @ 25 yards = 1/4 inch @ 50 yards = 1/2 inch @ 100 yards = 5 inches @ 1000 yards

If you have a Strikefire, and need to adjust 5 inches at 25 yards, that gives:
I= 5 inches
M= 20 MOA
C = 40 clicks

Appleseed teaches all this and a LOT more...it'd be worth it to attend one if you can. Sighting in, and consistently putting down 1 inch groups at 25 yards is no sweat after a couple of days of good instruction and history.

Hope this helps, let us know how it goes.

 

[tradertator]

Where do you have the red dot mounted? Typically I put it on the farthest slot forward on the receiver (never on the rail) without it hanging over. Also, make sure the mount is on tight and hasn't loosened up. That said, I usually mono-pod my rifle off of a 30 round magazine while shooting prone, and do a 25 meter (82 fee) zero. Once zero'd, I take the rifle back 100 meters (328 feet) and reconfirm. The POI (point of impact) will shift slightly, but not much.