AR 9mm zero distance.

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Waterboy3313

Waterboy3313

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I built a 9mm upper a while back and had some issues with it. I gave up on it and put it away for about a year or so ago now. I think I have it sorted out now but still haven't verified it is 100% functional yet.

It's all NBS brand from AR 15 discount.com and has a 16" barrel. Today I went through it and put an old scope on it I had in the garage collection of old parts. I did a Google search for what distance to set my zero and came up with everything from 10 feet to 100 yards.

I'm just curious on some feedback as to where this conglomeration of parts should be zeroed for best average shot placement. No competition shooting here. Just 20-100 yard paper and steel target shooting with a 124gr rn RMR RN FMJ bullet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
File this under "Free advice is worth what you paid."

My buddy used the 10-50-200yd zero with his AR9, and it worked surprisingly well. Obviously, he won't be shooting it 200 yards, but he does use it on the 50 yard range. I was shocked at how little drop there is at 50 yards.

Using the target linked below, bench rest your AR9 on the 10 yard table, and put your sights/reticle on the top dot (point of aim). When properly zeroed, point of impact will be the bottom dot. This will establish a 50-200 yard zero. Fine-tune from the 50 yard bench... it shouldn't require much.

Naturally, point of impact will be progressively lower as your range decreases - 1.9" at 10 yards.

https://jerkingthetrigger.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/10-Yard-50-200-Zero-Target.pdf

Somebody posted a great target for establishing a 10-50-200yd. zero. It had several targets on a single page - I think two rows of four. Unfortunately, I can't find it. The one linked above similar, but only one target per page.

Have fun!
 
I'd sight it at the most frequent distance you shoot and then make a note card with POI differences at the other distances...

Edit: Or, do as Saluki noted above!
 
Riomouse911 said:
Just wondering, is that a 5.56 chart, a 9mm chart or can it be used for both?

We zero our 5.56 rifles at 50, that distance gives center-mass torso-sized no-holdover strikes to 250+.

View attachment 1007814

Stay safe.
Click to expand...
The target my buddy used was made for .223/5.56. For his purposes, that was "Close enough for government work." He used it to get close, then made further adjustments from 50 yards. His AR9 is merely a plinking toy... used primarily to remove paint from steel targets.
 
Saluki91 said:
My buddy used the 10-50-200yd zero with his AR9, and it worked surprisingly well. Obviously, he won't be shooting it 200 yards, but he does use it on the 50 yard range. I was shocked at how little drop there is at 50 yards.
Click to expand...

The 50 / 200 yard zero is based on .223 Rem / 5.56x45mm NATO velocities...

Are you sure one can get the same results with 9mm ammunition?
 
Saluki91 said:
The target my buddy used was made for .223/5.56. For his purposes, that was "Close enough for government work." He used it to get close, then made further adjustments from 50 yards. His AR9 is merely a plinking toy... used primarily to remove paint from steel targets.
Click to expand...
Sounds good :thumbup:. It may be more of a 50-100 with the 9mm, which is just fine.,:)

Stay safe.
 
Again - He was satisfied with "close enough". Ballistics between the two rounds are obviously very different, but is the difference at 10 yards enough to make a difference...? I don't think so. This is merely a tool to get you in the ball park. Make adjustments from the distance you want to most frequently shoot. For him, that was 50 yards, as that is where our steel pigs live. ; - )
 
The original rear sight aperture for the Colt 9mm SMG is 50 meters and 100 meters. Yes that was with a 10.5" barrel. But they were originally designed for a 50 yard zero.

From left to right: A1 rear sight, early night sight, Colt SMG, A2

AR sight apertures.jpg
 
Waterboy3313 said:
I built a 9mm upper a while back and had some issues with it. I gave up on it and put it away for about a year or so ago now. I think I have it sorted out now but still haven't verified it is 100% functional yet.

It's all NBS brand from AR 15 discount.com and has a 16" barrel. Today I went through it and put an old scope on it I had in the garage collection of old parts. I did a Google search for what distance to set my zero and came up with everything from 10 feet to 100 yards.

I'm just curious on some feedback as to where this conglomeration of parts should be zeroed for best average shot placement. No competition shooting here. Just 20-100 yard paper and steel target shooting with a 124gr rn RMR RN FMJ bullet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Chronograph your load or at least make a super close guesstimate, guesstimate the b.c. (any 124 fmj SHOULD be FAIRLY CLOSE). Then put your data into a ballistic calculator and play with theoretical zero distances till you get the amount of variance you're comfortable with. I'm gonna hazard an optimistic guess you come close to 75 yds??
 
Not an AR, but my 9mm CX4 has a sight over center bore height at 2" and a red dot mounted with the center of the dot about 2.3" over the center of the bore.

I simply zeroed it at 100 yards, which makes it a couple inches high at 60 yards and pretty much on the money at 20 yards.

I've only put 124 and 115 grain ammo through it.
 
Last edited:
Waterboy3313 said:
No competition shooting here. Just 20-100 yard paper and steel target shooting with a 124gr rn RMR RN FMJ bullet.
Click to expand...

Are you just wanting to set it and forget it? If so we need to know what size steel?

This chart is an example of trajectories using different zeros (on he right). With a lower sight height than will likely be found on an AR (.9”) and 1030 fps velocity but an example none the less.

Zeroed at 5 yds also is zero at 100 yds but 4.2” high at 50 yards.
Zeroed at 10 yds will be zero at 50 again but will be -8.4” at 100.

CC601AA0-2446-4C98-AF7B-225BAA46E563.jpeg

I generally zero mine at the distance I use them at and that’s often not as far as more suitable rounds for distance. That said if the steel is large enough or you use a little hole over is used. It can still be fun plinking steel at 100 yards or more with them.

With slower aimed fire this one (9.5” barrel rest is permanent suppressor to 16”) will do 3.5” 10 shot groups at 100. Still plenty to hit steel more often than not.
 
Thanks for all the great replies. I'm not exactly sure what specific distance I will shoot at the most. I would imagine mostly 40-75ish yards. I also like a variety of target sizes and shapes. Everything from silhouettes to clay pigeons randomly dispersed. Sometimes I will take a bag of oranges and toss them out as inconsistent as I can. I try not to get stagnant with any particular target or distance. I have a 12 inch steel plate I usually setup around 30-50 yards for pistol shooting.
 
That’s about 4.25” or +/- 2.125” from your zero if you don’t adjust or hold over. That 7-70 yd zero would get you there.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the good advice. I will give it a try. I'm hoping for good weather day this coming weekend. I will see if I can find some time to bore sight it before I go as well.
 
Not an AR9, but I sighted in my 9mm Keltec Sub 2K in for 50 yards. I wanted flat shooting inside that range, and was OK with a little holdover if I wanted to stretch it out towards 100. I don't intend on shooting at anything beyond 100... looking at jmorris's chart, everything beyond 100 is in the rainbow part of 9mm's trajectory with any zero.
 
I have a 16" AR9, a 25 yard zero perfectly equals a 100 yard zero -that is exactly the same with no measurable difference in height on target, but thats using 115 grain RMR FMJ at appx 1400fps. Using 125grain lead at about 1300, it hits the 2x3' steel plate at 100 yards easily, though its probably hitting a couple inches lower.
 
I have some 115gr bullets but mostly I load 124s. After I get this thing up and running I will have to load some 115s and see what the real world results show.
 
Can’t calculate such a thing without knowing your height over bore.

I zero mine at 25 yards or so
 
Can’t calculate such a thing without knowing your height over bore.

I zero mine at 25 yards or so
Click to expand...

Is that center of the bore to center of the scope/sight? With a measuring tape and eyeball I'm about 2.5 inches from center to center.

I'm not liking this old scope I have been kicking around for the last 20 years. I might swap it out for a vortex strike fire 2 I've had for a few years and never really used. I'm just not a big fan of the red/green dot sights.
 
chicharrones said:
I simply zeroed it at 100 yards, which makes it a couple inches high at 60 yards and pretty much on the money at 20 yards.
Click to expand...
......... My Ruger 9mm PC Carbine was zeroed at 50 yds. with 115 gr. stuff and would still ring the 6" steel ( holding dead on), on my buddies 93 yd. range, ( that's the honest distance, but it's close to 100 yds.). I was surprised with 9mm ballistics, having only handgun experience with 9mm prior to getting the carbine. Not as much drop as I thought there would be. This was with a holographic sight and it was still in the ball park at 25 yds. It was a pleasant surprise.
 
I wanted a Ruger pc9 but decided since I was into the AR stuff I would be happy with building a 9mm upper. I ended up buying the NBS stuff from AR-15 discounts. I started with the Endo mag magazine adapter setup and found it wasn't compatible with my bcg even though when it was purchased it listed it was compatible. I ordered a matador arms magazine adapter for Glock mags and a Glock magazine to make it go. I didn't like that hand guard included with the kit and swapped in an old psa rail. If I remember the barrel came from BCA and had the wrong thread pitch listed for the end of the barrel. It's been a long frustrating road. I gave up on it over a year ago and just decided to give it another try. Besides the leftover parts used I probably should have just bought the Ruger and been done. It would have probably been more cost effective and worked right out of the box.

My whole reason that kicked off this project was because I reload and every range trip I come back with tons of 9mm brass. I have one 9mm pistol that I carry but I don't particularly have any fun shooting. All of that tumbled brass was telling me to reload it and I listened. I probably should have just bought a Ruger or a decent pistol. Hopefully after all of this I will say I made the right decision.
 
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