Help with AR-15 Zero...

[Art Eatman]

I generally think "hunting", so I zero all my rifles for two inches high at 100. Generally, that's close to a 200-yard zero. (Okay, a bit farther out for .22-250 or .220 Swift. ) Roughly five or six inches low at 300.

 

[Driftertank]

My 50/200 zero gives me 1.5" high at 100. So it's pretty much point blank from 0 to 225-250yds.

As an aside, x-tac xp193 turns in almost 3100fps from my criterion 16" 1:8 .223 Wylde barrel. I figured it was a goof the first time I saw that; bad lighting or low chrony battery or something. So I was surprised to see the same value on a different day over a different chrony.

 

[David4516]

I wouldn't be surprised by 3100FPS with 55gr ammo in a 16 inch barrel. I've gotten about 3100 from the Federal 55gr 193 ammo that comes in the plain brown box.

I wish I could duplicate this with my reloads. I'm getting just a hair over 2800 with 55gr. I'm afraid to add much more powder I don't want to kaboom my gun or something. I've tried 3 different powders for .223, CFE223, IMR 4198, and H335. I've had the best results with H335 (which oddly enough also works works well in my .30-30) but the factor ammo is still a bit hotter. I'll just have to live with 2800 I guess. Sine I'm mainly just shooting paper and/or pop cans with it anyway, I don't think the extra bit of velocity is going to make a big difference.

ScottsBad, I totally agree with you about zeroing with the ammo you're actually going to shoot. I see hunters do this all the time. Zero gun with ammo X, then take ammo Y into the field for the hunt. Sounds like a recipe for a wounded animal to me...

I use Aimpoints and a couple 1-4X scopes.

Something like this would make more sense than the 3-9X my wife has on her gun. It was one of these things were we already had the scope laying around and didn't want to spend the money on a different one. If it turns out she loves the rifle and wants to shoot it more often I'll probably put a lighter, and lower powered, scope on there for her. I saw a Weaver 1-3X that looked really nice the other day, something like that could be good...

edited to add:

This is the stuff I was getting 3100 FPS with:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/95...to-55-grain-xm193-full-metal-jacket-boat-tail

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

i get it close at 25, and then zero 2.5" high at 100. that's about a 250 yard zero.

 

[David4516]

Went back to the range with my wife yesterday. We re-zeroed her rifle at 50 yards and she's happy with it now. Even shot at some steel targets at 125 yards and hit them every time. Now I'm thinking I need to change the zero on my own AR-15 to 50 yards...

 

[henschman]

For a red dot, I use a 50 yard zero. That comes out to about a 220 yard zero on my 16", and a 250 yard zero on my 20". That is my default setting for irons too.

For a scope, I usually zero at 100 yards, and hold off or dial for further distances.

 

[JamieC]

I like a 100 yard zero. My AR has a red dot, BUIS. With those sights, I figure most of my shooting will be 100 yards or less, SD. At distances less than 100 yards, I'll hit low. At least I have a chance of seeing the POI since it'll be low, then I can adjust. If it's high, I might not see by how much.

 

[MartinS]

Gone to a 50 yard zero with the irons yet?