quick question re zeroing holosun 403c

[old lady new shooter]

Also, if the optic has never been zeroed before, it’s good to start at 11 or 25 yards to get it pretty well aligned (shoot a couple of rounds while aiming at the center of the target and see where those rounds hit, adjust the optic to move the impacts toward the center or a bit below center, then repeat). Once you’re roughed in at close range, move the target back to the desired range and repeat, shooting 3 rounds and then fine-tuning the adjustment at the desired range.

That sounds like a good plan, it's kind of doing it twice but OTOH it makes more sense if this is the first time I'm gonna be shooting it at 25 yards. (I did have one lesson and then a range visit, at both of which I used this exact model. That was before COVID, at my inside range the targets can be moved in whatever increments a person wants, I think I started at 10 yards and kept moving back about 2 yards at a time, got up to 17 yards before I got tired, but all the shots went into the 10 area. But I've never fired one further than that.)

There is nothing more frustrating when zeroing than to start too far away and have your rounds missing the paper in some unknown direction.

The documentation says it's approximately zeroed at the factory. Thanks to kind advice I did do a rough zero at about 15 yards in my house by taping a target up, securely positioning the upper so I could see the center of the target through the bore, then without moving it, adjusting the sight until the dot was on the center of the target.

 

[CapnMac]

Turn it off

She's referring to a known "thing" with the 403--the recharging sensor on top is "always on" and responds to UV to decrease/increase the dot brightness. And, common indoor fluorescent lighting (to include "rat tail" CFL) will, trigger the 403 to act like it's in sunlight.

The 403 are just fine if you are going to be outside all day, the one brightness setting will stay that way. Indoors, or mixed indoors/outdoors, maybe not so much.

 

[JohnKSa]

What happens if you just put a piece of tape over the sensor?

 

[old lady new shooter]

What happens if you just put a piece of tape over the sensor?

I didn't want to put tape but I tried holding a piece of black cardboard on top of it. No red dot.

 

[Jim Watson]

Great, you did a real Boresight on it.

Let me try a different angle.
Your sight is approximately 3" above the center of the barrel. So, if you have a target right in front of you -visualize an assailant fixing to grab your gun - your shot will hit 3" "low", nothing you can do about that.
If you have zeroed at 25 yards, the bullet will get closer and closer to the Point of Aim until it is right in the middle at 25 yards. At 55 yards, it will be 3" above the Point of Aim. (Using data for one common load, others will differ, but not much.)
Now if you are solidly supported on the bench at the range, that will be obvious on a target.
Looking around the corner down the hall, ready to repel boarders, the trajectory is insignificant. Holding high or low is not something to be considering under stress, you are not trying to hit a particular shirt button on a home invader, anywhere in the upper torso is what you might call a good start.

 

[old lady new shooter]

It all depends on the situation. Sometimes a head shot might be necessary.

 

[Jim Watson]

A 25 yard zero will have you within one inch of the point of aim from 16 to 34 yards.
An 11 yard zero will have you within an inch of the point of aim from 7 to 15 yards. Which would be theoretically more useful down the hall or across most yards. But as the lawns get wider, it gets off target very fast. Ten inches high at 50 yards, 21 inches at 100 yards.

Don't overthink it. Set the sight for a convenient distance and work to make that head shot.

 

[9mmepiphany]

It all depends on the situation. Sometimes a head shot might be necessary.

It actually doesn't...sounds like you're channeling some OCD traits

I use a 25yard zero with my .223 AR platform and don't have any issues making head shots across rooms at competition speed. The shot might not fall directly between the eyes (high -0), but the middle of the upper lip area is actually a better hit in real life

 

[Hookeye]

Yup, 1.25 ish low at 25 means usable at 100.

My rds on one AR is dead on at 50 yards.

Kind of a HD, plinker and half arsed varmint rig. 1 moa dot. 16" w less than fancy trigger.

 

[old lady new shooter]

It actually doesn't...sounds like you're channeling some OCD traits

"It all depends on the situation" was in response to the statement that "anywhere in the upper torso" would be all I would need.

I use a 25yard zero with my .223 AR platform and don't have any issues making head shots across rooms at competition speed. The shot might not fall directly between the eyes (high -0), but the middle of the upper lip area is actually a better hit in real life

You guys have pretty much convinced me to go with the 25-yard zero.

Now I have to pull the trigger on buying the Aimpoint, even though the price is painful. The Holosun was a mistake, and buying something else without being able to try it could become another mistake. I guess I should just do it, procrastinating is not gonna make it cheaper.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Now I have to pull the trigger on buying the Aimpoint, even though the price is painful. The Holosun was a mistake

I wouldn't say that buying a Holosun was a mistake. Buying the entry level 403 might have been an error on the side of value over function. Both the 510 and the 512 are excellent for use on a carbine

 

[old lady new shooter]

The one I bought is perfectly suitable for a carbine that will be used outdoors, or in a uniformly lit indoor setting. It was fine at my indoor range on the rental. I did not realize it would not work in a semi-dark area indoors shooting at an illuminated target. I just went looking for "Holosun 510 or 512", 512 appears to be the upgrade from 510(?), 512 with no letter after did not pop, 512c says it also has solar panels.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The difference between the 510 and the 512 is that the 510 has open architecture while the 512 screen and projector are in a tube (doesn't affect getting a sight picture; I have both)

Using the panels on the 510/512 to charge is optional. I run both mine on the battery only

 

[old lady new shooter]

The difference between the 510 and the 512 is that the 510 has open architecture while the 512 screen and projector are in a tube (doesn't affect getting a sight picture; I have both)

Using the panels on the 510/512 to charge is optional. I run both mine on the battery only

Does "optional" mean the panels can be affirmatively turned off?

Have you tried shooting from a position in semi-darkness at an illuminated target? If so, what is the appearance of the dot compared to uniform lighting?