What is a respectable distance (with a red dot) to find how your AR shoots?

[blackops]

What is a respectable distance to see how an AR shoots with a red dot? I know there are going to be different opinions, but I think we will establish a medium and I'm wondering what others opinions are. Obviously with a scope groupings can be fine tuned, so what is still respectable in your opinion?

 

[FatPants]

I dont really understand your question. What MOA is the dot?

 

[unwise11]

50 yards is a starting point.

 

[TexasRifleman]

FatPants asks a very important question. What size is the dot?

Your expected results with a 2 MOA dot will be different than with a 1 MOA dot.

 

[blackops]

I dont really understand your question

Hmmm I didn't think it was that complicated (even though I forgot to mention my dot moa) of a question, but I was referring to distance.

It's a Aimpoint COMPML2. I believe it's 4 MOA.

 

[W.E.G.]

For a non-magnified sight on an AR-15, and on the same sighting plane as the iron sights, just sight it in for 50 yards, and you will be good to go for any man-sized target you may need to engage out to about 250 yards with M-193 ammo.



If you want to practice shooting as-small-as-possible groups, you need a target with good contrast for the red dot. There is a reason why competitive shooters shoot at black bullseye targets. You want an aiming black that will be at least two-times the size of your red dot as you view the target through the sight.

 

[jobu07]

Or a 4 MOA dot for that matter. Standard Comp M2 is 4MOA, the newer Comp M4 is a 2MOA.

 

[snakeman]

50-100 yards

 

[blackops]

This is all to simply test how accurate the rifle is, though I will sight in at 50 for ballistic purposes. I'm interested in how accurate the rifle can be.

 

[jmorris]

How big your dot is will have a difference as noted. With a 1X 2 moa using the top of the dot on the aim point (think 8, dot to aim point) 1.5" is what I get out of my 458 socom 3 shots at 100 yards.

 

[AK103K]

I have Comp M2's/ML2's on a couple of my AR's. I have no troubles keeping all the rounds COM (about 6-8") on "people'' targets at 200 yards. I dont normally shoot off a bench, nor do I use targets with a defined aiming point. You may do better with both.

Shoot as far as you feel comfortable with it, and go from there. The combo will probably shoot better than you can as far as you can see and hold. At longer distances, it helps to dial the dots intensity down, as the dot will "seem" smaller and more precise, allowing you to hold a little tighter.

 

[W.E.G.]

I'm interested in how accurate the rifle can be.

If you want to practice shooting as-small-as-possible groups, you need a target with good contrast for the red dot. There is a reason why competitive shooters shoot at black bullseye targets. You want an aiming black that will be at least two-times the size of your red dot as you view the target through the sight.

 

[dzelenka]

200 yards if you have it. 100 if you don't. Anything closer doesn't really measure accuracy very well.

 

[HorseSoldier]

The 4 MOA dot is used to shoot out to 300 meters for the qual course, so you should be able to make hits that far. Pushing much further you start getting into the situation of the dot being bigger than the target, though.

 

[CraigC]

Doesn't really matter what size the dot is, as long as you match your target to your sights. Won't do much good to shoot at a 2" bullseye at 100yds with a 4MOA dot but a 6-8" target will do fine. Start at 50yds, then move to 100yds. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need a huge scope to shoot MOA. You just have to match your target to your sights, finding something that you can consistently bracket your dot, reticle or front sight against.

 

[Tirod]

If you want to find out how accurate the barrel is, use a 9X at 50 or 100 yards, and shoot ten shot groups. You won't discover if the barrel is 2MOA or less with a 4MOA dot - or even 2MOA. You need a fine crosshair and an overdose of magnification to eliminate most of the shooter error. A benchrest sled would help immensely.

A 4MOA dot will likely tell you that the package shoots under 4MOA - but not how much smaller.

 

[Sky]

Yes just zero like you would iron sights. 25 yards for 300 and 50 yards for 200...the chart above that W.E.G. posted is really good. For me if I zero at 25 yards I am usually a tad bit high at 300; it also depends on your eye sight and the presence of any astigmatism.

 

[stork]

Your first priority is to find out if/or your dot has parallax. If you wind up with a dot that has 6" of parallax at 50 yards, all you do is expend perfectly good components.

Set the dot down on a table with the dot on your target. Then move your head from side to side and top to bottom while watching your dot. If it moves...that's how much parallax you have.

There's a reason why Ultra Dots and Aimpoints cost more, and even they will have a rare goof up. Been there-done that and found out the hard way.

As was mentioned, as long as your target is larger in diameter than your dot you will be able to do a comparative test for ammo accuracy. Not as precise as a higher magnification scope will give you, but sufficient for general purposes.

FWIW

 

[CraigC]

If you want to find out how accurate the barrel is, use a 9X at 50 or 100 yards, and shoot ten shot groups. You won't discover if the barrel is 2MOA or less with a 4MOA dot - or even 2MOA. You need a fine crosshair and an overdose of magnification to eliminate most of the shooter error. A benchrest sled would help immensely.

A 4MOA dot will likely tell you that the package shoots under 4MOA - but not how much smaller.

Hogwash, if I can shoot MOA with buckhorns, you can shoot MOA with a dot.

 

[Justin]

With my aimpoint, I put it on paper at 100, then re-zeroed it for 200 yards. Dead on at 200, hold a little high to hit at 300, hold a little low to hit at 100.

Targets used were IPSC steel poppers.

 

[longdayjake]

I find that with a red dot you can't really find out how well your ar will shoot. All you can find out is how well you shoot with a red dot.

 

[ny32182]

Yep... you have the wrong sight to measure accuracy.

The best practice I've found if you want to try to shoot tight groups with a dot is to use a high contrast point such as a black dot as the target, turn the dot brightness down, and then use a 6'oclock hold or something similar that matches the edge of the dot against the aiming point... this is an easier sight picture to be consistent with, at least for me.

However, the red dot is not meant to shoot tight groups. There are lots of people on the internet who can shoot MOA at 1000 yards with M193 and a red dot, but they are in shorter supply at shooting ranges.

 

[Justin]

I find that with a red dot you can't really find out how well your ar will shoot. All you can find out is how well you shoot with a red dot.

With certain exceptions, dot sights aren't made for shooting tight groups, they're meant for being able to hit targets at combat distances and do it very quickly.

 

[benzy2]

First off, dot size has very little to do with the ability to shoot accurately. As said, using a properly sized target will allow any dot size to be accurate. Go look at the guys shooting iron sights in highpower. Maybe you'll lose the last few tenths of an inch, but with proper targets you would be surprised how accurately you can shoot a nonmagnified rifle.

 

[Offfhand]

Mr Blackops, you ask a fair question and Mr Benzy2 gives you a good reply. As you will discover for yourself, contrary claims notwithstanding, you can aim quite accurately with your dot sight. Use a suitable target at 100 yards, fire from a solid rest, and you'll be plesantly surprised.