Newb: How to sight my AR-15

[Guest confidence]

I am new to AR's and just got a Bushmaster Carbon. How do I calibrate the red dot? I see that it has the up/down and left/right adjusters but what method should I use for the whole process? I've heard of the groups of 3 and the triangle, etc. but isn't that for longer distances? The area I shoot in is only around 30 yards distance. Please help this poor newb...

[Garufa]

First, go setup a target.  Then what I would do is take the upper completely off and take out the BCG so you can see down the barrel.  Put it on some bags or some other steady rest.  Look down the bore at the target then adjust the dot to be about the same place.

 

Put rifle back together and start shooting for fine-tuning.

 

That's the cheap and easy way to do it.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Garufa

[Guest confidence]

First, go setup a target.  Then what I would do is take the upper completely off and take out the BCG so you can see down the barrel.  Put it on some bags or some other steady rest.  Look down the bore at the target then adjust the dot to be about the same place.

 

Put rifle back together and start shooting for fine-tuning.

 

That's the cheap and easy way to do it.

 

Interesting idea! I was advised by a gunsmith not to bore sight it with one of those rounds that have the laser in them because of something like that it will only be accurate for like 30 yards (can't remember why he said for sure), but that's pretty much how much space I have anyway - 30 yards. I may try your idea and then later buy a bore sight laser. What do you think about the laser sight method?

[Luke E.]

Interesting idea! I was advised by a gunsmith not to bore sight it with one of those rounds that have the laser in them because of something like that it will only be accurate for like 30 yards (can't remember why he said for sure), but that's pretty much how much space I have anyway - 30 yards. I may try your idea and then later buy a bore sight laser. What do you think about the laser sight method?

Bore sighting is basically doing what Garufa suggested but using the laser instead of line of sight. The laser is only meant to get you on the target so that your not trying to guess which side of the target you completely missed (saves ammo and much frustration) Again like Garufa said, once your on paper you can start shooting and honing in more and more til your spot on. If your several inches off then turn the appropriate clicker(s) and shoot one more shot then make your next correction. Once you get inside 2" you might start shooting 2-3 shots between adjustment so that you know your not chasing around one bad shot.

Good Luck

[gregintenn]

Bore sighting will get you on paper. You'll need to do the rest via shoot, adjust, repeat. I like to shoot a 3 shot group instead of just one shot at a time, to make sure It isn't my fault I didn't hit the mark.

 

I use Garufa's method to sight in scopes for any rifle I can lay on a sandbag and see through the bore; single shots, bolt actions, ARs, etc. It works as well as the laser gadgets in my opinion.

[RWF]

on a AR, a 25 yard zero will put you about 5" hi at 100 yards, a 50 yard zero put you about 2" hi at 100 and very close at 200. depending on ammo of course. just do not take this as hard fact, its only a guide

[Lowpower]

Should you decide to use a laser don't forget to remove it from the barrel prior to loading a round or your shooting session might get very interesting and end abruptly.

 

http://www.craigboyce.com/w/2012/07/exploding-deer-rifle/

 

Lp

Edited May 23, 2013 by Lowpower

[Garufa]

What do you think about the laser sight method?

 

It costs money that could go towards ammo.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Garufa

[RobertNashville]

Not to hijack the thread but...while we are at it...is there an "optimum" range at which to sight in?

 

It seems to me that I've heard using 50 yrds and 100 yrds but I'm really not sure which is "better" or if either one is superior to the other.

[Oh Shoot]

It costs money that could go towards ammo.

Yup. I usually have some 2ft square folded sheets of paper in bag, will put one of them up with new scope, fire a couple rounds. If on paper can go from there, if not, looking through the bore is great way to make initial large adjustments.

With .22LR, doesn't much matter since ammo is (well, was) so cheap you can just fire at dirt or whatever to get in the ballpark and you didn't much mind the extra ammo involved and can't see through the bore with non bolt action models anyway.

Note, you really need to lock the rifle down pretty well, at minimum with a bipod, and bags better; it's an exercise in frustration to do a precise sight in with just elbow on table.
 

Not to hijack the thread but...while we are at it...is there an "optimum" range at which to sight in?
 
It seems to me that I've heard using 50 yrds and 100 yrds but I'm really not sure which is "better" or if either one is superior to the other.

For 5.56/.223, a 50 yard zero has much less deviation from 25 to 250 yards than a 25 yard one and seems to have become perhaps the standard for us civilians, considering the distances at most of our ranges (or even likely distances involved in EOTWAWKI). 50 yard zero comes back to about same at 200. 100 yard zero is pert good too, though.

Here's ballpark data. Note that any given round/bullet weight will vary.




'Bout to try out a new Nikon P-223 scope on my AR, but have a different problem --  must admit right off the bat this thing seems to be much smarter than moi, as I don't understand some of the controls and markings on the turrets and reading both the manual and online hasn't helped much!

 

Gonna try and give it the shakedown tomorrow, will probably have questions for you experts.

 

- OS

Edited May 23, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[JGunner]

http://gunwebsites.net/2011/09/16/ar15-zero-introduction/

This is a pretty good explanation of zeroes I found the other day. There's also a PDF you can download of the slides from the video.

[RobertNashville]

For 5.56/.223, a 50 yard zero has much less deviation from 25 to 250 yards than a 25 yard one and seems to have become perhaps the standard for us civilians, considering the distances at most of our ranges (or even likely distances involved in EOTWAWKI). 50 yard zero comes back to about same at 200. 100 yard zero is pert good too, though.

Here's ballpark data. Note that any given round/bullet weight will vary.



 

- OS

Thanks...that's helpful!

[Spurholder]

I have a 100m zero on my LE6920 for my Micro T-1.   Here's a pretty good read on the subject:

 

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=107572

 

Also, you can use these targets at 25m to obtain your 100m zero:

 

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=96955&highlight=100m+target

 

HTH.

[gregintenn]

What's a meter? :shrug:

[Oh Shoot]

What's a meter? :shrug:

 

Them thangs that tell the utility companies how much you owe. ;)

Edited May 31, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[Spiffy]

I say bench it on sand bags (Lowes has sand tubes for like $4) and just shoot a 5 shot group at a target at 25 meters. Then move your dot to where that group is. Repeat till it's where you want it to be. Then read read read read read read read about the various zeroing distances and methods and pick what you like best and go that route.

[RWF]

What's a meter? :shrug:

 

1 yard 36"  1 meter about 39"

[Jonnin]

I have a simple method for a new rifle.

 

Step 1) get a poster board from walmart (or more like 5 of em).

step 2) put a small target in the middle, and shoot at it

step 3) without moving the gun, adjust the dot until it covers the bullet hole. 

repeat until it is "pretty good".  

 

refine it beyond that?  Nah, get a scope.  Red dot is already 2 or more MOA so if you can hit a 3-4 inch target with it at 100, its fine.