Help Zeroing AR15 Iron Sights and Red Dot Optic.

[VK1996]

I recently aquired an AR15 and would like to see if anyone would be willing to help me zero it. I have tried and I am very confused. I am willing to pay and can provide ammunition. I am in the Portland area.

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[No_Regerts]

Where are you doing your shooting?

 

[VK1996]

Where are you doing your shooting?

Wolf Creek Gun Range

 

[osprey]

Well I am sure we can talk you through it. What seems to be the problem? The front sight is used to adjust impact up and down. If you want to raise point of impact you lower front sight. If you want to lower poi, you raise the front sight post. A front sight tool is easiest to accomplish this but a bullet tip can be used in a pinch. The rear sight is the opposite of the front and you move the rear aperture in the direction you want to change the poi. If your shots are going too far right you would move aperture left to move poi left. That is the basics but can help more if you have a more specific problem.

 

[VK1996]

Well I am sure we can talk you through it. What seems to be the problem? The front sight is used to adjust impact up and down. If you want to raise point of impact you lower front sight. If you want to lower poi, you raise the front sight post. A front sight tool is easiest to accomplish this but a bullet tip can be used in a pinch. The rear sight is the opposite of the front and you move the rear aperture in the direction you want to change the poi. If your shots are going too far right you would move aperture left to move poi left. That is the basics but can help more if you have a more specific problem.

I am not confident how accurate I am shooting with the Bipod.

 

[osprey]

Is the bipod attached to a free float rail ?

 

[gryghin]

Welcome Aboard.

Glad you found the forum.

Have you centered your rear site mechanically? If I'm not sure of the sites, I would count the clicking by going all the way to one side. Then count the click to the other side. Take that number and divide it to find the center.

It's always easier to sight in a rifle with someone watching.

 

[VK1996]

Is the bipod attached to a free float rail ?

I don't know what that is but here is the gun.

 

[osprey]

Ok it is attached to a ff rail which is good. So what kind of groups are you getting at 50 yds?

 

[VK1996]

Ok it is attached to a ff rail which is good. So what kind of groups are you getting at 50 yds?

I am not sure I am even shooting properly. I used ironsights shot 3 rounds at 25 yards. I got two dead center on the target and 1 3 inches off. I have no clue if that was luck or what, so I don't want to waste ammo when I really don't even know if what I'm doing is correct or wrong.

 

[American123]

Welcome!

There's probably a million videos on youtube about this. I'd start by removing everything from the top of that rifle except the flip up sights, and also remove the bipod. I'd learn to use the flip up sights before reattaching the red dot.

The situation you seem to be in is "way outta your league" - which is fine because we all started somewhere, but, again, there are tons of youtube videos on this subject which would be great because it seems you're running before having walked. Another alternative is to get a laser boresight, you could sight it in in your home, then adjust it to your liking at the range with live ammo.

 

[VK1996]

Welcome!

There's probably a million videos on youtube about this. I'd start by removing everything from the top of that rifle except the flip up sights, and also remove the bipod. I'd learn to use the flip up sights before reattaching the red dot.

The situation you seem to be in is "way outta your league" - which is fine because we all started somewhere, but, again, there are tons of youtube videos on this subject which would be great because it seems you're running before having walked. Another alternative is to get a laser boresight, you could sight it in in your home, then adjust it to your liking at the range with live ammo.

I did boresight it at about 20 yards. Can I boresight irons?

 

[osprey]

If you are on paper at 25yds already you can skip any further boresighting. So you have only shot three rounds with the irons? I would also advocate peeling everything off just leaving irons to start with and off of a bench with sandbags. It does sound like you need some rudimentary training on the proper mechanics of shooting the AR platform. I would gladly help free gratis if you were local to me but I am sure somebody near you will chime in to maybe help you in person.

 

[American123]

I did boresight it at about 20 yards. Can I boresight irons?

You can bore sight all sights and a couple different ways, but I won't try and put into words that has already many times over been recorded on video and posted for others to watch.

Some good videos topics to watch will be:
1) Rules of firearm safety
2) How to bore-sight a rifle - you don't need a laser cartridge, but it could make it easier.
3) Bullet trajectories and offsets and how that affects zero vs bullet impact at given distances
4) General design and mechanical workings of the AR pattern rifle.

Tough to diagnose any specific difficulty you were experiencing because the shooter plays the largest part of that usually, but I'm confident after spending some time watching videos in the subject you'll find success when you try it again.

 

[VK1996]

If you are on paper at 25yds already you can skip any further boresighting. So you have only shot three rounds with the irons? I would also advocate peeling everything off just leaving irons to start with and off of a bench with sandbags. It does sound like you need some rudimentary training on the proper mechanics of shooting the AR platform. I would gladly help free gratis if you were local to me but I am sure somebody near you will chime in to maybe help you in person.

I have shot it and I seem to hit the target fine at 25 yards and I have shot weapons in the past mostly with irons. Honestly I really just have no way to verify how correct or wrong I am.

 

[MarshalChillN]

Seems to me that you need some basic firearms training first ...
You've fired 3 rounds into a target at 25 yds and hit each time, whats the problem?

 

[Joe13]

Ask someone else at the range to shoot it for you and give their opinion.

Look for someone shooting an AR, seems competent and doesn't look like they are in a hurry.

RSO's are a good source sometimes.

You got way more gun then your abilities so 'on paper' may be as good as it gets for you until you take some classes on how to shoot as was suggested.

Just my 2¢

 

[clearconscience]

Don't take this the wrong way, but it's probably you, not the rifle.

Are you new to shooting? Or just new to the AR platform?

Might need to focus on some basics. Just load one round in the mag at a time. Focus on your breath, squeeze the trigger don't jerk it.

When in doubt. Let some one else squeeze off a couple rounds.
like others have said, ask the RSO for some tips, help. They are great for that.
and most will do it without you asking (or needing)

 

[IOM]

Welcome aboard...

 

[Aero Denezol]

Welcome aboard VK.

The AR15 iron sights are somewhat coarse, especially the elevation. As far as the windage goes, the front post thickness represents about 6" at 100 yards. Again, not super precise. If you can get a tennis ball sized group at 50 yards using iron sights, for all practical purposes, consider the irons zeroed.

Some of it is not you: plinking ammo can have inconsistent charge and weight from one cartridge to the next. It's nowhere near on the level of handloads some of these guys are making.

If you ever make it down this way I am at ARPC (Albany) once a week, minimum. I would be happy to help you zero this rifle, no charge.