Zero for High Power

[baddarryl]

Hi. I am planning to start high power if we ever get out of this mess. I have been reading and reading and reading. One thing I can’t find is where to zero my AR for the 200, 300 and 600. I have a 20 inch National Match Rock River that I’ll be using in 5.56 Wilde.

Typically I employ the idea of Battle Sight Zero and zero at 25 meters which has worked well for my purposes at Appleseed and such. My max local range I can sight at is 185 yards. So if I wanted a 200 yard zero how high would I need to be at 185? Not much I know but I am guessing it would make quite a difference further out. Thanks.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

I believe most are utilizing a 100 yards zero, if 600 is the maximum distance then you should be good.

 

[std7mag]

Another vote for 100 yards.

 

[Albany Mountain]

I would start my zero at 100 yards.

http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-31058.html

 

[chkunz]

Zero at 100 yards with a six o'clock sight picture then use the standard come ups from there:

From 100 to 200 yards come up two minutes.
From 200 to 300 yards come up two to three minutes.
From 300 to 600 yards come up 11 minutes.

You will be in the black.

 

[baddarryl]

Zero at 100 yards with a six o'clock sight picture then use the standard come ups from there:

From 100 to 200 yards come up two minutes.
From 200 to 300 yards come up two to three minutes.
From 300 to 600 yards come up 11 minutes.

You will be in the black.

Thanks. Somehow I don’t like the six a clock hold. Is there an advantage to it? If so I’ll work on it.

 

[spclark]

Thanks. Somehow I don’t like the six a clock hold. Is there an advantage to it? If so I’ll work on it.

Nobody's asked yet if you're using iron sights (post up front, aperture in back) or telescopic sight. The latter was approved for NRA high power a couple of years ago, what you see seems to improve what kind of scores you can shoot. I think CMP only allows scopes for service rifles? Haven't shot CMP rules for years so somebody else'll have to chime in on that...

"6-hold" was commonplace with irons for years. Easy to set up, not always easy to see if there's much mirage. Saves trouble trying to 'read' when your front post top's centered up as you're looking at a sight picture that puts the point of contact of the aiming black's bottom right at the center of your post's top edge. Mirage makes the image kinda mushy, makes seeing that a lot harder.

"Line-of-white" advocates feel a little white between your post top and the black bull's bottom is easier to judge under lower light conditions.

They all work once you get used to 'em.

'Scopes make things easier; if you have trouble seeing the crosshairs against the aiming black, don't set up a sight picture that puts the crosshairs in the black. Too hard to tell when you're 'centered up' and that can lead to eye strain.

With 'scopes it's become popular to use a "6-hold" with your crosshairs so the vertical splits the black left/right and the horizontal just touches at the bottom. That puts both lines against a white background.

 

[jpretle]

"0" at 200 yds.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

My M-14's were 5 minutes up from bottom for a 200 yd zero. Milled my front sights to match. .008 per minute. No need for 100 yds unless you're shooting reduced coarse. I shot center hold with a battle front sight. It was same width as the black for all targets. Never had problems seeing on the black bull. Got me to a high master card this way!

 

[chkunz]

Thanks. Somehow I don’t like the six a clock hold. Is there an advantage to it? If so I’ll work on it.

I should have left off the reference to the six o'clock hold, as long as you are consistent the standard come ups will work.

 

[chkunz]

"0" at 200 yds.

I would agree but he said he only had 185 yards to work with so I gave him the standard come ups from 100 yards. Either way the standard come ups give him a place to start either at 100 or 200 yards.

 

[r bose]

Hi. I am planning to start high power if we ever get out of this mess. I have been reading and reading and reading. One thing I can’t find is where to zero my AR for the 200, 300 and 600. I have a 20 inch National Match Rock River that I’ll be using in 5.56 Wilde.

Typically I employ the idea of Battle Sight Zero and zero at 25 meters which has worked well for my purposes at Appleseed and such. My max local range I can sight at is 185 yards. So if I wanted a 200 yard zero how high would I need to be at 185? Not much I know but I am guessing it would make quite a difference further out. Thanks.

I like a 100 yard zero because when you reload different projectiles/use different bullets, your zero will change and you'll need some adjustment, up and down, when starting at 200. Lighting, temperature, etc, will also affect zero so don't be afraid to make changes. A 100 yd zero is a base point to start counting clicks recorded for actual zero. Keep notes tracking what projectile you're shooting so you can adjust accordingly. Come up's are generally:

2-3 2 1/2 to 3 min
3-6 10-12 min

Iron or optic sights, this will get you on paper and able to use your sighters to fine tune.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

The prominent front post sight hold points that I recall for a round black bull were: "line-of-white", "center hold", and "6 o'clock".

………….and then, there was a "flat tire" hold, for those that could not quite make up their mind on the other three .

 

[marty dabney]

zero is an arbitrary number. you have different "zero's" for each yard line. i bottom out my iron sight rifles after each match.i put my zero on at the next match. my optic rifles get taken down to 2 MOA under my 100 yard zero after each match.

point is you will get your zero's figured out at each yard line when in a match. just log those numbers in your databook as you go. at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what your rifle is zeroed on, as long as you return it to the same spot after each match.

 

[kzin]

Nobody's asked yet if you're using iron sights (post up front, aperture in back) or telescopic sight. The latter was approved for NRA high power a couple of years ago, what you see seems to improve what kind of scores you can shoot. I think CMP only allows scopes for service rifles? Haven't shot CMP rules for years so somebody else'll have to chime in on that...

CMP is same as NRA now. 4.5x for SR, any power for Match

CMP Games Unlimited Modern Military also allows 4.5x

 

[spclark]

CMP is same as NRA now. 4.5x for SR, any power for Match

CMP Games Unlimited Modern Military also allows 4.5x

Interesting... thanks for that!

 

[DR1586]

I would always come 1 MOA up from the bottom and try to use my front sight to achieve a 100yd zero from there. That gave me a little wiggle room for light or position for reduced course matches/practice. Then from there, document your come ups. Also note you no wind zero per position. My windage always changed from offhand to sitting to prone. The way I mounted the gun put my head in a different position and the windage zero would be 1/2 to 3/4 difference between positions. Don’t overthink the service rifle, spend time on the gun and for every round you shoot prone, shoot 10 standing. You do that and you’ll be fine.

 

[SF-Guy]

Hi. I am planning to start high power if we ever get out of this mess. I have been reading and reading and reading. One thing I can’t find is where to zero my AR for the 200, 300 and 600. I have a 20 inch National Match Rock River that I’ll be using in 5.56 Wilde.

Typically I employ the idea of Battle Sight Zero and zero at 25 meters which has worked well for my purposes at Appleseed and such. My max local range I can sight at is 185 yards. So if I wanted a 200 yard zero how high would I need to be at 185? Not much I know but I am guessing it would make quite a difference further out. Thanks.

I would definitely zero at 200 yards unless you have any reason to go 100 ( like 100 yd reduced matches) that way you are always thinking at 300 and 600 yds regarding your 200 yd no wind zero. Otherwise you would need to remember three. I'm simple, shoot simple, and record everything in your data book.
Do you use a ballistic program, chronograph, or other? they will help you. Also, a zero is a "live entity"and will vary slightly from temp, etc. Do not get excited it is changes slightly over time.

 

[MGYSGT]

I would always come 1 MOA up from the bottom and try to use my front sight to achieve a 100yd zero from there. That gave me a little wiggle room for light or position for reduced course matches/practice. Then from there, document your come ups. Also note you no wind zero per position. My windage always changed from offhand to sitting to prone. The way I mounted the gun put my head in a different position and the windage zero would be 1/2 to 3/4 difference between positions. Don’t overthink the service rifle, spend time on the gun and for every round you shoot prone, shoot 10 standing. You do that and you’ll be fine.

+1 for excessive practice at Awful Hand (offhand).