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Best Zero For Your Red Dot Pistol: 10 vs 15 vs 25

I use 7 as my local shooting range has markings at 3 yd, 7 yd, and 15 yds. I would use 10 yds, but don’t want to guess (though I will when just shooting). Once I’m set at 7 yds, I test at 5 yds (again, a guess), 3 yds, and finally 15 yds. In my real life situation my self defense scenarios would likely be well within those ranges (7yds and less). And I don’t want to have to worry about “over holding” during an immediate threat response. Plus I still shoot at 15 yds after zeroing at 7 yds and just seem to hit a few inches high (depending on round).

One of these days I’ll invest in some laser bore sight rounds and save myself some “zero” aggravation 😀. Naw, I’d rather shoot the live rounds!
 
Lab4Us said:
I use 7 as my local shooting range has markings at 3 yd, 7 yd, and 15 yds. I would use 10 yds, but don’t want to guess (though I will when just shooting). Once I’m set at 7 yds, I test at 5 yds (again, a guess), 3 yds, and finally 15 yds. In my real life situation my self defense scenarios would likely be well within those ranges (7yds and less). And I don’t want to have to worry about “over holding” during an immediate threat response. Plus I still shoot at 15 yds after zeroing at 7 yds and just seem to hit a few inches high (depending on round).

One of these days I’ll invest in some laser bore sight rounds and save myself some “zero” aggravation 😀. Naw, I’d rather shoot the live rounds!
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In my experience using a 15 yard zero, in a self defense situation ( as opposed to bullseye or competition) you don't need to worry about any offset between 0-25 yards.
 
Bassbob said:
In my experience using a 15 yard zero, in a self defense situation ( as opposed to bullseye or competition) you don't need to worry about any offset between 0-25 yards.
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Very well put. Hopefully this will be as far as we need to go with this conversation yet again, but I am sure it is just a matter of time before someone weighs in to tell us that red dots are a gimmick and are totally useless on a CCW gun and are completely unreliable because batteries die, optics break, because if John Moses Browning has wanted us to use red dots he would have invented him and then I’m going to have to post links to a bunch of videos refuting all that and calling red dot averse individuals fudds.

Also, can we all just agree it’s 15yds? If you can’t hit 15 yds call me.
 
SimonRL said:
Very well put. Hopefully this will be as far as we need to go with this conversation yet again, but I am sure it is just a matter of time before someone weighs in to tell us that red dots are a gimmick and are totally useless on a CCW gun and are completely unreliable because batteries die, optics break, because if John Moses Browning has wanted us to use red dots he would have invented him and then I’m going to have to post links to a bunch of videos refuting all that and calling red dot averse individuals fudds.

Also, can we all just agree it’s 15yds? If you can’t hit 15 yds call me.
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Yeah , all that stuff .

BUT , if you are going to use an Optic so mounted , 15 yards is heavily favored to be best way of doing so .
 
HansGruber said:
I’m used to a 25yd zero on iron sights.
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Yup , very common , and pretty logical zero , for lron Sights .

But Dot ( & other Optics of similar mounting position ) , you have a greater offset between line of sight , and line of bore .

The 15yd zero will put the ( zone where impact is within 1 inch of aiming point aka insignifigant difference ) to fall in the most typical distances of defensive / LE pistol engagements . Roughly 5 to 25 yards , give or take .

A 25 zero would move that out to roughly 15 to 35 yards . Cool , if you're expecting typical shots at 25 yds . If you're hunting with your stand / formal or informal blind 25 yds from a deer trail or food plot , you're golden .

Another approach is " Hey , we've always heard Within 7 yards or within 5 yards , so 7 or 5 yards is a good Dot Zero ."

And it would be , IF you were absolutely positively not going to shoot beyond those distances. Say , it's for Home Defense only , inside the house only , and your largest room , or longest hallway is 7 yards , you 're Golden .

But out & about in public , and the less common , but more often than zero threat situiation occurs farther , big errors . 25 yds would be 4 or 5 inches off . Sitting at a mall food court could have shot aimed at chest , pass over BG 's head .
 
Biggfoot44 said:
Yup , very common , and pretty logical zero , for lron Sights .

But Dot ( & other Optics of similar mounting position ) , you have a greater offset between line of sight , and line of bore .

The 15yd zero will put the ( zone where impact is within 1 inch of aiming point aka insignifigant difference ) to fall in the most typical distances of defensive / LE pistol engagements . Roughly 5 to 25 yards , give or take .

A 25 zero would move that out to roughly 15 to 35 yards . Cool , if you're expecting typical shots at 25 yds . If you're hunting with your stand / formal or informal blind 25 yds from a deer trail or food plot , you're golden .

Another approach is " Hey , we've always heard Within 7 yards or within 5 yards , so 7 or 5 yards is a good Dot Zero ."

And it would be , IF you were absolutely positively not going to shoot beyond those distances. Say , it's for Home Defense only , inside the house only , and your largest room , or longest hallway is 7 yards , you 're Golden .

But out & about in public , and the less common , but more often than zero threat situiation occurs farther , big errors . 25 yds would be 4 or 5 inches off . Sitting at a mall food court could have shot aimed at chest , pass over BG 's head .
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Something happening in my house?

I’m using a shotgun, or a short-barrel PCC.

For up close & personal, halitosis distance?

I’m not using a dot, nor sights—I’m doing threat-focused point shooting.

Sights & dots for for reaching out…so 25yds it is.
 
Bassbob said:
Sounds legit for a rifle. Maybe not a carry handgun.
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"Sounds " like discussing Rifle .

BUT , with certain handguns , with shooter of requisite marksmanship and accuracy if gun , discussion can be had about longer distances with flat shooting ctgs .

Full power .357 mag , .357 Sig , full power 10mn , etc . ( Ok , 115gr +P+ 9mm too ) . With a zero still reasonable for " normal " distances , can be good for hits at 100 - 125 .
 
Biggfoot44 said:
"Sounds " like discussing Rifle .

BUT , with certain handguns , with shooter of requisite marksmanship and accuracy if gun , discussion can be had about longer distances with flat shooting ctgs .

Full power .357 mag , .357 Sig , full power 10mn , etc . ( Ok , 115gr +P+ 9mm too ) . With a zero still reasonable for " normal " distances , can be good for hits at 100 - 125 .
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147gr 9mm tends to be more accurate at long distance than the warp speed lightweights.

Just sayin’, based on my experience.

230gr .45acp, or 158gr .357 mag, or 240gr .44 mag can REALLY reach out & touch someone, if you put in the work.
 
Talyn said:
None of the above.
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What’s your handgun zero ?
Biggfoot44 said:
"Sounds " like discussing Rifle .

BUT , with certain handguns , with shooter of requisite marksmanship and accuracy if gun , discussion can be had about longer distances with flat shooting ctgs .

Full power .357 mag , .357 Sig , full power 10mn , etc . ( Ok , 115gr +P+ 9mm too ) . With a zero still reasonable for " normal " distances , can be good for hits at 100 - 125 .
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Sure. I stretch mine out every session too. I would never zero a handgun at 100 yards though. Or even 50. Well, I should say a SA, carry gun. My 8.38" .44 Mag ( adjustable irons) is sighted in at 100 yards.
 
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