Here is an argument for a 25-yard zero. This is working with some assumptions:
- 9mm or .40 S&W duty ammo
- 3.5–5" barrel
- Dot ~1" over bore
- Zeroed at 25 yards
Ballpark POI:
Approximate POI with a 25-yard zero
3–5 yards: (Honestly, at this distance I'm not using the dot, or irons for that matter)
→ ~–0.9 to –1.2" low
10 yards: (Honestly, at this distance I'm still not using the dot, or irons for that matter, unless time allows)
→ ~–0.5 to –0.8" low
15 yards: (Here is where the dot starts to earn it's keep, but irons are as good or better)
→ ~–0.2 to –0.4" low
25 yards: (Okay, dot wins. Hands down. It is now worth it's weight in gold)
→ Zero
50 yards: (Okay, dot wins. Hands down. It is now worth it's weight in gold, I have done this as well. Ring steel all day)
→ ~–1 to –2" low
100 yards: (Still dot for the win. I don't do this as much but easily multiple times more accurate at this range with dots)
→ ~–6 to –10" low
So why do 25 since you can adjust with a 7, 10, 12 or 15 yard zero?
Three reasons:
1. It’s legacy doctrine
LE and military pistol quals were written decades ago around 25 yards. We always start or finish at 25. Paper targets, iron sights, long firing lines. Dots, for me, just inherited that tradition.
2. It stretches your practical distance
If you ever need real accuracy past 40–50 yards (think perimeter work, barricades, active shooter across a courtyard), the 25-yard zero gives me:
- Less drop
- Less guessing
- Less “aim at his hairline and pray”
*This is where 25 wins for me.
3. Easier to confirm mechanically
At 25 yards, tiny alignment errors show up. At 10 or 15, you can be sloppy and still think you’re dialed in.
