So I've always had the mindset of 35 meters for zeroing, and grouping being from the Army and BRM. However on here especially GD I've seen "other" opinions. I have a Colt Commando 11.5" 5.56 barrel with a Gemtech G5T, with an EOTech. Have mostly IMI 62 grain M855. What's the consensus for what I need? I doubt I'll ever go past 100 yards unless I'm at a friends house. This is on my own property, and mainly used probably for home defense.

What you're doing is perfectly fine especially if you are very familiar with it.

I do 50 yard zeros on all my 5.56s

If you want to find something else play around with this MPBR calculatorhttp://www.shooterscalculator.com/point-blank-range.php

I do a 50/200 zero with my carbines (latest is an 11.5) using this target from Arma Dynamics. Only need 25 yards to zero but achieve the 50/200. Has been the best system I've used yet, especially with non-magnified optics.

Agree. 50/200 is puro

I do 25, 50, 100, 200 if you really want to know what your round and rifle will do.  If my range was farther, I would go farther.

Very good replys, and I thank you all for them. I've heard a lot on the 50 yards, and it's why I'm questioning what I've learned in the military. I've just been using a standard diamond shoot and see target that you can pick up at bass pro, at 35 yards. I make sure I can group then I zero it out. Hell when I went to knob creek I can throw my target back at the 200 yards and still hit it with the top sight that I zero'ed in at 35 yards.

35, 50 or 100 yards zero won't really matter in home defense situation. I zeroed mine at 50 yards but set the bottom mounted red laser to hit 'bulls-eye" at 15 yards.

Well, it's mainly for home defense in close quarters. What happens if several people break into my home, I shoot a few of them, and some run. The ones running turn around to fire back at around 100 yards or so. We've seen this scenario play out in real life a few times. I would rather them be a statistic than myself. Obviously this is hypothetical.

In a defensive scenario all I care about is MPBR.  Center mass hold that hits 2.5" high @ 100 yards doesn't concern me.

With 35, 50 or 100 yard or meter zero you are gtg from muzzle out well past 100 yards if you you aim center of mass.

Personally, I prefer a 50/~200 yard zero for my ARs with any optic. And use the same zero for BUISs too.

You can use the calculator linked above, or play with the ballistic calculator on Federal Ammunition’s site.

Always good to check on paper at deferent ranges.

Sums it up for me too.

Sorry, I just had to do it.

87

Every rifle I shoot, period, gets a 100m zero.  Doesn't matter if it's a shorty M4 or a M110

The one I linked is printable; I just print 6-10 at a time and keep them with my stuff, then tape them up when needed.

If the engagement areas are all CQB distance or within 50yds, you are fine with everything listed above. If you are living on an acreage and may need to use it at longer distance, 50yd and 100yd zeroes are the most efficient due to that lack of needing to hold under for the maximum ordinate (apex of trajectory).

Here’s the problem with getting ballistics off of the internet- they’re not yours.  You shoot a rifle with a specific barrel that produces a specific muzzle velocity with a specific load.  The only way for you to know exactly what your bullet will do is to generate your own data by chronographing your rifle with that ammunition, punching it into a ballistic app with appropriate weather data, zeroing the rifle, and then shooting at various distances to confirm your trajectory.  An 11.5” rifle will not shoot the same as a 16” rifle, because the muzzle velocity will be less.  A precision match barrel may have higher MV than a government profile barrel of the same length.

Here’s the other issue, if your zero is 50yds, your zero is 50yds.  It’s not 50/200.  It’s not 50/225.  It’s 50.  Because that’s what you zeroed it at.  If you want to use the terminal intersect (also referred to as a secondary zero) as your zero, then zero your optic to that distance.  This seems like a semantics argument, but when you start running data and actually generating numbers and shooting confirmation shots, you find out quickly that the assumed secondary zero isn’t what was noted online or commonly thought.

Point being, if you want to know what your bullet will do before or after your zero distance, you need to put bullet holes in paper and find out in person.  This will make sure that you’re confident in what you can do, what you can expect out of your HD setup, and what you can justify should you have to take action.

Also, if you’re using XM855 or similar, please consider something better for HD.  I can go into long detail about the poor capability of that round using FBI BRF and IWBA data, but suffice it to say that there are better options that are readily available at gun shops and sporting good stores.  Look into a bonded JSP (Federal TBBC, Speer GDSP/Federal Fusion, Remington CLUB, etc), copper monolith JHP (i.e. Barnes TSX or Hornady GMX), or a heavy BTHP (75gr or heavier).

Frankly, given your range of 100 yards and in, you’ll be fine with a 35 yard zero. If that’s what your comfortable and familiar with, rock it. Are there “better” options? Maybe. But, again, it depends on your application.

I’d always gone with a 200 yard zero (50 yards in some cases). But, I played around with an MPBR zero a couple years ago and have been sold. Unless I’ve got a reticle with a BDC, the MPBR is becoming my go-to zero.

It’s just plain simple once you get it dialed in. For most of my ARs I can basically point and shoot out to ~350 yards and score COM hits, with no holds. Hard to find anything to be critical about that.

Yay! Someone else who knows the Remington CLUB is an awesome bullet. While the bonded rounds you’ve listed are pretty much splitting hairs in terms of performance, the CLUB is my favorite of those options.

I have all of the FBI BRF’s restricted data.  The CLUB is among the best bullets out there, but you really don’t seen any of it being used.  I think Remington has done a very poor job promoting that bullet, and they only have themselves to blame for its lack of success.

Will get back to that.