ok guys I am a newbie again to ARs  have spent many many years now playing with AKs but decided to bite the bullet and buy an AR before the next election......so here is my question



how do I properly sight my AR in?    I am looking at my front sight post and it says up going clock wise....cant remember will this bring my POI up?  or will it just bring the sight post up bringing POI down?


also the rear sight has a windage knob.....going clock wise takes the rear sight to the Right?  or turing clock wise brings POI to the right?




now most importand question.....at what distance should I zero her in?  I know the 556 round is a pretty flat round as far as trajectory......I would like to sight the rifle in and be dead nuts on at 100yrds.....if I do that will I be dead on out to 300?


what do you guys recommend for sighting in?  




now last question.....what ammo?  I am thinking of sighting in with 62 grain, what are the recommendations?  62 or 55?    I have a 1/7 barrel    if I do sight in with 62 gr  will it be very far off using 55 gr also?



thanks fellas

Zero the small sight at 25m and it's on again at 300m and all the adjustments match up. The large sight (0-200) will also zero at 50m and 200m.

Zero the small hole at 50m and it's on again at 200m but the markings on the sights won't match up, and I don't know what it does to the larger sight.

Yes, screw in the post and the POI raises. The front sight "chases" the POI to zero, the rear "runs away".

50 Yards.  Point of aim = Point of impact.  This will keep you within a few inches out to roughly 220 yards.  

buy a 500 rounds of whatever brass cased ammo you can afford and get to the range to answer your own questions.start with the nearest target. you just cant beat seat time. 100 yrd zero, 300 yrd? whats your target? paper, pred, varmit? turn your sights and see what happens. front sight rightyTighty down brings your barrel up like any other firestick. leftyloosy will bring it up which  will make you point your tip more down, same as all the others. get out there and  remember...
"experience is something you gain after you need it."hoarding

Quoted: Zero the small sight at 25m and it's on again at 300m and all the adjustments match up. The large sight (0-200) will also zero at 50m and 200m. Zero the small hole at 50m and it's on again at 200m but the markings on the sights won't match up, and I don't know what it does to the larger sight. Yes, screw in the post and the POI raises. The front sight "chases" the POI to zero, the rear "runs away".

huh?


sorry guys explain like I am 2.......the front sight post says up  going counter clock wise.....what happens does front sight post move up bringing POI down?   or does this just mean POI to go up in that direction


also please explain the rear sight as well...sorry


any online manuals anywhere.....I think I will zero in at 50yrds....but wantto know about the elevation and windage before I head to range

Whenever I sight in a 50 yards I'm usually off a few clicks 200 yards (windage and elevation), enough so I might just miss the meat of the target.  Sure, get your initial zero at the shorter distance but make sure you correct it at the greater distance.

What I would do is lower your rear sight all the way down to its mechanical zero.  Then zero in at 100 yards using just the front sight post.  The front sight is opposite the rear sight.  Lower the sight post down to raise POI, raise the post to lower POI.  You may need to use the rear sight to adjust windage.

Now move to 200 yards and count your rear-sight come-up clicks to 200 yards.  Then again at 300 and beyond.  You may need to adjust windage a few clicks as you reach out to further distances.  Record your come-up clicks.  After sighting in the rifle, lower the rear elevation dial to the mechanical zero (100 yards).  Also record your non-wind windage dial position.  Refer back to your come-ups when you shoot at those distances.

Also don't bother benching your zero on a battle rifle, I think you'll find you'll have different zeros for the bench and prone position due to different sight picture alignments.


CMP Photo

All ammo brands and bullet weights will have different trajectories (sorry), your best bet is to try the stick to one mil-spec ammo type, M855, M193, etc.  But if you want truly accurate and consistent ammo you'll need to load your own and experiment with different loads to find what your rifle shoots best.

clockwise brings your POI up

clockwise on the windage knob will move your POI left right

dislexia's a bitch

Quoted: c/clockwise brings your POI up clockwise on the windage knob will move your POI left right

hmmm I think your wrong here.....  clockwise brings your POI up by moving the front sight post down.......and clockwise on the windage knob will move your POI to the right



To raise the next shot group, rotate the front sight post in the direction marked UP (clockwise) brings sight post down
To lower the next shot group, rotate the front sight post in the direction marked DOWN (counter-clockwise) brings sight post up
To move the next shot group left, turn windage knob counterclockwise
To move the next shot group right, turn the windage knob clockwise

http://groups.msn.com/TheMarylandAR15ShootersSite/improvedbattlesightzero.msnw

Tagging along as I just recently got my first AR and haven't sighted it in yet.  From reading the good old government manual, I thought it said to sight it in at 25m?  Setting the rear sight and then adjusting the front sight only until zeroed and then you adjust the rear sight for distance?

Yeah 50 yards like they said. I sighted in my Eotech at 50 yards and there hardly any drop, if any at all, at about 200 yards

A 50M zero optimizes both the trajectory and most likely usage you will encounter (under 250-300M).