Home AR-15 How To Sight In A Rifle Scope

How To Sight In A Rifle Scope

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Following our tutorial on how to mount an optic to your rifle, we’re moving on to how to sight in or zero your optic. This is a basic step-by-step walkthrough of the process that covers everything you need to know to get a good starting zero once your optic is mounted. The demo rifle is a Bravo Company AR-15 with a Swamp Fox Arrowhead 1-10×24 scope, but the instructions should work regardless of what rifle or optic you’re using.

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50 COMMENTS

  1. I've never been able to hold my rifle still and adjust my turrets. Instead, I use a cheap laser sight. I get on paper at my desired range, and then mount the laser to the rifle (the cheap laser does not like recoil). While keeping my scope on target, I adjust the laser so it is on the impact point. Rough sight in is now done. Remove the laser, and fine tune the scope with additional shots.

  2. One way to get on paper easier – if can’t put target up close – shoot a round into the dirt in front of you. Like 10-20 yards. Compare to where reticle is. Then use that as your offset for getting on paper

  6. I love Swampfox optics, don’t have to sell a kidney and the Arrowhead turrets and scope are way worth the money, have them on all my AR-15 and Aero M5 308
    Having OCD and zeroing rifles is a long process and produces a lot of rashes 🤣

  7. That aside about human error is honestly just a good lesson on humility and genuinely growing: you're gonna make mistakes. Recognizing them and owning up to them means you and those around you are more likely to either avoid them, or take responsibility for them. Kudos.

  15. Bore sight an AR15 by removing the upper receiver first at 1:55 in? That's not gonna work. You do need to remove the "bolt" however. Then further in you admit to a "brain fart" and went 7 clicks to the left rather than 4. You should have stopped right there are started over. Finally, your last group is 1" to the left, "not good enough" in my book. If you can't get a reasonable zero at 100 yds, don't bother going further out. JMHO. Most if not all of my scopes have 1/4 min adjustments, so why not use the more common designation? Maybe I'm being too picky? Normally, your videos are "spot on".

  18. Again, another excellent video. (I just finished watching the first video, installing a rifle scope.) I really like the suggestion of starting at 10 yds and moving out from there, to preserve ammo. Question: If I sight-in at 50 yds, how does that affect accuracy at 100 & 200 yds, vs the effect at 50 & 200 yds when sighting-in at 100 yds?

  19. Pretty sure this optic is supposed to be zeroed at 50 yards from a 16" 556. None of your holds will make sense on the reticle if you zero at 100yrds. Is it a BDC reticle? Your zero depends on what reticle you have, that's pretty important. Great video production quality bro.

  25. Some called EXPERTS videos they just tell you "I'm gonna make some adjustments" and get a perfect zero at 300 by some miracle, I love these videos, some of us did not expend 20 years in the military

  29. FYI: for self defense I prefer a 50 yd zero. You can find a 25 yard grid target for a 50 yard zero nice people put on the forums at AR15.com. You will set the target at 25 yards and shoot for center mass of the top target and your round should impact in the bottom (lighter shaded) target, which is about 1.25 inches lower than the point of aim (top darker/main target). If you hit the bottom target your rifle is now zeroed for a 50/200 yard target, meaning as the bullet rises it will cross your point of aim on the way up at 50 yards (bullseye) then finish rising and begin to fall crossing your POA again at 200 yards (bullseye). This will effectively make the rifle point and shoot for any target within 200 yards with no shot rising or falling more than about 4 inches from point of aim.

  31. Mistake aside, I would have made that final adjustment. Moving back would on amplify that error. That’s the whole point of sighting at the short range.

  33. It’s great that you show your mistakes. That would be so something I would do. It also is interesting that the current ammunition situation may have influenced your zeroing process. If ammunition were not an issue I would have corrected one click and shot a 3 round group. If things looked good probably would have confirmed with a 5 or even 9 round group on fresh paper or after stickies. I really like your presentation style. Resonates with everyday shooters. Keep it up.

  40. Dont count clicks… If you know 4 clicks are 1 moa regardless of distance it doesnt matter…4 clicks @ 25yds = .261 or 4 clicks at 500yds = 5.235… 1 moa is 1 moa regardless of distance in terms of dial in

    Edit : or 1/8 (.125) per is 8 clicks per moa. 1/2 (.500) per is 2 clicks per moa. And 1 (1.00) per is 1 click per moa

  41. Sunday on the range to sight in my rifle after changing the scope mount to a Salarworks…. first 10 shots of the target…ok going from 50y to 25y. 5 more shots of the target…. hm ok 10y… 5 shots – no hit. 5y finaly some hits on the target 😀 took me only 40 rnd or so to sight it in 😀 but it was funny and only costs 12€ 😀

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