So you have you just got yourself AR scope, be it a Leupold, Bushnell, or Burris, and tried it and for some reason your shots are docking nowhere close to the crosshairs. Unfortunately, there is more to rifle scope incisive shooting than just mounting the scope on the rifle. You need to zero it.
You have to think twice of it. It is more like a wheel of a bike. If you tighten up the bolts wrongly on the side, for instance, as a result it will spin wrong and brush the brake pads. Rifle scope as well follows the same analogy. When it is not appropriately set up it will cause stir and even at short air rifle, airsoft and paintball ranges will mess up your accuracy. At longer ranges, you will surely miss a mile, well figuratively. Remember that even the top AR scope will not work effectively if you do not zero it.
What Does Zero a Scope Mean?
When you encounter zeroing a scope, this simply means adjusting the crosshair of the scope in position in order that the time you shoot. You can set it up to ground zero if you wish to which is the point of impact. There are various discussions as to what is the best way to zero a scope.
Steps to Zero an AR Scope
- Importantly, it is necessary to set a firm establishment by checking that the scope is mounted fairly.
- Removed the top brackets and then put the scope mounts on the rifle initially.
- Tighten them up in their place with /2 turn when they solidly sit and levelled as best as it could be. During this stage, do not fully tighten them for you might want to slide them a little up or down.
- Then remove the scope and put it on top of the open rifle mounts. Note: You have to make sure that the windage and elevation towers are one up and one towards right.
- Next is top put the top mounts brackets on and again tighten. You can do partial turns to tighten it up for further adjusting may take in.
Zero the AR Scope
- Positioned in your typical shooting position, test that you can view through the scope well. The distance that is between your eye and the back of the scope lens is the Eye Relief. Remember that you need not to press your eyes up against the scope lens.
- As soon as you are comfortable with the positioning, it is the time that you tighten all the screws up. Make sure that every screw is tightening up one by one in order to be certain that they each have the same pressure.
Now it’s time to zero the AR scope for shooting;
- Put load on the rifle.
- Take on your usual prone/lie shooting position. The best way to test shoot is the prone since the standing or kneeling positions both waver more and is much more difficult to do a “true test”.
- Put a target at a distance say about 20 yards or whichever you think is your “typical” range will be.
- By the use of the cross hair on center target, take 2-3 shots. Check where it fell in relation to where you desired them to. Is it to the right? Left? Or just exactly on where you want it to be? Lucky you!
- 2-3 shots is perfect as it will average out imprecision and gives you more “critical” feel for how close or remote are you from true zero.
The more you test your shot, you will end up in where you can trust your shots to go where you wished them to go. Do this patiently since this would take some of your time.
