How to Zero Your Handgun Red Dot
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.พ. 2023
- *Make sure to watch until the VERY END!
In today’s video we break down how we zero our handgun red dot optics while out on the range. This is something you guys ask about a lot so I figured we’d make a video going over everything we do when zeroing our handguns. The method, formula and gear we use as well. As always thanks for watching, hey oh!
For a breakdown of gear used in this video click here.
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2:37 Had me feeling like I was back in Geometry, Lost lol
Haha, whatever distance you’re zeroing at divide by 100. Then find out from your optic manufacturer what increments the adjustments are in. In this case it was 1.5 MOA at 100 which would be .15 at 10 yards. All this means is that every click of an adjustment was .15 inches which is 5/32 of an inch. So 6-7 clicks was a full inch at 10 yards.
that could also be geography that you got lost in...
I’m with you at .15 is the adjustment at each click. How did you get “5/32 of an inch”? What was your formula to get “5/32”?
@@jonmaceda5307 5 divided by 32 is .15625. That’s the closest to .15 since 3/20 of an inch isn’t a thing haha.
WOW!
One of the best videos I've seen on properly zeroing a pistol red dot. You used a rest and an actual sight-in target, and showed the method of adjustment. Good stuff. 👍
Thank you! I appreciate that!
Here is the simplified math for the commenters. 1 MOA is a 1" adjustment on target at 100 yards so .1" at 10 yards or .15" with your specific optic. 1 click (on optic) on your windage/elevation= .15" on target or 6.66¯ clicks (on optic) per full inch of target.
Thanks for the pointers. I’ve always done it free hand or with a sand bag. But this feels to be a far superior method. Thanks again!
Best red dot zeroing process I've seen yet!! Great job Roger as always!
Hey oh! Thanks man! Appreciate that!
Thank you fir the advice
Great content. Very informative
Explained it very well. Thanks for the helping people. Great video.
Thank you! Appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and leave some kind words. Means a lot to us!
13:20
I agree with locking the gun down and shooting off 3 rounds and adjust from there because no person has a perfect stiff hold every time.
That lock down mechanism WILL hold that gun down perfect each time.
Yeah man! Appreciate it. I’m def the cause of most errors with my shooting so I try to eliminate all that when zeroing.
@@RogerBarrera Some people have a somewhat steady hand so they can take that red dot and hold it over the target but how long can you hold it there ??
Next once you get that red dot ON that target, is it going to move as you pull that trigger because it does take about ~5 lbs of force to pull that trigger and is that 5 lbs of force going have an affect on how you hold that gun steady ....
I can hold the red dot pretty steady, obviously not perfect but its pretty good, but when i pull that trigger, that red dot is probably going to shift.
Until the day comes when they invent a digital capacitive touch trigger where all you do is tap the trigger with your finger and it fires ... that could eliminate gun movement upon fire.
Great video! Thanks for the tips!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much. I just watched this just before I went to my local indoor range to shoot a handgun with a red dot(green dot actually) for the first time ever and it was with a brand new Springfield Hellcat OSP I just bought this month and a new holosun 407k I just bought as well, and your video help me get it done the right way and now this thing is Zero'd perfectly. Thanks:-)
Awesome glad to hear it. Thanks for checking out the video and for leaving some kind words we appreciate it.
Nice work Roger, you are good at this stuff.
Thanks man, appreciate that!
Great Info! THANKS
Hey oh, thanks for checking it out!
I am new to RDS and this is the best video I have seen on the topic of zeroing. Will do this on my 507K this weekend.
Thanks for the kind words and for checking out the video!
Great video, all great advice, thank you for posting this!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome content.
Awesome content! Thanks
Glad you liked it!
Nicely Presented Brother 🤘🏼
Thanks man!
This has to be the best tutorial on how to zero your handgun. Thanks, Roger!
Thanks man, appreciate that.
Thanks for this video.... Helped out alot
For sure! Thanks for checking it out!
Thx for the info
Great video
Hopefully I can get a optic soon
I mostly shoot competition for fun/ training, the 10 yard zero would give me issues at 25-30 yards, hitting a bit higher than I'd like for small poppers and such, once I switched to 25 yards, it's point of aim-point of impact from 3 to 25 yards, with my setup at least, apparently other people have different experiences. Great vid, keep doing you.
For sure man! I used to rock a 25 yard zero but from my experience I’d only be taking a shot at that distance in matches. I def get what you’re talking about. I started running the 10 yard zero and just found it working better for me. Thanks for checking out the video and sharing your experiences too! 👍🏼👊🏻
Minutes&Mils Isn't 25 yards what Holosun has the optic set at from the factory ? . Pretty sure it is .
@@cramerlong2276 how does that work, every single gun has to be sighted individually with the corresponding ammunition you shoot. Tf
How do you get the same point of impact from 3 to 25 yards with a 25 yard zero ? I shoot low at 7,10,15 yards with a 25 yard zero.
On the dot torture drill I have to aim at the top of the circle for a 25 yard zero
@@271867 never had that problem, I also shoot dot torture all the time, that's why I referenced 3 yd. That's odd. How high up is your optic? Pistol mounted dots usually are under a half inch from the center of the bore, making the holdover pretty much a non-issue in my experience.
Very helpful, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
What great groupings 😮
Awesome video! I’m recently into slide mounted optics on my carry guns and was wondering what way would be best to zero them. My department is looking into red dots as well for our service pistols and I will be forwarding this to the lead instructor as well. Always quality content!
Hey oh! Glad to hear it! Thanks for checking out the video and taking the time to leave some kind words, it is greatly appreciated.
Great video
Very helpful thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Great video I stand up while zeroing mines but this device looks like it would help out a lot more but going to the range once a week or every two weeks will help with dialing to zero
For me the best tutorial.
Thanks! Appreciate that!
That's a good one! Thank you!
You're welcome!
Good instruction. There are always different ways to get to your goal. 10 yard or 25 yards zero, find what works best for yourself. Know you point of aim from 1-50 yards. Running two marks. Red `124 and white 147. Thanks for the video.
Very true! My buddy has seperate witness marks for his carry/training ammo.
Agreed. Training is the only answer. Once people have a decent zero then they should go out and shoot at the different yardages. Figure out point of impact for your gun at different ranges and then adjust your impact point accordingly for the setting that best gets you on target for the ranges you care most about. Personally, it's easier to use hold over or hold under at closer ranges, so I prefer to zero for 20 or 25 yards and I would typically rather the bullet hit low vs high. That way a top of the A zone aim point is going to score, whether it's from drop or from a slight flinch.
Good stuff.
Glad you enjoyed it
Love the donut holster. 😍😍
Thanks!
This is the way.
Good shit!!
Hey oh! Thanks man!
Really nice video dude, I'm about to buy the same red dot optic. Keep the teaching good job!
Thanks! Will do!
exactly how i do it, great video brotha!!
Awesome! Thank you!
I like the lethal weapon smiley face in the head box minus the low left flyer
Hahaha good eye!!! Last range session with the Icarus FDEZ 365 build. 😎
I just used my iron sights to zero my 407K on my Hellcat Pro. I took it to the range the other day and it was absolutely perfect at 10 yds. No adjustments needed. I know this isn't the best way to zero a dot at distance, but worked great for my needs.
What's height of your irons? Typically, once you zero the RD and then use your irons, the dot usually goes lower... because of where you put the zero location on you RDS. I Typically pit the dot right in the middle of the window
@19Clutch69 standard height from the factory. If you're able to co-witness your dot with your zeroed iron sights, you should at least be close, maybe with only minor adjustments needed to the dot. I view it as similar to bore sighting your rifle, then fine-tuning the zero with live ammo.
@@19Clutch69if you have a good red dot it shouldn’t matter that much where in the glass you zero the dot for self-defense uses. Because parallax.
Good stuff
Appreciate it
I am not a steady enough shot to use the technique taught in the video, so I had to figure out a way that would work for me. I clamped my empty pistol, barrel down, under a light bright enough to see the three iron sights. I held my head so the front sight is properly aligned in the rear sights. My Sig P365XL has combat sights which mean that when aligned this way the bullet will go to the target where the center of the circle on the back side of the front sight is. If a gun uses non-combat sights the target should sit on top of the front sight. Using the adjustment screws on the red dot sight I moved the red dot so that it sits in the center of the front sight, which is where the bullet would go to. Now the bullet will go where the red dot is which is where the iron sights are also aimed. Voila! The red dot is zeroed without wasting any bullets. The results are good when I shoot the target at the range. I am open to any criticisms of this technique.
Great video Roger, I’m new to red dots so this was supper helpful. 👍🇺🇸
Awesome man. Glad to hear it helped out. We appreciate you checking out our video and leaving some kind words, it means a lot to us!
@@RogerBarrera always man, you have helped me a ton over the years and your holsters are working great for me. Thanks 🤙🏽
Another great video thanks.🤟👏👍😎🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you! Much appreciated!
Thank you for the information. Really enjoy all your videos.
Glad you like them!
Great tutorial! 👍👍 I zeroed mine at 10 yds, then confirmed at 15 & 25 yds to determine hold unders, etc. I mostly shoot indoors & 25 is the max. But, you never know if or when you will need to take that longer shot...
For sure man, good stuff!
How were you shooting at 15 yards as in like how much higher or lower. Same question for 25 yards if you don’t mind me asking. I want to zero at 10 for edc, but don’t want to be extremely off when I have fun at 15-25 yards
@@IsaacMartinezgetmoney My 10 yd zero prints higher at distances, so I just aim/hold my dot lower at distance, YMMV. Here's how you sort it out: Once you zero & confirm at 10, run the target out to 15, 25, etc. & shoot a tight group from rest or however you zeroed at 10. Note if the groups are higher or lower than they were at 10, then Kentucky Windage/aim your dot to compensate until your groups are in your bullseye.
Good Vid.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video. What bench rest are you using
Great job explaining it. I usually just wing it with no math calculations behind it. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Cool video to put out my guy 😈
Thanks man, appreciate that!
I'm just glad you zero at 10 yards with a pistol like I do. I don't know how these guys zero at 25 yards with a pistol. I'd be at the range all day and probably still not have a legit zero.
Have you had a chance to compare the Ultimate Ammunition to the Underwood Xtreme Defenders?
Excellent content from Mr Barrera. The Views and subscribers are not indicative of the quality of this channel.
Thank you! Much appreciated man.
With a 10 yd zero what is your POA/POI offset at 25 and back?
Great video. I got so frustrated chasing my shot I went thru 100 rounds at the range and still not zero 😢
I know your skin gets dry living in the desert… Especially this time of year. But COT DAAAMN, Roger!! The sound your hands make every time they touch sounds like the swooshing sounds 90’s windbreakers used to make every time you took a step!! Moisturize them paws baby!! Bill Burr was definitely on to something there..
Haha, the mic was under my hoodie because of the wind. That’s what you’re hearing.
I have the same optic. If i zero at 20 yards how many clicks for 1 inch?
So in a natural stance do you start with the dot in line with the front sight post?
Roger, Bro, EXCELLENT Video!! I also zero my dot’s at 10yds. I know A LOT of folks who zero their dots at 25yds. IMO and for my use I think 10yds is the idea distance to zero. Keep cranking out that content brother! 😎
#RobbArmstrong
Thanks man! Appreciate that!
Thank you for sharing this knowledge. When I attempt a zero am I slaving the dot on the iron sights? The firing and then making my adjustments?
And when I like where I’m at, how come my dot disappears when I line up my iron sight to aim again? Like the dot is almost behind the front irons?? Or am I not doing this correctly? TIA!!
I think that is going to depend on the height of your irons. I Zero independently. On a couple of guns I have zeroed my red dot and found that my irons were slightly off as well.
Nice job. Question, I google the info you was saying for the adjustment on a red dot couldn’t find it. Could you give me the math problem for it I use a Romeo red dot and I zero at 15 yards. Would save me a lot of headache doing your way. Could you help thanks
Good information. By the way, I didn't see you at SHOT range day and wanted to see if you still have any leftover QVO SHOT Show 2023 patches. I want to put one on my patch wall.
Thanks! Nope, they're all gone. We give out 200 every year, once they're gone, they're gone my man.
Really enjoyed this. Please continue to more training/ teaching lessons more frequently
For sure more to come! Thank you!
Are you moving where it's shooting to the red dot or are you moving the red dot to where it's shooting ?
Love your holsters and your How to videos! LMFAO at the " I'm Asian and love math comment " hahahaha
Thanks for watching! Appreciate it man!
Are you putting the dot in the middle of the glass?
What about using a bore laser to get close then fine tune after?
For sure! Those work well. You just need one bright enough for day and want congrats to the red dot, so prob green laser. I had one but noticed the shell for it wasn’t the exact size so it was slightly off.
To be fair your target was moving in the wind, but good video it’s my favorite gun
Roger, I’m a retired police chief & current Lt. with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. I purchased my first Staccato (C2) after watching your C2 video…I loved the gun so much, I purchased the CS & I recently purchased the XC, but the XC is the first I’ve purchased with the holosun 509T & Staccato co witnessed the red dot to match the iron sights…qualifying with 100 scores…I recently purchased a Holosun 508T for my C2, but it was bore sighted, I’ve zeroed the sight, but once they added the taller rear sight, Staccato told me to purchase a new 2,65 front post to match the new taller rear sight. When the new front sight is installed, would you recommend co-witnessing with the iron sights, or work on perfecting the zero on the bore sighting that has already been done. Truly value your opinion and any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for the support and checking out our content. I zero my red dot independent of my irons. When both are zeroed they typically co-witness very well.
I purchased a gx4 Toro installed a 407k I tried to sight it my first looking at my sights and seeing how far away the Red Dot was. The Red Dot was very far off to the left so I tried to turn the hollow sun to the right but it was as far right as it would go I was going to return the site until I decided what the hell let me turn it to the left so I turned it to the left and the Red Dot came into the right right on my front sight I'll never understand these things I'm too old I guess
Where can I find the carry ammo I’m having trouble locating it
Do you initially move the dot to roughly the center of the window? And what about the irons. Are they lined up in the window? Or perhaps the front sight is slightly above the plane?
That will depend on your sight height. I typically install the optic and lined up the dot to the tip of my front sight. From there I shoot a grouping and then do what you saw here in the video.
Great video. The 507 comp is 1MOA not 1.5MOA.
10 clicks at 10 yards according to manual. Correct me if I’m wrong
🔥🔥🔥
Same here, 10 yd zero. 👍🏼
Yessir! Works well for me, i dig it!
Outstanding
Thanks appreciate ya checking out the video!
@@RogerBarrera CS are coming into shops now : Got one yesterday . Unlike you I am stuck using my 507 ACSS LOL Good video
@@cramerlong2276 Haha, yeah man, glad to see their hitting shelves! Good stuff on grabbing one and that ACSS if my fav!
@@RogerBarrera Yeah I hear yah . Sure would love to buy a holster from you . Problem is to carry I need either a strap down leather or a Level II kydex . I know you don't do the level II . It can be open top with a retention strap. Don't need an optic cover
What are your thoughts on zeroing while flinching? While it is obviously better to simply not flinch and pull your shots, but for some who haven't trained out of it, would you say it is better for them to zero it based on it's mechanical zero or it's adjusted zero? Of course who can say if the individual will flinch on the first round when they actually need it.
I’d shoot more rounds to get a tight group. Maybe shoot 6-8 rounds vs 3-4 that way you could easily tell which rounds were good shots and which ones were thrown off by human error. Yes, of course you want to remove the flinch but I’ve been shooting for decades and I still flinch every once in a while as well, as seen in this video.
GldenRetriever : I'm 66 been shooting a few decades longer then Rodger . I still flinch now and then . Kind of like getting the yips when putting . Just a suggestion . I used my shot timer . Gun in hand ready to pull the trigger . The timer surprises you . Flinching with a handgun in a rest is harder to control because you can't grip the gun to mitigate the recoil very well . My rest is different then Rodger's . I use a bean bag to rest my shooting hand on while resting the barrel in the V notch . Seems to help alot . Sometimes I sight in better sitting in a chair while folding my leg on top of the other and shooting that way. Resting the gun on my knees . . Just suggestions that worked for me
@@cramerlong2276 Agreed. I find that my point of aim shifts when going from a rest to free hand. Not from flinching, but mainly just from the difference in the way you absorb recoil differently when you are resting the gun on a rest vs. holding it up in freehand with wrists engaged, etc. I use a fairly soft bag that conforms to my wrists/forearms and find a comfortable position where my wrists are resting solidly for support, but the gun is barely in front of the bag but not touching it. For me... it gives me a very stable platform but still requires me to control the gun. Everyone is different though, so it's just one way... not THE way.
T rex arms has free targets as well
Are you placing red dot on top of front sight post? Or center of the dot in sight window?
I place the dot in the center bullseye of the target. My irons don’t play into zeroing my dot.
Can I use any 1inch grid target for zeroing at 10 yards?
Yes that’s what we used in this video.
👍
Let me apologize for my stupid question upfront, as I don’t understand, red, dots, and sites so much..
when you’re trying to dial in the dot are you trying to place the red/green dot on top of the front sight covering the front sight or are you trying to get the dot lined up with the middle of the glass that is mounted on the slide.?
You want to place the dot at the center of the paper target you're aiming at. The iron sights don't play a role in the zeroing process. Try to center the dot in your glass as best as possible as well.
Great tutorial.
I zero at 25 yds. There’s a bit of mechanical offset 7 yds and in and 1+ inch low at 50 yds.
I use a black Bull target as there’s greater contrast with Dot for me.
I dial in with Carry Ammo and make reference marks with White oil base marking pen, then re/dial with range ammo and make corresponding reference marks with Red marker.
Heck yeah, good stuff man!
I am a fan of the 25 yard zero too. It makes sure the windage at distance is spot on and it's relatively easy to land hits at 50 yard IPSC steel targets.
What range is this in Las Vegas?
Do I use the front site with the red dot. Or just the red dot?
Just the dot.
HEYYYYOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Haha, yeah man!
You need to show way more camera shots thru the optic so we can more easily visualize what you are seeing when you zero. I've seen videos where they center the dot in the optic vs videos where the dot basically co-witnessed the iron sights.
What are YOU doing ?
First impressions of CS vs C2?
Pretty similar in regards to recoil but the CS does conceal easier and more comfy.
Now that its zero , will u be on target if you shoot that same target at 50 or even 100 yards out? Or are you going to be off be alot?
I'd use a rifle at that range. 🤷♂️
do you go throughr this same process everytime you zero a gun?
Yes, when you know the math behind your specific optic it’s pretty quick.
I’m shooting a Glock 21, 45 ACP, Federal 230 grain FMJ. Optic is a Holosun HS507C-X2-ACSS Vulcan. The difference between 25 and 15 yard zero (no 10 yard targets at my range) is abut 4 inches. Is that me or 45 ACP?
If you are getting a consistent grouping at both distances than it is not you. I think that is on par with what I get with 10 and 25 yards.
Boy that baby is jumpy!
When you start to zero do you put the red dot on the target then zero from there or is it point of impact from your iron sights then zero your red dot it's kind of confusing sorry
Yes I just aim the dot center of the target and make my adjustments from that group.
This confuses me as well. If you are using a constant factor such as a bench rest and shoot. Wouldn't you bring your dot zero to your group? Confuses me.
507comp is 1moa adjustments not 1.5, just as an FYI.
What range are you at? I live in the Las Vegas area and would love to head into that range so that I can do zeroing and target shooting.
Looks like he drove out into the desert lol
@@andrewjohnson7 no there are outdoor ranges here that look like that I'm trying to figure out if he is at Clark County shooting complex, desert sportsman rifle club, adrenaline mountain, John T. Moran firearms facility, or the Pro gun club.
One thing I don't understand is that if you are shooting high right. Wouldn't you adjust the red dot to match where you are shooting? In other words, adjusting the red dot up and to the right to match your group? You had said go down and to the left. That part confuses me because I get that it would put your dot on center, but with a bench rest, how would it change where the bullet is going? Please explain. I'm trying to process this. Thank you!!!
For sure! That’s kind of what we are doing. When making the adjustments in the optic it is bringing the dot to that group. When you adjust the elevation down it brings the dot up and when you adjust the windage left it brings the dot right. If you look through your optic when making the adjustments you’ll see the dot move to that group. So it’s kinda reversed. If you just went up and right on the adjustment dials it would go higher up and further right because the dot would move lower and more left. I know it sounds confusing but if you look at your dot while making the adjustments you’ll see what I mean. Hope that helps. 👍🏼👊🏻
@@RogerBarrera so basically if I wanted to move my dot "up" I actually have to adjust down on the red dot itself? If I want to move the dot "right" I'm clicking to the left?
@@gregorypatzelt6964 no you’ll follow the direction indicators on your optic. What I’m saying is that when you turn the dot in the direction that says left the dot is actually moving right so your bullet/grouping goes left. Adjust your optic while looking through it and you’ll see what I mean. If you have Instagram DM me at @qvo_tactical and I can better explain with video.
It's easy to confuse your self if you overthink it. You are not adjusting the dot to impact. You are adjusting the impact to the dot. When you adjust your sight you hold a consistent aim point and you adjust based on where you want the bullet impact to move. Forget about the dot. The adjustments shown on the sight adjustment screws are for point of impact. He was hitting high right, so he wants to adjust point of impact down and left. Turn the screws in the directions that give you down and left.
It’s not like setting sights on a bow you chase the arrow so if you are shooting high you adjust up this actually makes you pull the alignment down when shooting. So yes when you turn the height adjustment up on the pistol it makes you bring the sight alignment down your point of aim
Holosun 508T 1 MOA perclick Zero at 15 yard 1 in = ? click
Carry is sig 365 color is red and random number is 5
This method did NOT work for me when i did my red dot on each of my 3 AR15's ...
I adjusted the red dot to where the shot should land and it just threw my shots off even further.
The original shot was 3 inches to the left and 2 inches down from the center target where my red dot was.
When i adjusted the red dot 3 inches to the right and 2 inches UP, it threw my shots even further away. Now they were 6 inches to the left and 4 inches down.
I adjusted the dot again and to find i was not hitting the target at all anymore.
So what my brain told me was to put the red dot WHERE the bullet was landing. So i did, and now my red dot is zero'd to within 1 inch.
My brain 🤤
Bwahahah
“I’m Asian I like math” 💀 🤣
Bwahahaha
"I'm Asian so I love math." Gets math wrong 😅
Thanks for the video!