How To Sight In a Red Dot Sight – The Only Guide A Beginner Will Ever Need

Congratulations! You’ve finally ditched that basic iron sight and upgraded to the performance-rich red dot sight.

Now, you only need to zero your red dot sight, and then you can tap into the advantages of using a red dot sight. But how exactly do you zero a red dot?

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to zero a red dot sight. Still, you can get confused with the terminology and calculations. That’s why we broke it down into three easy-to-follow steps.

Afraid you won’t make it to the range? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with two methods you can use to sight in your red dot scope without shooting!

How To Sight In A Red Dot Sight – 3 Easy Steps

Let’s jump into how to zero your new red dot sight. Don’t worry, it’s very easy!

Step 1: Preparation

Preparation is key. Start by ensuring your red dot sight is mounted securely on your firearm. Looseness leads to inaccuracies, and we don’t want that.

Also, quickly confirm your adjustment value – 1/2 MOA, 1/4 MOA, 1 MOA. Most often, you’ll have a 1/2 MOA red dot sight. This means with every click of your adjustment dial, your point of impact shifts 1/2 inch at 100 yards. But more on this in step 3.

Another important preparation step is to ensure your firearm’s barrel is clean and the lens of your red dot sight is clean.

Finally, set up your paper target at the distance you want to zero, ensuring your surroundings are safe and clear of potential civilians or animals.

25-Yard Zero

This is the best zeroing distance for shotgun and pistol red dot sights. You’ll hardly use your pistol red dot sight beyond 100 yards.

The 25-yard zero is also ideal for pistols because the bullet follows a fairly predictable trajectory up to 100 yards.

36-Yard Zero

Also called the 36/300 yard zero, this zero distance is suited for those who prefer to shoot at distances beyond 200 yards.

They are best for precision rifle shooters who want a red dot scope zeroed for both close and long-range shooting scenarios.

50-Yard Zero

A versatile distance, allowing for excellent medium-range accuracy.

This is my preferred zero range as it is ideal for turkey-hunting red dot sights and slug shotguns. It’s also the ideal zero distance for tactical officers who use an AR-15.

When you zero your red dot sight for 50 yards, you also zero it for 200 yards, meaning you’ll hit the target exactly where you aimed at both 50 and 200 yards.

100-Yard Zero

The 100-yard zero is a simple distance. It requires no complicated math equations to make windage and elevation adjustments.

This distance is best for rifle red dot sights.

Step 2: Fire Three Rounds

Now, for the fun part! Fire three rounds at your paper target. Ensure you keep your aim steady while firing the rounds, keeping a firm grip and a wide shoulder stance.

The key in step 2 is to shoot three rounds close enough together so they form a “grouping.” We use this grouping as a reference point when we make sight adjustments.

This is where choosing the right zeroing distance is crucial. Obviously, the closer the target, the fewer shots you’ll need for a valid grouping sample.

So, repeat this step and fire a few rounds until you have three closely grouped holes in your paper target.

Step 3: Adjust Your Scope

After creating a successful grouping on your paper target, measure your aiming point to your point of impact.

Let’s say you went with the 50-yard zero. For a 50-yard zero, each adjustment on a 1/2 MOA red dot sight will only be worth 1/4 MOA (1/2 divided by 2).

If, for example, you zero your rifle at 50 yards and you hit 2 inches right and 2 inches down from your point of aim, you need to shift your point of aim eight clicks left (8×1/4 = 2) and eight clicks up (8×1/4 = 2).

If, for example, you zero your rifle at 100 yards and you hit 2 inches right and 2 inches down from your point of aim, you need to shift your point of aim four clicks left (4×1/2 = 2) and four clicks up (4×1/2 = 2).

After making the necessary adjustments, repeat Steps two and three until the point of impact is exactly the same as the point of aim.

You can use this as a reference point for different zeroing distances for a 1/2 MOA red dot sight:

• 25-Yard Zero: Each click equities to a 1/8 MOA adjustment – 8 clicks for 1 MOA adjustment

• 36-Yard Zero: Each click equities to a 0.18 MOA adjustment – 5.5 clicks for 1 MOA adjustment

• 50-Yard Zero: Each click equities to a 1/4 MOA adjustment – 4 clicks for 1 MOA adjustment

• 100-Yard Zero: Each click equities to a 1/2 MOA adjustment – 2 clicks for 1 MOA adjustment

How To Zero A Red Dot Sight Without Shooting

Don’t have time to visit the range? You’re in luck, as you can zero your red dot sight by using bore sighting – aligning the optical sight with the gun’s bore without firing.

Manual Boresighting

To manually bore sight your red dot sight, you need to manually remove the firearm’s bolt and sighting down the barrel.

Line up the bore with a target and then adjust the red dot to align with the same target. This method is very straightforward, but sometimes you struggle to zero the sight precisely.

Laser Boresighting

My personal favorite, the laser bore sight method, is a more high-tech approach.

You’ll need a laser boresighter for this method. Simply insert the laser bore sight into your rifle’s barrel. Project the laser dot onto a target a target.

Now, adjust your red dot to align with the laser dot.

It’s straightforward and is especially useful if you want to prioritize precision without wanting to head to the shooting range.

What Tools Do I Need For Zeroing My Red Dot?

User-friendliness is one of the biggest advantages of a red dot sight over iron sights. It’s even one of the most important rating factors when we rate the best red dot sights.

To zero your red dot sight, you’ll only need a tool that can imitate a flathead screwdriver because the adjustment dials on a rifle scope have the same profile as a flathead screw.

I often use the tail end of one of my casings or nickel to make the windage and elevation adjustments.

However, some compact red dot and reflex sights require a hex key wrench, so just make sure of the tool when buying your red dot sight.

What is MOA?

MOA, also called Minute of Angle, is a unit of measurement used for red dots and reflex sights.

One MOA equals one inch at 100 yards, meaning each click on your red dot adjustment is typically 1.2 inch at 100 yards (depending on your scope’s MOA adjustment increments)

Conclusion

Gone are the days of a front and rear sight; now it’s time for a red dot and reflex sight!

Zeroing your red dot sight is as simple as three steps. It really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do it. Just make sure you follow each step meticulously and do the calculations correctly.

Feel free to reach out if you still struggle to zero your red dot. We at Uncharted Wilds will be more than happy to help!