What distance should I zero my new sights in?

Guns & Gear
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What distance should I zero my new sights in?

I have a shield plus I just for and I am installing xsights what distance should I zero them in at? This is my first time!

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I generally sight my pistols in at 25 yards, but you’re generally not going to shoot a pistol at distances where bullet drop will be a big factor. Even at 50 yards, a 9mm bullet will generally only drop about 2".

More importantly, why change the sights on a Shield Plus? The factory sights on mine are fantastic.

Mike

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25 yards. Most shootings take place within 10 feet ( FBI Statistics)

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I sight my pistols in at 10 yards since I normally position my targets between 3-10 yards depending on what drill I’m working on. As others have mentioned, the trajectory won’t change much within the “usable” range of the pistol.

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Remember that iron sights (or any other sight) is only “zero’d” twice during the flight of the boolit. (Unless you zero’d at maximum ordinate and then only once) Once when the boolit is climbing through the zero and the second when it’s falling through the zero.

Take into consideration that your “zero dfstance " will change based on the round you are using. In 9mm a 115gr will be dead on at X distance, a 124gr will be a different distance and a 147gr will be at another distance. If you are shooting 6” groups at 10 yards you will probably never notice the difference in any of them, conversely if at 10 yards you are putting quarter size groups on target you will be able to see all three in distinct groups.

The object for “zeroing” a pistola is to make it POA (Point of Aim) / POI (Point of Impact) to cover as much distance as is practicable AND be able to handle different loads and still be in the same ball park. For an SD gun you should be looking at some where between 10 and 25 yards for a zero range. Why so far out you ask? because if your zero range is 25 yards that means the boolit has only climbed the distance between the center of your bore and the top of your front sight. In other words an INCH or less depending on your stick/caliber/configuration.

The short version is RUN WHAT YOU BRUNG!! At least until that point where you can notice the changes and have a quantifiable NEED to change the sights.

Cheers,

Craig6