M16-a1 zeroing

[M1CHAZZ]

Built a M16-A1 clone from parts. I kind of remember from Boot Camp (USMC) 12 Clicks out of the bottom for the front sight post & 13 from
the left on the rear sight. Was this Battle Sight Zero or my 200 yard basic zero? Been on line & have seen the way the Army does it but in the
USMC we qualified on a KD Course. Looking for a 200 yard Zero & been almost 40 years since I fired an A1.
Thanx
Chuck

[Griff Murphey]

I personally would sandbag the upper and bore sight the gun by looking down the barrel as if it's a peep front and rear sight, and adjust the sights until the sight picture of the sights matches the peep sight picture looking diwn the bore. If you have the gun real steady you may hit the black at 100. Once you have a 100 yard zero give it two clicks up in the front sight and you should be on.

Sometimes I just unlatch the upper from the lower and drop the lower down, remove the bolt, and stabilize the gun with a hand. I have helped a few folks get on paper with this, then adjust from there. But sandbags and a nice rest help. As long as you don't scare the neighbors sometimes you can rest the rifle on a dining room table and aim in on a fence post or something, and get close before you get on the range.

[gwp]

If you zero at 50 yards you will be very close at 200 yards.

Twelve clicks up from the bottom for the front sight post & thirteen from the left on the rear sight is probably the mechanical zero where the sights are centered. Range setting are made from mechanical zero.

[Art]

The current method used by the military is as follows. I assume you're using iron sights.

Pop up the long range (smaller) aperture.

Set the rear sight settings to "0" deflection and 300 meters elevation.

Set up a target at 25 meters. The military uses a little silhouette for this but any small 50' to 25 yd. target will do.

Center the front sight in the rear aperture, bisect the target with the front sight and fire a round at the target. In the unlikely event it is off to one side or the other adjust using the windage dial to center your group on the paper.

If the shot is not in the center of the target vertically adjust the front sight until you are hitting the center of the 25 yard target.

You are now zeroed for 300 meters.

[Griff Murphey]

When I drew my XM-16E-1A-2 to shoot the intramurals in the 3rd Mar div I shot for zero at 200 very little correction from what the previous owner had on it...2 clicks up for 300 rapid. Flip up long range sight for 500, may have added a couple of clicks at 500. Still have the scorebook.

[Jim in Salt Lake]

This months Shooting Sports USA has an article on establishing your mechanical zero: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nra/ssusa_201507/ This may not be what the military had you do but is what a lot of highpower shooters do.

[S.B.]

IIRC, at 25 yards, zero with the small aperture up(off sand bags), should give you battle zero for 200 yards with large aperture?