Lesson Learned (Food for Thought)

[Liberty's Teeth]

How many MOA down elevation adjustment do you leave on your modern military rifle when you establish your Mechanical Zero? I made a mistake!!!

I shoot 200 - 600 yards on my rifle and like to have plenty of MOA available for light condition adjustment at 600 yards. I set my 200 yard zero at 8/3 plus 1.5 MOA (6 clicks on 1/4 MOA sights). Today I shot a match on a 100 yard range with reduced targets. At 100 yards I needed 2 MOA down but did not have it available so I ended up shooting a "Kentucky Elevation" or "Poke and Hope" if you are from Lower Alabama.

So, lesson learned and I will get back to the range soon to adjust the elevation of my front sight post to give me an extra MOA on my rear sight.

[WARFAB]

I think I have my sights marked 1 moa above bottomed out and my 200 yard elevation varies between about 3/4 and 8/4 above that. That's why I'm hesitant to shoot the 100 yard matches. I don't want to have to mess with my front sight post.

[usmcveteran]

Do you guys use the Green shooting books or shooting books in general when shooting to keep track of adjustments and conditions?

[WARFAB]

I just use a note pad at the club matches. I have a nice store bought data book for bigger matches.

[Liberty's Teeth]

Do you guys use the Green shooting books or shooting books in general when shooting to keep track of adjustments and conditions?

Absolutely! They are called score books but they are and should be called data books. Data is critical especially when shooting a match that does not have "sighting" rounds. As the shooter becomes more experienced, the more data is recorded. Changes in windage and elevation as well as load data are obvious data recorded. As you become more advanced you track things like mirage condition as it affects perceived location of target black, cloudy or bright sun as light condition changes the perceived diameter of the target black. My latest data recorded is position of the sun. Based on where the sun shines on your sight post, the post will appear narrower or shorter than it actually is. With knowledge of the above reference phenomena and the data recorded, you can go into your next match knowing your precise sight adjustments and "hold" on the target based on Data Observed from Previous Engagements.

[thughes]

"I set my 200 yard zero at 8/3"

English please? (lots of noobs here)

[usmcveteran]

8/3 I believe is the setting on the M16 rear sight. If I remember correctly it means 300 meters and 800 meters (round arcs).

[WARFAB]

8/3 I believe is the setting on the M16 rear sight. If I remember correctly it means 300 meters and 800 meters (round arcs).

Thanks. I didn't have any idea what those markings mean. The rear sight on my competition rifle doesn't even have them though.

[usmcveteran]

Here is a great article http://firearmshistory.blogspot.com/...ing-sight.html

[Liberty's Teeth]

"I set my 200 yard zero at 8/3"

English please? (lots of noobs here)

I guess that was Polish! The elevation drum of A2 sights has a witness mark "8/3" on the wheel. This is for setting up "battle zero" for 300 meters in the military. For match, many of us are taught to run the sight down to the bottom, loosen the hex screw in the wheel, rotate the "8/3" mark to 9:00 o'clock or directly to the left of the upper. This becomes a "home" position for the sight and you add your MOA of elevation for each distance from this starting point. This reference point also has a flat machine into it that you can feel with your thumb. If during a match you get lost chasing elevation, you simply run your sight to home by feel of the flat or looking at position of 8/3 mark and then adding your elevation back into the sights

[thughes]

So where do you zero your M1 sight? Will setting it so the "2" is zeroed at 200 yards give you enough adjustment to back it down if you're shooting a 100 yd match? My 200 yard zero seems to be about 14 clicks up from bottom.

[Liberty's Teeth]

So where do you zero your M1 sight? Will setting it so the "2" is zeroed at 200 yards give you enough adjustment to back it down if you're shooting a 100 yd match? My 200 yard zero seems to be about 14 clicks up from bottom.

14 MOA is high limit for M2 Ball. Just 2 MOA down will have you in the black for 100 yards so you are good to go.
And it is good to establish the 2 mark for your 200 yard zero but as soon as you start fussing with different powder and pill combinations, your 200 yard zero will change

[thughes]

And it is good to establish the 2 mark for your 200 yard zero but as soon as you start fussing with different powder and pill combinations, your 200 yard zero will change

Yeah, BTDT. Need to spend some time with a chrono and bench rest to get that figured out.