Is this right?

[grahamsy2k]

So today I was out with my AR and I decided to shoot 100 yards for the first time with it. I sighted it in at 50 yards. Then turned to the 100 yard range and aimed for the steel target. I assumed that sense the gun was sighted in for 50 I would need to aim a little high for 100 to compensate for the drop. I missed every shot. I quickly found of that I was wrong. I actually need to aim a little low. And then I hit every shot.


Im a little confused as to why I actually need to aim low.

 

[HmDBrian]

So today I was out with my AR and I decided to shoot 100 yards for the first time with it. I sighted it in at 50 yards. Then turned to the 100 yard range and aimed for the steel target. I assumed that sense the gun was sighted in for 50 I would need to aim a little high for 100 to compensate for the drop. I missed every shot. I quickly found of that I was wrong. I actually need to aim a little low. And then I hit every shot.


Im a little confused as to why I actually need to aim low.

Is it the same ammo you used to sight it in at 50?

 

[sig1473]

So today I was out with my AR and I decided to shoot 100 yards for the first time with it. I sighted it in at 50 yards. Then turned to the 100 yard range and aimed for the steel target. I assumed that sense the gun was sighted in for 50 I would need to aim a little high for 100 to compensate for the drop. I missed every shot. I quickly found of that I was wrong. I actually need to aim a little low. And then I hit every shot.


Im a little confused as to why I actually need to aim low.

Completely normal. Zeroing an AR @ 50yds will give you roughly a ~225yd zero.

 

[william]

Bullet is still rising in it's arc at 100yds...

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

Yes, it's normal. I was off searching for some charts and found that someone beat me to it...

 

[mattritchie238]

Bullet is still rising in it's arc at 100yds...

what he said ^^

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Simple terms. The muzzle of the gun is pointing upward. So, even though it may appear that it is paralell with the ground, it's not. The bullet arcs when it leaves the the barrel. So, if you sight your rifle at 50 yards, it will impact high at 100 yards. It will continue to arc until the bullet slows enough to the point that gravity takes control.

 

[Bikerdad61]

My AR15 Carbine Zero at 25 Yards was 6" high at 100 Yards. The chart that SIG1473 posted is pretty much dead on.

 

[Hookeye]

Sight height above bore also plays into it.

 

[RabbleRouser]

no this is not normal, obviously your rifle is broken and you should give it to me immediately for proper disposal...

 

[gds]

These charts always drive me crazy. If I want to shoot at 100 yards ,I sight my gun in at that range . Why do they start the bullet out at -3 inches .

 

[Hookeye]

That is the line of sight to bore axis distance, at the muzzle.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Simple terms. The muzzle of the gun is pointing upward. So, even though it may appear that it is paralell with the ground, it's not. The bullet arcs when it leaves the the barrel. So, if you sight your rifle at 50 yards, it will impact high at 100 yards. It will continue to arc until the bullet slows enough to the point that gravity takes control.

Just a small physics nit-pick:

Gravity "takes control" the instant the bullet exits the muzzle. We all compensate for that by aiming "just a little itty bitty bit" high.

-J-

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Just a small physics nit-pick:

Gravity "takes control" the instant the bullet exits the muzzle. We all compensate for that by aiming "just a little itty bitty bit" high.

-J-

I was thinking the same thing, too many physics classes in college.