This is a discussion on What range do you sight in your Handgun at? within the Optics forums, part of the Firearm Forum category; Howdy all,
I usually sight in at 25yds with pistol and 100yds for rifles. What is your normal range for handguns.
Thanks,
Sam...
Rifle, starting from 50 yards, then going to 100. Handguns, 10-15 yards is good enough for me. If I need to shoot at distances over 25 yards, I prefer something with longer sight plane than handgun.
Muddy Creek Sam, My factoy scoped 44 SRH 7.5" is dead on at 100 to 125yards. My S & W Performance Center 460 Magnum 6.5" Scoped Hunter is 1" high at 200 yards. Depending on which rifle being used 1" high at 200 yards on my 270. The 308's gets confirmed at 200 yards with the scopes that I'm using on them. They're good for more than 600+ yards with no problem.......The others are set up 1" high at 200yards. When the new 325 WSM is completely ready for action. 600++ yards is the game plan.
MCS, It really depends on the caliber and "use" as to what distance you want to sight in a handgun at. For instance, a .357 Mag that is going to be used for defensive purposes only 25 yards max is plenty workable. For hunting purposes I sight a .357 Mag at 75 yards. My .41Mag and .44Mag I sight in at 100 yards. Smaller calibers like say a .380ACP or .32ACP sight in at 15 yards for defense. For .22LR general hunting, I sight in at 50 yards. With "all" of these suggestions I have given, shoot those handguns at "different" ranges to know where they are hitting and how much you have to "adjust your" shooting at those "other" ranges.......................Dick
With most firearms both long and short you will normally get a wider point blank range by setting your zero a little on the far side. It all depends on how precise you need to be and what ranges you are going to be shooting. For example my normal 38 Special plinking load zeroed at 25 yards is around 3.2” low at 50 yards. The same round zeroed at 50 yards is only 1.6” high at 25 yards. I like to shoot at different ranges and I have steel targets from 25 to 75 yards and target stands at the closer ranges. If you are going to shoot paper targets at the same distance most of the time then zero it at that distance. It also makes no sense to try and sight in anything at a distance beyond which you can shoot decent groups.
For my hunting rifles and pistols it depends on what I am shooting at and what range I want to be able to shoot. A coyote at 200 yards requires more accuracy than a white tail at 50 yards.
For example my 44mag SRH with a 2X scope that I deer hunt with I sight in three inches high at 75 yards. Where I hunt the longest shot I have is around 125 yards and this zero keeps me +/_ 3 inches or so.
A lot of the new rifle scopes are available with some type of bullet drop reticle that helps compensate for bullet drop and you just have to experiment with zero ranges to see what really works.
Last edited by REB; February 15th, 2009 at 09:51 AM.
Depends on the caliber. Big bores go out to 100 yards and are zeroed there. My 30 Carbine gets zeroed at 100 yards too. All the others (22's, 32's and 357's) are betwen 25 and 50 yards. I need a 25 caliber to fill the void. Listening Ruger?
My pistols are used for concealed carry and home defense only. For that reason I sight-in and practice at 7-10 yards because beyond that range it would be difficult to claim self defense.
hunting handguns and handguns able to be consistent i sight at 25yards; ccw 15 yards, rifles other than .22 rimfire 250yards. this might seem far but here in the great white north 100yds are about the minimum.You would not believe witha little tinkering what most rifles will do!! Even pistols will really close up groups well with a little tinkering handloading.An example is my .45 xd tactical supposedly will not shoot swc leads;well got mine to and consistently,reliabley. Remember shoot small miss small!!
What range do you sight in your Handgun at? 
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