Anyone try a 400 meter zero?

[Blue72]

Watched a recent 9 hole review on the ak74 on YouTube. They explained how the Soviets used a 400 meter zero to great effectiveness.

Has p anybody tried something similar?. I put the numbers in my ballistic calculator and I was impressed with the numbers it put out for a 223.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Something similar? Sure, the US military has used a 25m/~300m zero for decades and for about the same reasons as it pertains to the average infantryman using irons or red dots. The disadvantage to having a long range zero at 300 or 400 m/yds is that at shorter ranges the peak trajectory is significantly above your line of sight to the point you have to compensate for it. If a majority of your targets are at 300 and beyond, great but that fact of the matter is that typically they're not and they're typically smaller than man sized, which isn't optimal for that zero method. Most shooters have migrated to using a zero range of 36, 50, or 100 yards because it keeps the peak trajectory relatively close to the line of sight for more precise shot placement at closer ranges.

 

[Dolomite_Supafly]

Something similar? Sure, the US military has used a 25m/~300m zero for decades and for about the same reasons as it pertains to the average infantryman using irons or red dots. The disadvantage to having a long range zero at 300 or 400 m/yds is that at shorter ranges the peak trajectory is significantly above your line of sight to the point you have to compensate for it. If a majority of your targets are at 300 and beyond, great but that fact of the matter is that typically they're not and they're typically smaller than man sized, which isn't optimal for that zero method. Most shooters have migrated to using a zero range of 36, 50, or 100 yards because it keeps the peak trajectory relatively close to the line of sight for more precise shot placement at closer ranges.

You could probably zero a 5.56 at ANY distance between 25 yards and 400 yards and as long as you aim for the belly button it will be a hit. Personally I use a 37 yard zero.

 

[308pirate]

I put the numbers in my ballistic calculator and I was impressed with the numbers it put out for a 223.

Such as?

How about some details? What's the max ordinate and at what distance does it occur?

 

[Blue72]

Such as?

How about some details? What's the max ordinate and at what distance does it occur?

 

[308pirate]

View attachment 7674886

This is dumb. You have to use significant hold unders at the majority of the rifle's practical range, making the rifle more difficult to use when you need it most.

There is nothing to emulate here.

 

[jeffl838]

Hold unders are easier with iron sights because your front sight post will obstruct the lower half of the thing you're aiming at. That's part of why 300m iron sight m16 zeros were pretty usable despite the crazy max ord.

400m zero with AK iron sights with you training holding at a dudes hips/stomach might make sense? Not sure. Max ord's gotta be pretty high. Curious on what "great effectiveness" means

 

[Dolomite_Supafly]

This is dumb. You have to use significant hold unders at the majority of the rifle's practical range, making the rifle more difficult to use when you need it most.

There is nothing to emulate here.

No you don't. Everything is well within POA/POI within 400 yards with any zero from 25 to 400 yards. Just don't aim for the head/chest area. Aim for the belly button and you will get an impact.

 

[jeffl838]

No you don't. Everything is well within POA/POI within 400 yards with any zero from 25 to 400 yards. Just don't aim for the head/chest area. Aim for the belly button and you will get an impact.

What does the enemy expose to you when he fires from behind cover? Where do you aim when your target is in the prone?

 

[Blue72]

What does the enemy expose to you when he fires from behind cover? Where do you aim when your target is in the prone?

You can say the same with 25 , 50, 100 zero, too

we are not talking snipers, we are talking basic infantry with the most simple and quick method to hit near and far, over a 1/4 mile

If a Soviet soldier needs more precision from his AK at closer range. He simply slides the rear sight from 400 to 100

 

[jeffl838]

We do say the exact same things about the 25m and the 36yd zeros with red dots. It's a major shortcoming of the 25/300 zero and why it's falling out of popular usage. The only time it makes sense is with iron sights.

You cannot say the same thing about the 50 and 100. You don't have this issue with the 50/200 until you get past 250, and you don't have this issue with a 100m zero until the target gets past like 200.

If the enemy is 100m away you are in much more immediate danger than if he is 400m away. Generally it makes more sense to need to slide your sight from 100 to 400 than from 400 to 100 (unless the situation demands otherwise). I want to think less as the enemy gets closer. I don't mind putting some more thought into further shots because I am also safer.

That being said, with ak irons, if my zero range allowed for it, i'd certainly rather zero at 400 and then slide down to 100. That being said, I have my doubts that basic infantry in the soviet military zeroed their rifles at a 400m range. I wouldn't trust a nearo zero for a distance like 400m (i barely trust it with 300)

 

[THEIS]

You can say the same with 25 , 50, 100 zero, too

we are not talking snipers, we are talking basic infantry with the most simple and quick method to hit near and far, over a 1/4 mile

If a Soviet soldier needs more precision from his AK at closer range. He simply slides the rear sight from 400 to 100

Hi,

PLEASE tell me where your Soviet knowledge is coming from?

Stop believing what someone on Youtube says about "Soviet" anything as they have pretty much no clue as what Soviets were doing.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Blue72]

Hi,

PLEASE tell me where your Soviet knowledge is coming from?

Stop believing what someone on Youtube says about "Soviet" anything as they have pretty much no clue as what Soviets were doing.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[BiggBeans]

Aim for the belly button? Now thats fucking stupid. Im not an infantry man. But i would think if i was defending my life id rather try to aim center mas as quick as i could instead of trying to find the dudes belly button. Hell in a situation were im defending my life im going to pull the trigger the first time my sights are aimed on the other guy. Whether that be the head, the chest, or the stomach. I dont need to be thinking about “aim at his belly button” when i would already be under emense pressure. Again im not an operator. Just the way i see it. Less things to think about when in that situation is good in my humble opinion.

 

[HogsLife]

Watched a recent 9 hole review on the ak74 on YouTube. They explained how the Soviets used a 400 meter zero to great effectiveness.

Has p anybody tried something similar?. I put the numbers in my ballistic calculator and I was impressed with the numbers it put out for a 223.

 

[GreenGO Juan]

The 9 hole review I watched he was adjusting the rear sight the entire time. Ak's have adjustable rear sights, why would you use a 400M zero when not shooting that range.

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

Having been born and raised in Ukraine; while under Soviet rule and under its' own Governing.....

Never seen, heard or used a 400m zero on AKs.

Just for sake of clarity, lol...
Everyone does realize that no matter where you "zero" at......that it does not miraculously give that cartridge better ballistic capabilities right????

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[TheGerman]

lol this is why you just get a Krinkov and shoot at shit up close

 

[GreenGO Juan]

Just for sake of clarity, lol...
Everyone does realize that no matter where you "zero" at......that it does not miraculously give that cartridge better ballistic capabilities right????

Sincerely,
Theis

Yup.

https://gundigest.com/more/how-to/sighting-ak Pic above is from this article explaining how an AK sight can be used