Zeroing is often a frustrating process for some shooters, with many often settling for “good enough” rather than achieving the best possible zero of which their firearm is capable. In this article, I’ll address a few pieces of equipment that I have found helpful during zeroing. A lot of this may seem like overkill, but the reality is that we do not give these firearms enough credit for just how accurate they can be. This is especially important if you are considering using one for self-defense in a high liability environment, like law enforcement or as an armed citizen.

Pictured here is my 11.5” Geissele Super Duty, an exact clone of my work gun, set up for zeroing. I’ll run through each item that I use to help get the most out of the rifle during zeroing, along with a link to each product.

Shooting bags: Using a shooting bag is better than just using a “rock or something” as it provides a steadier and more consistent position. I use both a front and rear bag to help me remove as many of my own inconsistencies as possible when zeroing. While many shooters use front support, it is less common to see rear bags. I have found that using a rear bag helps me wring that much more precision out of my rifle. Besides steadying your rifle, you can apply very fine adjustments to your sight picture by squeezing the rear bag with your support hand. Squishy Rear Bag | Shooting Squeeze Bag | Armageddon Gear Wax Canvas Range Bag | Rifle Shooting Rest | Armageddon Gear Game Changer X Shooting Bag | Tactical Rifle Support | Armageddon Gear

Twenty round magazine: A 20-round magazine lets you get closer to the ground when you are zeroing. This helps prevent the teeter-tottering on a 30-round magazine we often see when shooters are in the prone, attempting to zero. While magazine support can be a great help in “field” conditions, in my opinion it is too inconsistent for administrative zeroing. However, I still prefer 30-round magazines for training & operational use. Magpul PMAG 20 AR/M4 GEN M3

Suppressor cover: I do not train with a suppressor cover, but I do use them when zeroing. Suppressors are great tools, but they come with the downside of heat. This heat can create mirage, which can distort your perception of the target, especially with magnification. Removing this mirage can greatly aid your efforts to obtain a precise zero. Suppressor Cover | Silencer Heat Wrap | Armageddon Gear

Cheek riser: This Geissele Super Duty is an exact clone of my work gun, so I have a Wilcox optic riser on it. While this is a great tool, the downside is that it can make obtaining and maintaining consistent head placement more difficult. Maybe not as critical for fast-paced and close-range shooting, but when you are trying to zero and attempting to remove as much human error as possible, it becomes more important. Adding a cheek riser to my stock when zeroing helps me maintain a more consistent head position, which pays off greatly. I should note that much like the suppressor cover, I do not use a cheek riser outside of zeroing. This is because were I to experience a stoppage that required mortaring, I would not have full range of motion with the charging handle with the stock collapsed, leaving me unable to clear the stoppage. Magpul CTR® 0.25" Cheek Riser, Model MAG325

Anti-Cant Device: Keeping your gun straight and level removes the effects of cant on the gun. If you’ve ever shot some of the compromised shooting positions we do in class, you’ve experienced it. And if you’ve experienced it, then you can recognize the importance of removing it whenever possible. Adding this anti-cant device when zeroing helps me ensure that I am not accidentally creating cant and causing problems for myself down the line. As I noted with other items, on this particular gun, it is something that I only use during zeroing, and I remove it when I am done. Unfortunately, Knight’s does not show it on their website, but if you google the following, you can find it for sale at several vendors: “KAC 114294” or “Knight’s Bubble Level Anti Cant Device”

As I said, some of this may seem to be overkill. Especially for an AR15 with an 11.5” barrel and a red dot sight with a 3 x magnifier. Perhaps it is. However, I have found that removing as much human error and inconsistency as possible when zeroing yields better, and faster results, saving time, ammunition and frustration. Which then frees us up to train more. And we can do so knowing that any errant rounds are a result of our inability to correctly apply the fundamentals, and not our zero.

See you on the range.

—Flynn

Setting Yourself Up for a Good Zero

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