It seems to me that for practical purposes, a 50yd zero would make the most sense. I can't imagine wanting to shoot things more than 200 yards away. A 5 inch spread is more appealing than the 10+ a 25yd zero would create. I also like the 55 yd line. Dead on at 55 and 100 rd.
But still curious what we were doing in the military back in the day.
I forgot about the 'mechanical zero' so you can remember where your zero is.
So that video said 36/300yrd. Is that what you guys did in the Marines?
25yd comes to mind for me, but, it was so long ago. And I'm sure army/marines did things differently. We only qualified out to 100 yards. And remembering how tiny a 100 rd target was, that's why I'm thinking 200 yards is the max practical. Unless you have a scope.
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2013,20:34
I didn't watch the vid, I just googled "What range do you BZO an M-16." I seem to recall 25 feet, or so. You fired til you get 3 shots within the width of a nickel. After that you just knew how many clicks up or down in elevation for whatever distance you were firing on a KD (known distance) course.
NOW... in a combat situation, if you have prep time, you pace off distances to landmarks. That wat you know "this big rock is exactly 125 yards away," so if the tangos are there, you click for 125 yards. THIS DEAD TREE TRUNK is 325 yards away.... so you click for 325 yards. Etc etc.
So.... I know exactly how many paces the different trees are in my back yard, from my upstairs windows. If I were REALLY hard core about it, there would be a list of distances written on the wall next to the window, in case I have multiple people defending my house.
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2013,20:37
(Cakedaddy @ Dec. 28 2013,23:32)
QUOTE
25yd comes to mind for me, but, it was so long ago. Â And I'm sure army/marines did things differently. Â We only qualified out to 100 yards. Â And remembering how tiny a 100 rd target was, that's why I'm thinking 200 yards is the max practical. Â Unless you have a scope.
Every year we had to qual with the M-16. It was 20 rounds at 200 yards, 20 rounds at 300 yards, and 10 rounds at 500 yards. Different positions, and 2 rounds of rapid fire (10 rounds each). That means 10 rounds in 60 seconds. Twice. Once at 200 yards, once at 300 yards. My last year qualifying, I fired perfectly. I only missed the bull 6 times out of 50, and 4 of them were the standing (no support) "offhand" position at 200 yards. I hate that fucking position.
I've read amry at 25 and marines at 37.5. That video said 36, which would put the down ward path of the round at zero at 300yd. And since I THOUGHT you have said you qualify out to 300, it would sort of match the 37.5 yd I've read.
And I also remember being trained to aim high or low of center mass at a certain distance because of bullet travel. But I don't remember if it was up or down or at what distance.
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2013,20:41
(Cakedaddy @ Dec. 28 2013,23:40)
QUOTE
And I also remember being trained to aim high or low of center mass at a certain distance because of bullet travel. Â But I don't remember if it was up or down or at what distance.
We called that "Kentucky Windage." We absolutely did not do that. At that time, every Marine knew exactly how many clicks to move the round up and down, left and right. We always aimed center mass.
We were shooting with M16A1 with the rear site only adjustable left and right. To adjust up/down we would have had to adjust the front site, which as you know, is impractical in a combat situation.
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Posted on: Dec. 28 2013,20:54
(Cakedaddy @ Dec. 28 2013,23:48)
QUOTE
We were shooting with M16A1 with the rear site only adjustable left and right. Â To adjust up/down we would have had to adjust the front site, which as you know, is impractical in a combat situation.
My dad was in the Air Force in the very early 60s. I asked him what weapons they trained on. He said they had the AR-15, which would have been brand new then, but then he said,
