Policy for Sighting In a Firearm

Objective

The process of aligning a firearm is called sighting in. It takes time and patience to sight-in a firearm properly. But all that time and effort will pay off when you can fire at a target and have confidence that your shot will be true.

Getting on Paper

You need to make sure your shots are in the general vicinity, before putting a target far downrange. Called “getting on paper,” this process makes it easier to identify the initial relationship between the crosshairs and the actual point of impact.

When sighting in a firearm or you have mounted a scope on your firearm for the first time, the shooter shall ensure that the firearm is sighted in on target at the 25 yd backstop first before completing the zeroing process for a longer range. By placing a target at 25 yards, the shot(s) will almost certainly impact the paper somewhere. If you start with a target 50 or 100 yards away, the firearm could be off and the shot might not even land on the paper, and you’ll have no idea what adjustments to make. This way, you will save time and avoid frustration.

Different Scopes and Dials

While most scopes are calibrated with 1/4 MOA elevation and windage turrets, you’ll see others. Some will move the point of impact 1/2 inch or even 1 full inch with each click. If the calibration is not printed on the turrets or caps, just check your owner’s manual.