How to Zero a Red Dot Sight

Once you buy a red dot for your handgun, you will need to zero the red dot.

If not, when you shoot, you will not hit. It is as simple as that. 

What does it mean to zero a red dot and why to do it? 

The reason for zeroing red dot is to be sure that the gun aims and shoots at the same point. 

If you just buy a gun and red dot, and install it, it will not shoot precisely. You will hit different point than what you are aiming at. Why is that?

Because each gun is little bit different from production. One can shoot little left, one little up, etc.

You dont necessarily knwo that, because the gun comes adjusted from production - as the manufacturer adjusts the sights to make sure it hits properly when you buy it. 

However, once you get a red dot for your gun, it is not alligned to the settings of your specific gun. How could it be afterall. And for that reason you need to zero the red dot.

So, to zero the red dot means to coallign your specific gun with the specific red dot.  

How to zero your red dot

Luckily the process is relatively simple, you just need to have some experience with shooting. Why? So that you know that you hit the target where you hit it not by your error, but because the red dot is not alligned to the pistol. 

Other than that, the zeroing is just a few shots from you. Lets get to it. 

1. Get a basic target or a simple dot

You will only need a basic target with big black dot in the center for simplicity.

Alternatively you can also get a simple paper target and create the dot yourself.

This will work as a default point for aiming and zeroing. 

2. Shoot at the dot

Simply target the dot and give it 3 shots.

The results of the shooting will tell you how to adjust the red dot sight. We will look into it in the next step.  

Example above: Here we targeted the center with the red dot, but the shots went to upper right instead of the center. 

3. Now correct the error

Once the shots are in, you can do the actual zeroing. 

Check where the shots hit the target:

Was it left from the dot? Was it below the dot and in the left? Or was it centered, but just too high? Check the results and based on them we will go on with adjustments:

The adjustments always are as follows: adjust the dot in the opposite direction from where the shot went:

• if you shot too much low, put the dot higher,
• if you shot too much to the right, move red the dot to the left, etc. 

Example above: Our 3 shots were up and to the right from where it should be. To zero the red dot, we need to move the dot down few clicks, and to the left. How many clicks? It depends on the red dot. Easiest way to find out is just to try few and see how much it moved.  

Adjusting the red dot

In the red dot package always comes some basic tools for adjustment of the red dot. You will use those for the two torrents that move the dot to the left and right (windage) and to the up and down (elevation). 

4. Repeat the process until you have the red dot zeroed

Most probably you will not zero the dot on the first attempt. Its repeated process until you are happy enough with the results.

So, once you have the red dot sight adjusted first time, just repeat the process.

You shall get closer and closer to the dot with your shots. Once you are confident it cannot get any better, you have your red dot zeroed.

What to watch for

Soft trigger pull

You have to be very careful and soft with the trigger pull. In the process of zeroing the red dot its crucial that shooting errors are eliminated as much as possible.   

You will thus need to make sure to pull the trigger gently. You do not fight recoil in this process nor need to practice tactical shooting. Here your point is to shoot as precisely as possible.

Proper mounting of red dot - screws & loctite

When mounting the red dot make sure you use the right screws for tightening the red dot to the optics ready plate or red dot mount. 

Also, keep in mind that you need to use blue loctite to the threads of the screws.

If you do wrong any of those, your zero will probably not last for too long as it will start to move in response to the recoil. 

Consistent shooting results

You can only zero a red dot this way if you shoot consistently and already can hit the target with your classic sights. 

In other words, if you have difficult time to hit the same area even without the red dot on the gun, you will have very difficult time zeroing the dot. You will simply not hit the target because of your error, not because of the red dot sight.