What's the best way to calibrate a rifle?

Tool · May 7, 2025, 02:23 PM

Most of the AR-15s come with no sights, or lasers, or red dots. After installing a laser, how do I make sure the direction of the laser is the direction of the bullets? Is this something I can do myself, or would I need to pay some professionals to do so?

Thanks.

jmr40 · May 7, 2025, 03:06 PM

Have you already installed a laser, or are you just thinking about it?.

IMO a laser is an OK secondary sighting system for close range shooting in the dark. Not a good choice for a primary sight.

But you'd zero it just like you would a scope or dot sight. Set up a target at close range. The bigger the better so you will get a bullet hole on paper. Fire a shot, then determine how far you bullet impacted from the aiming point. Adjust the laser in the direction of the aiming point.

Fire another shot and repeat until you're close enough to be happy.

I have several AR's equipped with different sight systems. I have dot sights, low powered variable scopes and variables with more magnification for different uses. If I only had one AR and wanted it to be the most versatile I'd put a 1-4X or similar scope on it.

On 1X they get on target as fast, if not faster than irons or dot sights and on 4X have enough magnification for at least 300 yards. Most people using lasers use them in addition to a scope for special purposes.

mehavey · May 7, 2025, 04:22 PM

Quote:

After installing a laser, how do I make sure the
direction of the laser is the direction of the bullets?

Mount the sight.
Make sure it is in the general direction of the barrel.
Get a 3-ft x 3-ft piece of paper brown with a 2" circle drawn in the middle.
Aim/Fire at the circle from 25-yds
Adjust the sight from where the bullet actually strikes.

lunger · May 7, 2025, 06:16 PM

You can probably save a few shells by removing the bolt carrier group . Put the rifle on a rest if available.

Shine the laser on a target . Look through the bore and adjust the laser till centered in the bore.

This should get you on the paper . Then fire your shots and adjust to fine tune.

jetinteriorguy · May 7, 2025, 07:19 PM

You can find good tutorials on YouTube.

gwpercle · May 7, 2025, 07:29 PM

It's called ... Sighting In

You may want to get a professional Gunsmith to Mount your sight ...
and then do a quick Bore Sight to get the sight roughly sighted in .

Then go to the shooting range and ... Choot It !

Make fine sight adjustments as needed ... You will be all done ...
Bring plenty ammo as when you new at this ... it takes a bit of shooting to get things dialed in .

Good Luck ,
Gary

Shadow9mm · May 7, 2025, 07:41 PM

1. Take the upper off.
2. Take the bolt carrier group out.
3. Set the upper down on something stable.
4. turn the laser on.
5. look down the barrel and find a refence point. target, light switch, ect.
6. adjust the laser until they match.

This will get you close and or on paper next time you go shooting. adjust as needed from there.

Tool · May 8, 2025, 07:40 AM

Many thanks for all the wonderful suggestions.

**4V50 Gary** · May 31, 2025, 11:00 AM

What Shadow9mm suggested.

tangolima · May 31, 2025, 12:01 PM

Set target really close say 5yd. Adjust sight to get close to poi. Try again with target at desired distance, say 50yd. This time move the sight right on poi.

The first step is to get yourself on paper. Once you are on paper, you run the show.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

May 7, 2025, 02:23 PM	#1
Tool Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2024 Posts: 200	What's the best way to calibrate a rifle? Most of the AR-15s come with no sights, or lasers, or red dots. After installing a laser, how do I make sure the direction of the laser is the direction of the bullets? Is this something I can do myself, or would I need to pay some professionals to do so? Thanks.

May 7, 2025, 03:06 PM	#2
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,972	Have you already installed a laser, or are you just thinking about it?. IMO a laser is an OK secondary sighting system for close range shooting in the dark. Not a good choice for a primary sight. But you'd zero it just like you would a scope or dot sight. Set up a target at close range. The bigger the better so you will get a bullet hole on paper. Fire a shot, then determine how far you bullet impacted from the aiming point. Adjust the laser in the direction of the aiming point. Fire another shot and repeat until you're close enough to be happy. I have several AR's equipped with different sight systems. I have dot sights, low powered variable scopes and variables with more magnification for different uses. If I only had one AR and wanted it to be the most versatile I'd put a 1-4X or similar scope on it. On 1X they get on target as fast, if not faster than irons or dot sights and on 4X have enough magnification for at least 300 yards. Most people using lasers use them in addition to a scope for special purposes. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

May 7, 2025, 07:41 PM	#7
Shadow9mm Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 4,590	1. Take the upper off. 2. Take the bolt carrier group out. 3. Set the upper down on something stable. 4. turn the laser on. 5. look down the barrel and find a refence point. target, light switch, ect. 6. adjust the laser until they match. This will get you close and or on paper next time you go shooting. adjust as needed from there. __________________ I don't believe in "range fodder" that is why I reload.

May 31, 2025, 11:00 AM	#9
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,287	What Shadow9mm suggested. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

May 31, 2025, 12:01 PM	#10
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 5,109	Set target really close say 5yd. Adjust sight to get close to poi. Try again with target at desired distance, say 50yd. This time move the sight right on poi. The first step is to get yourself on paper. Once you are on paper, you run the show. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk Last edited by tangolima; May 31, 2025 at 05:55 PM.

May 7, 2025, 06:16 PM	#4
lunger Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2007 Posts: 459	You can probably save a few shells by removing the bolt carrier group . Put the rifle on a rest if available. Shine the laser on a target . Look through the bore and adjust the laser till centered in the bore. This should get you on the paper . Then fire your shots and adjust to fine tune.

May 7, 2025, 07:19 PM	#5
jetinteriorguy Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2013 Posts: 3,463	You can find good tutorials on YouTube.

May 7, 2025, 07:29 PM	#6
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,910	It's called ... Sighting In You may want to get a professional Gunsmith to Mount your sight ... and then do a quick Bore Sight to get the sight roughly sighted in . Then go to the shooting range and ... Choot It ! Make fine sight adjustments as needed ... You will be all done ... Bring plenty ammo as when you new at this ... it takes a bit of shooting to get things dialed in . Good Luck , Gary

May 8, 2025, 07:40 AM	#8
Tool Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2024 Posts: 200	Many thanks for all the wonderful suggestions.