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Why am I always shooting high and right?!?

19K views 41 replies 20 participants last post by  FarmerJohn 
#1 ·
I went shooting range again its been a few weeks. I shot about 300 rds through my AR-15, just with the iron sights. And once again I keep shooting high and to the right! I have NO IDEA WHY. I shot most at 50 yards and then about 100rds at 100 yards. Ive had it for about 6 months now. I just dont get why I am shooting high and right... I was shooting off my bag also so god I couldnt be more steady. And Im aiming dead freaking on in the center and everything... Any tips?

Also, when I first started off yesterday, my gun was like jamming. FYI, I Havent cleaned it for about 400 rounds thorugh it. I wanted to dirty it up a bit and see how it does. When I put the mag in and put **** it to put the first round in the chamber, it wouldn jam. It wouldnt go in and jam up in between the bolt and just crimp up. Anyone know why it was doing this? I took it apart and put it back together and worked fine.
 
#10 ·
Yes but after 2 rugers comment, honestly I just went and checked my ar to see if I can somehow adjust the front site. I didnt think I could, but looks like maybe I can. The front sight can be adjusted also? That may account for the higher elevation in shot. But I did mess with the buis a bunch last time trying to get it to comepensate for poi. And just seemed to make it worse. I understand the change maybe in a 100 yards, but at 50 is where I was shooting most at, I figured having it set straight in the middle wouldve been ok.

I used 240 federal 55g but used 60 Remington .223 55gr

Before yesterday..prob about 1100 or so
 
#5 ·
Okay , I'm through with the smartass routine. Does it have the flip up sights or the standard AR carry handle type? Either way, the AR should have click adjustable sights at the rear for windage and elevation. Move the sight in the direction you want the bullet to move.
 
#7 ·
Do you have an owners manual with it Pacifico? The rear sight should have click adjustments for windage and elevation. You move the sight up or down, left or right according to where you want the bullet to strike. Moving the rear sight left, moves the bullet impact left, moving the rear sight up, moves the bullet impact up, saavy?:thumb:
 
#8 ·
Try this

The AR-15 rifle has two adjustable sights- front and rear. Zeroing elevation adjustments are made using the front sight, and windage adjustments with the rear.


The rear sight has an elevation knob with range indicators from 300 to 800 meters and two apertures for range. One aperture is marked 0-2 for short range from 0-200 meters and the unmarked aperture for normal range from 300 to 800 meters. This unmarked aperture is used in conjunction with the elevation knob for 300-800 meter targets.



The rear sight also consists of a windage knob on the right side of the sight. Each click of the windage knob will move the strike of the round from 1/8 inch at 25 meters to 4 inches at 800 meters. A windage knob pointer is on the windage knob.



The front sight consists of a rotating sight post with a spring loaded detent. This detent can be depressed using a sight adjustment tool, or using a sharp point such as a cartridge tip.

Establish Zero
The following procedure will establish a zero at 25 meters, and your AR-15 will be set with a 300 meter battlesight zero. This means that all shots will be within a 9" circle at all ranges up to 300 meters.

Establish Mechanical Zero -

Align the windage indicator mark on the 0-2 aperture with the center line of the windage scale (the unmarked aperture is up)
Rotate the elevation knob down until the range scale 8/3 (300-meter) mark is aligned with the mark on the left side of the receiver.
Rotate the front sight post up or down as required until the base of the front sight post is flush with the top of the sight post well.
Carefully aim and fire each shot of a 3-shot group at a paper target set up at 25 meters. If your shots are not striking the point-of-aim, then adjust your sights.

To raise the next shot group, rotate the front sight post in the direction marked UP (clockwise)
To lower the next shot group, rotate the front sight post in the direction marked DOWN (counter-clockwise)
To move the next shot group left, turn windage knob counterclockwise
To move the next shot group right, turn the windage knob clockwise

Continue to fire 3-shot groups and adjust the sights until you have a tight group at the point of aim.

Once this is done, the unmarked aperture is automatically zeroed. Rifle is now combat-zeroed all other ranges on the elevation knob are also zeroed, so to engage target at say 500 meters, turn wheel to 5.

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#9 ·
+1. It's probably a sight misalignment, or you're pulling your shots. Try sighting it in again and practicing good trigger control.

How high and to the right are you? Keep in mind that your iron sights are a couple of inches higher than the barrel.

If it's not your sights, you may have a more serious problem. Damage to the rifling at the muzzle perhaps. If you have taken care not to damage the last 1-2 inches of the rifling, then it's probably a sighting issue.

You may want to invest in a bore sight laser, they have some that fit into the chamber and shine down the barrel. You can shine one down range and make sure your sights are lined up with the barrel at whatever distance you are trying to sight in your rifle. This will save you some money on ammo while trying to sight in the rifle, as you can sight it in without firing a single round. If the laser and the sights are both on the same exact spot, but you're still shooting high and right, then you may be pulling your shots.

EDIT: Wow! there was one reply when I started typing. Hope I didn't just repeat what had already been said!
 
#12 ·
I am about 16''-2ft up and about 8-10" inches to the right. Nah I cant imagine damage to the rifling muzzle. Everything looks perfectly fine and only ahot around 1400 round after yesterday through it. But thats the thing, Im usually a good shot. Great shot with an m1a, and very good with an ar. Kinda what made me get one, loved the accuracy...lol except mine damnit!
 
#13 ·
Give the rear sight 3 clicks in elevation and pay attention to the direction you clicked it. Fire 3 shots, check your target. Do the same with the windage adjustment. Make sure you pay sharpish attention to the direction you clicked or you will be chasing bullets all over that paper.
 
#16 ·
The above pic is mainly for a handgun not rifle!!


High and right is nothing more than your trigger pull. Do not use just the tip of your finger. Place the finger where is rest natrually and pull the trigger strait back.

Here is what we call the dime and washer drill (you can use a .25 coin). Place it on the end of the rifle just before the muzzle brake. From the prone pull the trigger with out the coin falling off. This should improve your tigger pull alot.
 
#15 ·
How do you clean your barrel? From the breech or from the muzzle end? The reason I ask is sometimes when you clean it from the muzzle end, (which by the why is not recommended) you end up with nick on the tip of the barrel, sometimes not even noticeable without using a magnifying glass and that in itself will throw off your POI.
 
#18 ·
MGoose has a nice diagram. It basically says what I was going to try and say. The book Tactical Pistol Shooting by Erik Lawrence has something similar. High and Right on his chart is applying strong thumb pressure, anticipating recoil (pulling the trigger at an angle)
I find most of the people I help shoot, if they have problems anticipating recoil shoot low.
I did not read all the posts to see is it was covered, however a laser guide can let you know bad practice habits. When I first started shooting, seeing the laser dip down right before I shot really helped me stop anticipating recoil. A lot of people say to use 22, I found the opposite, shooting my 357, made me feel like I was shooting a bb gun when I switched to my 45 or 9mm. I had lots of bad habits, now I shoot expert, usually 236-239 out of 240 for qualifications. I still can not get the perfect 240. Start with the fundimentals and you will get there. Good luck.
 
#21 ·
A good rule for an AR is 1.5 inch low at 25 meters or 27 and a 1/2 yards will be zero at 100 meters.

Before you can say it is sight related be sure you are hitting tight groups. If your hits are all over the place then it is you.

Raise the front post to lower the inpact. Ur front sight should have an arrow dirrection with the word UP.

As others have said the rear sight has a windage adjustment. Move it in the same dirrection you want the bullets to hit.

You should do your adjustments at 27 yards. distance makes the erea more pronouced. Example: 1/2 inch left at 25 yds might be 6 inchs at 100.
 
#23 ·
I was zeroing in two ARs yesterday for a couple of friends. One was a Colt and the other was an olympic Arms.

The sight pin on the colt was froozen. I could not get it to turn. We soaked it with blaster and let it sit while I worked on the other.

The Olympic Arms dialed right in. 15 rds and it was spot on.

Went back to the Colt and after braking my front sight tool and screaming a few choice words I was able to move it. Took 30 rds to dial it in and had to use a bullet to do it.

My point is this. oil the sights now and then or they will rust up. This guy had this Colt for 3 yrs with out ever sighting it in. He took it shooting once and figured he was a bad shot and that was the end of it. LOL

They both are happy gunners now.
 
#27 ·
Your sight settings can change depending on lots of factors..How you are sitting, your cheek weld, stock position and yes even range. When I used to qual I had different windage settings for sitting and prone. I pulled more to one side in prone, so adjusted sights and problem solved. You saying "I don't need to adjust they are dead on" is a false statement. If you aren't hitting your target you are not "dead on".

Get a small notebook, write down your sight adjustments and ranges, that way it is saved. Shooting at 50 yards, look it up, adjust, shoot. Moved out to 200? Look it up, adjust, shoot. If you are grouping you aren't doing anything "wrong" other than expected 1 sight setting for all scenarios.
 
#33 ·
Breathing , trigger squeeze and proper sight picture are the first things id be looking at if its all zeroed as you say

second I would say adjust your sights

and alwayse clean your weapon


also if your shooting rapidly and right handed it will want to climb high and right very noticable with weapons on full auto itl be opposite for those who are leftys



what are your groups looking like at 100m knowing or being able to see your target/ gourps will make it easier to help you out
 
#34 ·
Jerking will make a man shoot low. He 'yanks' the gun in his hand.
Heeling (thrusting the gun forward) will make it shoot high, and usually, right....

Get somebody to videotape your shooting, and then run it in slow motion to see what you're doing. The videocam is the greatest thing since coaching for a man to see what he's doing wrong....
 
#36 ·
When I got my Spikes AR, the BUIS were so far left I don't think I would have hit paper with them. It is entirely possible you need to adjust the iron sights.

ARs should be zeroed at 50 yards, and will then also be at zero at 200 yards. At about 125-150 yards you will be around 2 inches high, and then 2 inches low at around 250 yards.

Also, a rear peep sight is not trivial to use if you have never used one before or had someone show you how to line the front post up inside the rear aperature. You could very well be using the sights incorrectly and shooting high as a result.
 
#37 ·
Rifles do not come zeroed from the factory. If they are zeroed, they are not zeroed for your eyes, technique, etc.

Shoot until the groups are tight enough (how tight depends on what you are trying to achieve, the weapon you are using, the ammo, etc) then adjust the sights to make point of aim match point of impact.

While sight adjustment may be old hat to a lot of us, a surprising number of new shooters have no idea that this is necessary. People even travel to Africa to hunt thinking that the bore sighting the guy in the gun store did when he mounted the scope means they are good to go! The first thing the professional hunter does is have you check zero.

It just isn't common knowledge amongst new or non-shooters that guns do not come ready to go. I've been to a number of shooting schools- Thunder Ranch, Gunsite, etc. Even amongst people who care enough to spend the money to go to an expensive school, I'd estimate that half hadn't zeroed their weapons. They just didn't know they needed to.

As far as the sight being in the center, it would be satisfying if that mechanical zero coincided with the actual zero for the weapon, but it doesn't always work out that way. I've had guns where the sight was way off to one side to get it to zero. It makes one wonder what the guys on the line were drinking when they put it together, but it happens.

Zeroing your weapon is critical and nobody can do it for you. It is like breaking in a pair of shoes in that regard. Once it is zeroed, do not let anybody mess with it.
 
#39 ·
Try this next time you shoot. First of all do you shoot with both eyes open? Do you know your dominate eye? Don't chamber a round and **** your AR. Insert a loaded magazine as you would normally. Get your very best sight picture,close your eye,eyes and squeeze the trigger,then open your eyes after the rifle settles back in. Is your POI the same? Now try the same thing with a round chambered, if you are getting good sight alignment,sight picture,trigger squeeze and cheekweld,breath control and hold then your POI should be the same. Barring an y significant change noticed at this point, then adjust your front sight down until you are lined up with the Bull. Get your elevation right and then work on the windage.IMHO.:confused:
 
#42 ·
Maybe you're encountering "spin drift" as described in this video at 1:20. I'm not saying it's definitely this, but it's a possibility.

YouTube - Snipers Inside the Crosshairs 1
Id have to say at the short ranges he is shooting at no way in hell.
Spin drift doesnt really effect rounds unless your shooting a long way out like in the case of your video 1250 meters with an ar type platform 400 and under is pretty much point and shoot.

when you take rifles out to 500m and past is when all the variables start to play a ever bigger part in the bullets flight path the further out you go.
 
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