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This is a guide for the fabrication of parallel offset targets for laser firearm combos.
Background: a bunch of info is available from this Youtube post about converging and parallel zeros. The whys are covered pretty well.
Basically, the concept is that converging zeros are great for irons, scopes and electronic sights, but not for lasers. Lasers are not always at the 12 or 6 o'clock position and windage can diverge besides elevation at distance.
To zero a laser, one begins by determining the offset between the lasers position and the POI. This is a good video on how to find the offset easily with a zeroed sight. The concept is the same, but I am zeroing to the bore at a specific distance.
For a pistol, I simply put the barrel to a piece of paper, lit the laser, marked the laser's POI and the center of the barrel. This is the offset.
For my rifle, I am using a bore sight laser in the chamber and the IR laser while the firarm is on a stand, shining it both on a piece of paper at 0 yards.
With the offset marked on a template, I punched holes in the laser and the bore positions. The templates are used to mark the offsets on paper targets.
How do you then know if the laser is on target? Just looking isnt going to do it. You will see the laser wherever it is, but it will be hard to tell if its on target. Telluric Targets makes ready made targets for specific firearm and laser combinations - https://telluric.us/ir-laser-zero-targets/
The circles on the left are the POIs for different distances. The center bullseye is an IR reflector at the right offset. It will make more sense when you see a PEQ15 on an AR. As you will see below, the laser is above and to the side of the bore.
What if Telluric doesnt make one for your gun laser combo? You can make one yourself given the concepts and techniques shared above.
Heres the one I just made for my pistol. The reflector is set exactly where the laser sits under the bore. I am going to zero it at 20-25 yards. I tried it and the reflector does the job.
Basically, you shine the laser on a reflector, and when you see the reflector flash, you put a round down range. If the bullet groups around the bullseye, your offset POI, then youre zeroed.
I'm making one for my rifle too and will be headed to the range next week to test these out. These targets do need to be used in low light for visible, and for IR, at night.
You can also make close up targets by using a ballistic calculator to mark POIs at 25, 50 yards. These will be useful considering you are zeroing in the dark.
Not an expert, this is an effort based on my understanding of the process and trying to zero these devices myself. Open to experienced advise.
I still am surprised about how much depth shooting sports has. There are so many different aspects to it, one could get lost in shooting sports for a lifetime.
I am going to be pretty stoked if I can hit an IPSC target at 200 yards after the zero, at night.
Background: a bunch of info is available from this Youtube post about converging and parallel zeros. The whys are covered pretty well.
Basically, the concept is that converging zeros are great for irons, scopes and electronic sights, but not for lasers. Lasers are not always at the 12 or 6 o'clock position and windage can diverge besides elevation at distance.
To zero a laser, one begins by determining the offset between the lasers position and the POI. This is a good video on how to find the offset easily with a zeroed sight. The concept is the same, but I am zeroing to the bore at a specific distance.
For a pistol, I simply put the barrel to a piece of paper, lit the laser, marked the laser's POI and the center of the barrel. This is the offset.
For my rifle, I am using a bore sight laser in the chamber and the IR laser while the firarm is on a stand, shining it both on a piece of paper at 0 yards.
With the offset marked on a template, I punched holes in the laser and the bore positions. The templates are used to mark the offsets on paper targets.
How do you then know if the laser is on target? Just looking isnt going to do it. You will see the laser wherever it is, but it will be hard to tell if its on target. Telluric Targets makes ready made targets for specific firearm and laser combinations - https://telluric.us/ir-laser-zero-targets/
The circles on the left are the POIs for different distances. The center bullseye is an IR reflector at the right offset. It will make more sense when you see a PEQ15 on an AR. As you will see below, the laser is above and to the side of the bore.
What if Telluric doesnt make one for your gun laser combo? You can make one yourself given the concepts and techniques shared above.
Heres the one I just made for my pistol. The reflector is set exactly where the laser sits under the bore. I am going to zero it at 20-25 yards. I tried it and the reflector does the job.
Basically, you shine the laser on a reflector, and when you see the reflector flash, you put a round down range. If the bullet groups around the bullseye, your offset POI, then youre zeroed.
I'm making one for my rifle too and will be headed to the range next week to test these out. These targets do need to be used in low light for visible, and for IR, at night.
You can also make close up targets by using a ballistic calculator to mark POIs at 25, 50 yards. These will be useful considering you are zeroing in the dark.
Not an expert, this is an effort based on my understanding of the process and trying to zero these devices myself. Open to experienced advise.
I still am surprised about how much depth shooting sports has. There are so many different aspects to it, one could get lost in shooting sports for a lifetime.
I am going to be pretty stoked if I can hit an IPSC target at 200 yards after the zero, at night.
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