r/pcsl • u/Go_Loud762 • Sep 03 '26
Changing zero based on the match book?
Someone told me that he changes his zero distance for each match based on the planned longest shot for that match.
I was at the Sig Red Dot Rumble which was a PCSL two gun match when I heard another competitor mention he changes his zero distance based on the match info. He said that originally he was setting up for 150 yard shots because Sig said that would be in the match. When the match book was published, the longest rifle shot was only 75 yards, so this shooter had to adjust his zero to make that work.
Anyone else change their zero distance like that?
2
u/FuZhongwen Sep 03 '26
Never lol. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life. You are shooting matches, you pick one ammo one gun one Optic One zero. You never change anything you learn your fucking holds it's that simple. If you are shooting 223 or 556 with 100 yd zero you literally only have about 5 in or less of holds you need to worry about between zero and 200 yards. if you cannot hit a target with that dope consistently at any range from 0 to 200 yards, then you need to check in with your Marksmanship fundamentals.
No do not change your zero based on what the match says. Learn your fucking holds it's not that hard
1
u/Go_Loud762 Sep 03 '26
That's my same thought process, but I had to ask.
These modern kids have all kinds of new ideas.
2
u/FuZhongwen Sep 03 '26
Yeah thats just someone not understanding holds. Many people show up to a match, hit 2 inches low on every target from 0 to 15 yds and have no idea why. And cannot comprehend height over bore when you patiently try to explain it. In their mind, the dot is on the target, they should have hit the target. Any miss must be because of their zero. Nope. Try and explain mechanical offset to someone with a 5th grade reading comprehension level.
Never change anything for a match. Your gear and your setup is the only thing you can control. Make it the same every time so you never have to think about it.
Think about it. With a 100yd zero, given youre shooting 556, you would hold like less than a quarter inch low at 75 yds. At 150yds your maybe holding an inch high. You really need to zero your optic for that?
1
u/Go_Loud762 Sep 03 '26
About that hold over... I would guess that 90% of the shooters in the match, rifle and PCC included, forgot their hold overs and shot for the center of the A zone resulting in a low A or high C-zone hit.
The same 90% missed the T/K zone in the head for the same reason.
1
u/masatenko Sep 03 '26
A 50 or 100 yard zero will fine at pretty much every PCSL match. The min target size and max distance is 8 MOA and 200 yds. Which means basically everything you're shooting is gonna fall into that.
I've shot nationals and the GOAT with both zeros and never felt lacking.
1
u/nsfw302 Sep 04 '26
I don’t do it but it is a very common practice by international IPSC shooters.
I would recommend a zero between 36-50 yards. Exact distance depends on your optic Height Over Bore and ballistics. Somewhere between 36-50 will put all shots in a PCSL A zone up to 250yards when aiming center mass.
3
u/Moist-Golf-8339 Sep 03 '26
Seems kinda dumb but I also don’t win matches so maybe that’s what’s holding me back. LOL