Vigilance Elite - Spec Ops Dude's Favorite Combat Rifle Zero 

Nice! Thanks for the info. To me the 36 yard zero is a no-brainer.

He catered to us and took the time to design a 25 yard target for free. That's fucking awesome! Support this guy for sure, he deserves it. I'm irate youtube took this long to recommend.

4 yrs later still probably the best explanation of zeroing for my purposes. Thanks!

Was in the military 33 years and that is the best explanation I’ve ever heard. Thank you.

Who else comes back and re-watches this video whenever it shows up again in their algorithm list? I think I've watched this thing four times. Still fun and informative. Maybe I'm just slow.

Did you seriously make a printable 25 yard target perfect for the indoor range so we can do this? Awesome, man. Thanks a ton.

14.5” DDM4A1 w/ eotech xps2 and this works fantastic. Sighted in 36 & immediately moved to 300 and punched steel. Aimed for the middle of a 9x16 plate and heard nothing but dings. This video is truth.

"Breaking the line here a little bit Manny." Gotta love that dry ass humor from Shawn. ROFL. 2:48

I bet if we taught military concepts dealing with mathematics in grade school, young boys would be more interested in math and science. The word problems would be pretty gruesome though.

I tested this out yesterday. Tested it with a DDM4V7. 1 &7 twist. With fiocchi 55grn. FMJ. Started at 25 went to 300yards. Came out exactly the way it was shown here. Awesome zero.

Former Army Ranger here (1985-1993), still love to shoot at 52 Years young, and living in Arizona affords me the opportunity to do so. This zero is amazing to say the least! Thanks for taking time to make this video and the targets as well. Thanks for your service brother, since 9/11, I always slept good at night knowing guys like you were out there doing what you do.

When people give detailed instructions like this Hero does, there should be no excuse to understand fully!!! Thank you 🙏

Shawn, thank you for taking the time to give us this video AND the target! Invaluable information! Been out of the service since 81, finally got off my ass, paid the price for a mass pre ban (I know, I know) and finally find this on your RU-vid channel. GREAT INFORMATION! Just printed out my targets and heading for the range. Currently zero'd at 30 yards and cant wait to re-zero!! Thank you Sir!! Now, if i can just find some damn ammo!

Interesting stuff, never seen a 36 yard zero before but makes sense

For the record, this video alone has increased my accuracy 100 fold. Thank you, Shawn.

Really great information! Thank you for taking the time to educate people on the different zeros and how they differ. 36 yards definitely seems like a no brainer when broken down like that. I appreciate you taking the time and considering that the vast majority of indoor ranges only go to 25 yards. Having that target to zero it in will definitely make things easier! Keep up the amazing work man I love your channel and what you do and represent!

I’ve been using 36 yard zero for years now. Every class I go to the instructor asks everyone what their rifles are zerod for. Most everyone is 50/100. I always get the hmmm face from the instructor when I say 36. It works for me and is a no brainer all day. Dead on at 300 aim high 400-600… 🙌🏽

Hands down the best zero vid I’ve ever watched. Keep up the good work! I know how much time goes into these, so just know other creatives appreciate the effort!

You made the concept of zeroing a hell of a lot simpler, for a hell of a lot of folks. Nice visual representation of the trajectory spread/POI at distance. Keep up the awesome vids. Thanks brother

This is by far the BEST explanation on zeroing. Thank you for calculating and showing the bullet impact at different yardage. I personally have my rifle set to 50 yrd and to visually see where the bullets could land is going to make it so much easier to picture and calculate holds if needed. Thanks for sharing you knowledge and experience with us and hoping for your continued success with the podcast man.

Awesome, this is exactly what i was looking for! Thank you for giving us that target especially without asking anything in return for it, that's a huge contribution to the community although most may not realize the significance of it. Semper fi

Firstly, I want to thank you for taking the time to create a target and put it on your web page for all of us to use. I really do appreciate it.

Thank you! I've watched about 3 other videos before this, and they all managed to convolute the information and make it harder to understand. You kept it extremely simple, and your chart was VERY helpful. Best EoTech zeroing information on RU-vid.

I always just thought about aiming a couple inches high at 7yd. I never considered the bottom part of eotech reticle might be there for a reason. I learned something new today 👍🏼

Fantastic, guess who's re-zeroing their rifle today? Nice hot ending.

Thank you for taking the time to explain this - Your thoughts, work, and videos are super appreciated and inspiring at the same time.

I watched this over a year ago and came back to it so I could forward to some friends and ended up watching it all again good work appreciate your efforts and help to the community

Sean, printed out the target to 8.5 x 11 inch, took it to the range and damn what a great zero. Your holds were right on. Thank you for taking the time Sean!!! (The old 24th inf dude in the northeast). Made my damn day

The sound of disgust @ 2 minutes and 50 seconds "your breaking the line a little bit here manny" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I must say this 36 yard zero is amazing. I re-zeroed mine standard red dot to it last weekend and what a difference,, it flat works.

Down to your voice the intro , the space you take between words . It Al gives that feeling of home , of familiarity , comfort, safe, the feeling of when you get home . Your show brings that type of peace .

I just started 3 gun a month ago. The long range stages I’ve shot have given me problems and I didn’t know why. I was zeroed at 25 yds because even for all my research, it’s what I was told was best. No wonder I’ve been having issues with a 4” plate at 150 yards!! Even with a big hold under, I’ve been WAY high. Now I know. And knowing is 1/2 the battle. Much appreciated for all this info!! This week I’ll be heading back to the range to zero my rifle again. Im super stoked for my next 3 gun match!! Thanks so much!!

This is bonkers. More technical videos like this would be more than appreciated. When you combine experience, top-knowledge and right-sized candor, people learn and change quick. Great stuff. Roger that lol

Great video, clearly explained. I've watched it 3 times over the past year testing and figuring out different zero's. Thanks!

Thanks for making the target! After doing some research, I decided that when I upgrade my optic I'm going to try the 36 yard zero and I'm glad I found your video. Your chart made so much more sense than looking at bullet trajectory line graphs.

Thank you for the information. Just bought my first rifle and looking for what the best zero would be on an Eotech and this was the most straightforward comparison between all the popular zeros I could find. Always delivering quality content. Thank you 🙏

I have always used the 50 yard zero. Just having to zero at less then 50 is fanfreakingtastic with my eyes getting older. Gonna try that 36 yard zero. Thanks. Much appreciated

Thanks man, we did 36 yard zero in the Marines but were never really told why. Since I've been out, I zeroed my rifle at 100 but had no idea the actual hold pattern.... cant wait to take this target to the indoor range and get it zeroed properly. Can't say thank you enough for the awesome content and making this target (you must be a physics genius).

Shawn, I finally got the chance to get out and work on this for my rifle. Thanks for the info as well as the target set up... helps us out there in the real world a ton when folks like you can assist!

Thanks for the heads up. I’ve got mine zeroed there and have coached all my family and friends using this video. Thanks for sharing your expertise.

This video explains why a 36 yard zero is a damn good zero! Thank you guys for all of your knowledge sharing!

36 yard zero for Milk Dud box sized group out to 300? sign me up

almost 3 years after this and im just finding this.....this is good stuff man thanks so much

This is easily the best and simplest explanation of zeroing I've found. Thank you, Shawn. Excellent work.

Cant wait to thank you in person finally ,We'll I'm planning a trip to see you guys! Almost done saving my lunch money and have cut back on duds to 1 box a day ,just trying to fig out the headache from driving all my gear/guns/rounds/mags /crayons /ect. through different states and laws (alot) lol .maybe you could help out with a quick vid on that?I'm for Utah so atleast i dodged the cali bullet lol thanks again guys ,great vid as always and stay safe brothers!

Best explanation I have ever seen on youtube (over the past 10 years) on how to zero your rifle. Keep up the good work .

I've never heard of a 36 yard zero but this was one of the best explanations of real world sighting I've ever heard... and thanks for the free target.

Thank you so much for breaking this down so succinctly. I did not have a complete understanding of what i should be doing to zero my AR but felt like 100 yards was good for me. I was not planning on hitting targets much beyond that. With your clear explanation, it makes total sense to zero at 36 yards. Thank you again.

I've been doing about 1/2 inch low at 25 for years. Basically the same. I like hitting what I'm aiming at. Great video.

Dude, thank god you exist. Seriously, you’re gifted at teaching!

Dude. Hands down the most informative video about zeros I’ve ever seen. In a 5 year old video at that. Seems like a topic that not to many other people are smart enough to teach people through a video.

It’s important to know this is with a lower 1/3 optic height. The ballistic curve of your bullet changes drastically depending on the height of the mount. Using a Unity Fast mount or similar changes your spread pretty significantly…

Great topic, and best explanation I've ever heard to prove the point. Many thanks!

I can't believe I did not know this.... Thank you for explaining this and making so easy to follow. I will be printing the target and dialing it in at the indoor range. Good stuff and thanks again!

The absolute best video I've seen on the effect of different zeros for a 5.56 / 223. Thank you !!

This is Great information well explained and shown this will help anyone with zeroing questions !

Excellent! I know this was one of the most painful videos for you to make, but it was one of your best...

Man, great info. You say it's not easy to explain but I feel like everything was explained/displayed very well so that even a novice like myself could understand. Thanks a bunch!

This is an awesome video. I have used your target to sight in my rifle. It works great. I use it for close range coyotes, sometimes they seem to pop out of nowhere. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Excellent video with invaluable information, thank you! When you started talking about the different zeroes you said you did the math for the most popular zeros for the 5.56 caliber. Can you share what formula you used to do the math so that I can calculate how other calibers behave, including PCCs calibers? And if the length of the barrel matters, it would be nice to see that in the formula. Thanks again!

This guy is totally thinking “ what camera should I look at” Thank you so much for this information.

Just used the 36 yard zero target today at my local range. It worked perfectly. Thanks a bunch for everything you do Shawn

Thank you for taking the time. Never heard of this before I saw this video. Love the 36 ydr working great on my rifles!

Well hot damn! That makes a lot of sense! Thank you for giving me some actual, sensible, tried and true info. So much better than some Tacti-cool dude or some armchair expert.

I like the 36 yard however, training with LE over the last 20 years, we have to work to the lowest common denominator. We stood with 50 yard zero. The main reason is the splits that you indicated. We are not as likely to engage out to 300 except for our SWAT guys. Also, it makes the optics adjustments easier to teach... Again, lowest common denominator. Great info, thanks Shawn

Appreciate the info on 7 yard with red dot. Very helpful. My indoor range makes us use their targets so I will have to go to my nearest outdoor range to dial in the optics. Thanks guys!

This is exactly what I was hoping to find. I hadn't seen the 36 yard zero during my research, but I was looking for the magic zero point to find the tightest group up to 300 yards. Thanks for this!

"He once made a flamethrower out of a fire extinguisher and an empty box of milk duds, Shawn Ryan the most interesting man in the world."

Love the breakdown of this video! Does this apply, pretty closely, to other grains (62, 69, 77) or strictly 55gr? I’m assuming this would apply to irons, but figured I’d be the one to ask?

I just found out about this guy this morning while cruising the comments section on someone else channel. At about the 1:00 mark, I paused and subscribed. Learned more in 10 fricking minutes than in hours of watching others. Seriously felt like I was in a "classroom" environment. When I find out how your channel is supported, you WILL get mine. Thank you sir.

Appreciate the info and the targets. Tested this on my rifled, sighted in at 25 yards using the target...jumped over to a 300 known distance and was hitting 8" steel with no holds.

F••k, time to re zero all my s••t. At least you did me the solid of making a 25 yard target.

The neatest takeaway for me from this video was the realization that the distance you shoot to zero your rifle, and your actual zero (and bullet trajectory) can be different. I would struggle to tightly zero a red dot at 50 or 100 yards. At 10 or 25 yards it gets a lot easier. Obviously you want to confirm your close range zero lines up with your longer shots, but this will make the zeroing process considerably easier.

I’ve seen a lot of these videos and this is the best one I’ve seen. Cool perspective, and very interesting.

I'm glad this hasn't been shadowbanned yet! I need to sight in my red-dot properly this week, and I'm gonna use this method! Thank you again, SR!

THIS video just made me a subscriber! Excellent description of the different zero's. One question, what zero do you recommend for my AR-10 chambered in .308 (7.62x51mm NATO)? I have always gone with the 100yd zero on most of my rifles but I'll be damned if your explanation of the 36yd zero was very compelling! A reply would be greatly appreciated but I know with all you do I may not get an answer and that is ok to, at least I tried. Keep up the great work and definitely look forward to watching more of your past videos and the videos yet to come.

The Holosun Circle-Dot sights are the same set-up. Love the 7 yard bottom of the circle. Makes it so much better for the Line of Sight over bore issue.

Shawn Ryan is not only a war hero but a hero for 1st A freedom and speech and has impacted countless lives with what we all need to know. 🇺🇸

Take a shot of tequila every time he says “7 yards and in”

Great information as always the 36 is a true winner I will be signing in on that now thanks very much

Love it. Thank you for the targetry. Also, just bought a sponsor product (spiced salt) with your promo code. You are killing it.

I don't Math in public and I sure as hell only have a rudimentary understanding of ballistics, but this video and zero proved to be a game changer for my shooting. Can't believe I'd never heard of this zero before. Thanks Shawn!

Love this Zero. Been running it for about a year and it’s amazing. Every training glass I go to people are having these big Zero conversations and they think this sounds crazy until I’m ringing steel and hitting T zones all day faster than them. Then it’s .... what was the whole 36 yd Zero again ? Thanks brother !

Hands down best video for zeroing. Hell yeah I'm doin this!

I gave the 36 yard zero a try. It’s awesome ! Definitely the way to go. Thank you very much !

AWESOME! Great demonstration and thanks for taking the time to do it and for the target!

Shawn, Great explanation of using a 36yd zero. Question: What type of ammo would you say holds that zero / spread over distance best? Is there a particular grain that would help keep a tighter group over that 25-300yd range? I've seen some others dive into the weeds in this area. I like your no-bs, to the point approach to keeping it as simple as can be. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks again for ALL your service and hard work in your channel. Keep up the awesome content.

The Marine Corps has used a 36yd zero for a long time, specifically because of wanting POA/POI engagements out to 300yds.

I'm here because of your instagram post. Thanks for explaining it so well. really makes sense.

The most underrated “tactical” or “firearms” or “survival” (whatever you want to call it) channel on RU-vid. There are a lot of channels out there putting out information that just simply isn’t right, sometimes even dangerous. Everything, all the information from Vigilance Elite is money. I trust Shawn, and Vigilance with my life. Any advice/information that Vigilance is putting out = accurate, trustworthy, life saving, time saving stuff. Thank You!

Very well explained , and saves the shooter a lot of guessing. Thanks

Good Info on offset and 36 yd zero thank you

These are more for C.Q.B. zeroes. Because of ur trying to get good marksmanship at 200-250- 300-350- 400 and 450 and 500 yards.... u need to dial in ur windage and elevation on your Clicks which is usually 1/4" movement per click for every 100 yards. So donur 36 yard Zero.. which sets u up decently but then u need to know ur 200, 300 and 400, and 500 yard adjustments. So u can quickly. Put that dope on ur rifle once u determine the threats diatance from your position.. then u dont have to walk ur rounds into the bad guy. U can get 1st shot hits. B4 he gets u... If theres 1/2 value wind and full value wind then u need to know that too for ur windage adjustments for the same reason so that ur not doing Kentucky windage (guess work) a well trained rifleman will know how to make wind calls and range calls and then dial in his dope and get shots on target without guessing.. guessing is for amateurs.... U need to shoot alot and various distances out to 500 yards and get to know ur rifle and its strengths and weaknesses..for the caliber for instance 5.56mm in Okinawa during a doggone Teopical monsoon type condition I shot expert on the range making my own wind calls and Dope changes because as a Marine rifleman I'm expected to know that. Ur not gonna have a coach over your shoulder in conbat.. saying ur hitting high and to the right. Give me 8 clicks left windage and 5 clicks down elevation... ur gonna have to know that data book and know how to be a doggone professional rifleman... One thing I saw as a factual thing in my 21 years in the Marine corps, is simply this. The Marines corps teaches rifle marksmanship More completely than any other branch of service. spnsonce seals are doing alot of C.Q.B.their does are usually dictated by Eotechs and Aimpoints.. So the longer range shooting is more for a seal sniper hutbthw average seal do dosnt engage longer range threats at like 300 plus yards. Ots just not the seal squads typical engagement. If so then they have a seal sniper or a seal machine gunner to cover their movement as they either break contact with the linger range threat or they maneuver for a better tactical advantage.. But the Marine rifle squad will typically have a D.M.R. designated marksman.. and a automatic rifleman (M'249S.A.W. gunner) and your other Marine 0311 in the rifle squad are all basically trained riflemen who can engage short- medium- and longer range threats as needed by their M-16 rifles by setting the appropriate dope on their rifles. From hours of practice. That's what a doggone rifleman must know its his professional career. . But seals?? Their small teams of C.Q.B. specialists. Who usually take down targets up close. (Within 150 meters) That's just typical it's not always the case. Even in dick Marcincos Best seller "Rogue warrior " he spoke about how his seals needed to practice shooting at night and at various distances because they didnt automatically know how to hit their targets at night or at unknown distance out to 300+ yards. Because it's not taught at B.U.D.s buds isnt about marksmanship it's about physical and mental discipline and toughening up the potential seal to see if he can deal with adverse conditions COLD, WET, TIRED, HUNGRY, SANDY, Exhausted etc..and still complete the mission objectives. . Buds IS NOT an infantryman course. It's a LETS WEED OUT THE QUITTERS course... ask any seal he won't say any different. .

You explained it very well. I bought an Eotech EXPS 3 for myself and a friend of mine. We use your 36 yard zero and are very happy with it.

Just a quick update on my end. I placed a target at 36 yards today and shot my M-4 carbine there. Turned out to be dead zeroed where you recommend. Interestingly I also have a Model 1896/11 Swiss rifle. It is sporterized and scoped. Very accurate, but it requires a specialized scope mount because it's a top-ejecting straight pull, chambered in .308. It just so happens that the center of the reticle is right at 2.7 inches above the bore center. At 36 yards, guess what? Lol, it is zeroed. I verified your ballistics at 100 and again at 300 yards. That .308 with 150 grain soft points shot the same trajectory as the 5.56 rounds did. This is just a validation of your information here. So again, thanks for the great video.

Excellent!

I have been using the 50 yard zero for a while but I'm liking that 36 yard zero better! I think I'm going to check it out! Thanks brother!

Your video has sold me on a 36yd Zero. Thanks for the video, and thanks for the target!!!

Love how you have a tourniquet on the stock of the rifle

Need to watch this when i am sober. Great video but the math is making my head spin lol