The 25/300 Zero Explained: Where It Comes From and Why It Shoots High
Do not zero a civilian AR-15 at 25 yards. Zero at 50, or at 100 if you dial.
Do not zero a civilian AR-15 at 25 yards. The "25/300" is a 25-metre zero from the Army's M16 and M4 programme, set with an M855 62gr load, a 2.6" sight line and a target that has the soldier aim low, so that the true far zero lands near 300 metres. Copy the 25-yard part without the rest and with a 55gr load at 3,240 fps the bullet is 6.3" high at 100 yards, 11" high at 200 and 10" high at 300, and it does not return to the line of sight until 419 yards. What most shooters want from "25/300" is a single hold to 300; the 50-yard zero gives that with a 2.2" peak.
The numbers below solve the 25-yard zero and the 50-yard zero for the same rifle, and then show what the military 25-metre zero actually produces with M855 from a 14.5" barrel.
Figures on this page: Federal American Eagle 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT (XM193), 55gr G1 .269 at 3,240 fps, AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic, 2.6" over bore, standard conditions. Source: Federal published velocity from a 20" test barrel and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Side-by-Side Comparison
55gr G1 .269 at 3,240 fps, 2.6" over bore (ar-15 / ar-10, standard-height optic).
| 55gr, 25-yd | 55gr, 50-yd | |
|---|---|---|
| Near zero | 25 yd | 50 yd |
| Far zero | 419 yd | 245 yd |
| Max ordinate | +11.4" | +2.2" |
| Max ordinate distance | 238 yd | 151 yd |
| Hold-dead-on window (8" vital zone, ±4") | 0–70 yd (peak is over the zone; back inside 385–444) | 0–302 yd |
| Sight in at 100 yd | +6.3" (+6.0 MOA) | +1.6" (+1.6 MOA) |
| Drop at 300 yd | +10.2" | -3.8" |
| Drop at 400 yd | +2.3" | -16.3" |
| Energy at 300 yd | 604 ft-lb | 604 ft-lb |
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 8" vital zone, ±4" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 500 yards.
Want the longest single hold rather than a round number? Maximum Point Blank Range for 5.56 on an AR-15 solves the zero that keeps this cartridge inside a vital zone the furthest.
Key terms
- Near zero
- Where the bullet first climbs up through the line of sight. It starts below the sight, because the sight sits above the barrel.
- Far zero
- Where it falls back down through the line of sight. A "200-yard zero" is the far zero; the near zero comes with it.
- Max ordinate
- The highest the bullet gets above the line of sight, between the two crossings. This is what makes a zero shoot high in the middle.
- Point blank range (MPBR)
- The zero that keeps the whole arc inside a vital zone for the longest distance, so you can aim at the centre and hold dead-on.
The 25-Yard Zero
How it performs
Federal American Eagle 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT (XM193) zeroed at 25 yards with 2.6" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 25 and 419 yards, peaks +11.4" at 238 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 70 yards, then climbs out over the top of the zone and is back inside from 385 to 444 yards. At 300 yards it is +10.2". At 400 yards it is +2.3".
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -2.6" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,240 | 1,282 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 0.0" | -0.06 | -0.02 | 3,145 | 1,208 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +2.3" | +4.43 | +1.29 | 3,053 | 1,138 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +4.4" | +5.64 | +1.64 | 2,962 | 1,072 | 0.6 |
| 100 | +6.3" | +6.01 | +1.75 | 2,874 | 1,009 | 1.0 |
| 125 | +7.9" | +6.03 | +1.76 | 2,787 | 949 | 1.6 |
| 150 | +9.2" | +5.87 | +1.71 | 2,702 | 892 | 2.4 |
| 175 | +10.3" | +5.59 | +1.63 | 2,619 | 838 | 3.3 |
| 200 | +11.0" | +5.23 | +1.52 | 2,537 | 786 | 4.3 |
| 225 | +11.3" | +4.81 | +1.40 | 2,456 | 737 | 5.5 |
| 250 | +11.4" | +4.33 | +1.26 | 2,377 | 690 | 6.9 |
| 275 | +11.0" | +3.81 | +1.11 | 2,300 | 646 | 8.5 |
| 300 | +10.2" | +3.24 | +0.94 | 2,224 | 604 | 10.3 |
| 325 | +9.0" | +2.63 | +0.77 | 2,149 | 564 | 12.2 |
| 350 | +7.3" | +1.98 | +0.58 | 2,075 | 526 | 14.4 |
| 375 | +5.1" | +1.29 | +0.38 | 2,004 | 490 | 16.8 |
| 400 | +2.3" | +0.56 | +0.16 | 1,933 | 457 | 19.4 |
| 425 | -1.0" | -0.22 | -0.06 | 1,864 | 425 | 22.3 |
| 450 | -4.9" | -1.05 | -0.30 | 1,797 | 395 | 25.4 |
| 475 | -9.6" | -1.92 | -0.56 | 1,732 | 366 | 28.9 |
| 500 | -14.9" | -2.84 | -0.83 | 1,669 | 340 | 32.5 |
55gr G1 .269 at 3,240 fps, 2.6" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Federal published velocity from a 20" test barrel and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
Nobody shooting a civilian AR-15 at civilian targets. Zeroed at 25 yards with the optic 2.6" over the bore, the 55gr bullet leaves the line of sight steeply, is 6.3" high at 100 yards, 11.4" high at 238, and does not come back down through the line of sight until 419 yards. The only things it hits with a centre hold between 75 and 400 yards are things taller than a foot.
The one honest use is as a rough sight-in step on a 25-yard range: get on paper at 25, then move to 50 or 100 and finish the job. The Army uses 25 metres exactly that way, with a target that tells the soldier to hold low so the true zero is further out.
The 50-Yard Zero (what most people actually want)
How it performs
Federal American Eagle 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT (XM193) zeroed at 50 yards with 2.6" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 50 and 245 yards, peaks +2.2" at 151 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 302 yards. At 300 yards it is -3.8". At 400 yards it is -16.3".
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -2.6" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,240 | 1,282 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -1.2" | -4.51 | -1.31 | 3,145 | 1,208 | 0.1 |
| 50 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 3,053 | 1,138 | 0.3 |
| 75 | +0.9" | +1.20 | +0.35 | 2,962 | 1,072 | 0.6 |
| 100 | +1.6" | +1.57 | +0.46 | 2,874 | 1,009 | 1.0 |
| 125 | +2.1" | +1.59 | +0.46 | 2,787 | 949 | 1.6 |
| 150 | +2.2" | +1.42 | +0.41 | 2,702 | 892 | 2.4 |
| 175 | +2.1" | +1.14 | +0.33 | 2,619 | 838 | 3.3 |
| 200 | +1.6" | +0.78 | +0.23 | 2,537 | 786 | 4.3 |
| 225 | +0.9" | +0.36 | +0.10 | 2,456 | 737 | 5.5 |
| 250 | -0.3" | -0.12 | -0.03 | 2,377 | 690 | 6.9 |
| 275 | -1.8" | -0.64 | -0.19 | 2,300 | 646 | 8.5 |
| 300 | -3.8" | -1.21 | -0.35 | 2,224 | 604 | 10.3 |
| 325 | -6.2" | -1.81 | -0.53 | 2,149 | 564 | 12.2 |
| 350 | -9.0" | -2.46 | -0.72 | 2,075 | 526 | 14.4 |
| 375 | -12.4" | -3.16 | -0.92 | 2,004 | 490 | 16.8 |
| 400 | -16.3" | -3.89 | -1.13 | 1,933 | 457 | 19.4 |
| 425 | -20.8" | -4.67 | -1.36 | 1,865 | 425 | 22.3 |
| 450 | -25.9" | -5.49 | -1.60 | 1,797 | 395 | 25.4 |
| 475 | -31.7" | -6.37 | -1.85 | 1,732 | 366 | 28.9 |
| 500 | -38.2" | -7.29 | -2.12 | 1,669 | 340 | 32.5 |
55gr G1 .269 at 3,240 fps, 2.6" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Federal published velocity from a 20" test barrel and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
The shooter who heard "25/300" and wanted one hold that works to 300. The 50-yard zero delivers that with a 2.2" peak instead of an 11" one: it crosses back at 245 yards, is 3.8" low at 300, and stays inside an 8" vital zone from the muzzle to 302 yards. Every distance the 25-yard zero was supposed to cover, the 50-yard zero covers with a fifth of the arc.
If you want the 300-yard far zero itself, a 300-yard zero with this load peaks 4.3" high at 177 yards, which is still a lot better than 11", and the 36-yard zero gets you to a 320-yard far zero with a 5.2" peak. Both are covered on the sibling pages.
Why Sight Height Changes the Answer
The 25-metre zero was designed around the M16's sight geometry: iron sights, and later optics, about 2.6" over the bore. At that height the bore has to point up sharply to intersect the line of sight at 25 metres (27 yards), and that launch angle produces an 8" arc with M855 from a 14.5" M4: 5.7" high at 100 metres, 7.8" high at 200, 1.7" high at 300 metres, and a far zero near 344 yards. The Army accepts an 8" arc because the target is a silhouette and the aim point is centre mass. Most civilian targets are smaller than that arc.
Put the same 25-yard zero on a rifle with a 1.5" sight line and the arc halves: 3.8" peak at 158 yards, far zero at 278. That is still a poor zero, but it shows why the "25/300" folklore is really a statement about a 2.6" sight height and a metric range, not about the cartridge. The table below has both heights side by side.
| Zero | Sight height | Near zero | Far zero | Max ordinate | Inside the 8" zone (±4") to | Drop at 300 | Drop at 400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55gr, 25 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 25 yd | 419 yd | +11.4" at 238 | 70 yd | +10.2" | +2.3" |
| 55gr, 25 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 25 yd | 278 yd | +3.8" at 158 | 324 yd | -1.7" | -13.9" |
| 55gr, 50 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 50 yd | 245 yd | +2.2" at 151 | 302 yd | -3.8" | -16.3" |
| 55gr, 50 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 50 yd | 153 yd | +0.6" at 102 | 240 yd | -9.3" | -24.0" |
How Barrel Length Changes This
The military 25-metre zero was validated with M855 at about 2,900 fps from a 14.5" M4 barrel. At that velocity the 25-metre zero crosses back at 344 yards with an 8" peak; with M855 at 3,020 fps from a 20" barrel the far zero stretches to 367 yards and the peak to 8.7". With XM193 at 3,240 fps from a 20" barrel the same zero peaks at 9.7" and the far zero is nearly 400 yards. Faster loads make the 25-yard zero worse, not better.
Which Zero Is Wrong for You
The 25-yard zero is wrong for anyone who is not shooting silhouettes with a centre-mass hold. At 100 yards the bullet is 6" high, which is off a coyote, off a 6" plate and off a paper bullseye. It is also wrong for a hunter: an 11" peak means a chest hold at 200 yards is a spine shot or a miss over the back.
It is wrong even as a "get on paper" step if you stop there. A 25-yard confirmation says almost nothing about the far zero: a half-inch error at 25 yards is worth roughly 25 yards of far zero, and the bullet is still climbing steeply when it passes the target. Confirm at 50 or 100 after any 25-yard sight-in.
The 50-yard zero is the wrong choice only if you dial a turret for known distances, where 100 is cleaner, or if you need to hold dead-on past 300 on chest-sized steel, where the 36-yard zero's taller arc buys another 60 yards.
Try It With Your Load
Prefilled with the load above. Change anything and the full calculator solves your trajectory; pick your own sight height from the list.
Loads Used on This Page
- ATS 5.56x45mm NATO 55gr M193 FMJ Ammo — 55gr, 3150 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.243
- GGG 5.56x45mm NATO 55gr M193 FMJ Ammo — 55gr, 3330 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.243
- Armscor 5.56x45mm 62gr M855 FMJ Ammo — 62gr, 3020 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.304
- Hornady Black 5.56x45mm NATO 62gr FMJ Ammo — 62gr, 3060 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.274
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the 25/300 zero come from?
The U.S. Army's 25-metre zero for the M16 and M4. Soldiers zero on a scaled target at 25 metres with an offset aiming point so that the true far zero falls near 300 metres with M855 ammunition and a sight about 2.6" over the bore.
How high is a 25-yard zero at 100 yards on an AR-15?
About 6.3" high with a 55gr load at 3,240 fps and a 2.6" optic, rising to 11.4" high near 240 yards. With M855 at 2,900 fps from a 14.5" barrel it is 5.3" high at 100 and about 8" high at 200.
Is a 25-yard zero the same as a 300-yard zero?
No. With modern loads and a 2.6" sight the 25-yard zero's far zero is 340 to 420 yards depending on velocity. A true 300-yard zero on the same rifle peaks 4.3" high with a 55gr load, less than half the 25-yard zero's peak.
What should I zero at instead of 25 yards?
50 yards for a general-purpose AR with a red dot or LPVO, 100 yards if you dial or shoot small targets. Use 25 yards only to get on paper, then confirm at the real distance.
Why does the Army accept such a high arc?
The training target is a full silhouette and the doctrine is a centre-mass hold at unknown distances. An 8" arc keeps hits on a torso from 0 to 300 metres without any holdover, which is the design goal; it is not a precision zero.