50/200 vs 100-Yard Zero for the AR-15: Which Should You Use?
Zero at 50 yards. Switch to 100 only if you dial or shoot small targets.
For a general-purpose AR-15 with the optic 2.6" over the bore, use the 50-yard zero. With a 55gr load at 3,240 fps it crosses the line of sight at 50 and again at about 245 yards, never rises more than 2.2" above it, and stays inside an 8" vital zone from the muzzle to 302 yards, so one chest hold covers everything inside 300. Use the 100-yard zero instead if you dial your elevation, shoot small targets, or want point of aim to equal point of impact at the distance you practise. The 50-yard zero's whole advantage comes from the tall AR sight line; on a scoped bolt gun it does not work and the 100-yard zero wins.
The "50/200" name is a 16" barrel figure. From a 20" barrel at 3,240 fps the far zero is nearer 245 yards; at 3,050 fps from a 16" barrel it is about 220. Either way the bullet is within 2" of the line of sight across the whole 50-to-200-yard band, which is the property that matters.
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).
| 50-yd zero | 100-yd zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Near zero | 50 yd | 100 yd |
| Far zero | 245 yd | 131 yd |
| Max ordinate | +2.2" | +0.1" |
| Max ordinate distance | 151 yd | 115 yd |
| Hold-dead-on window (8" vital zone, ±4") | 0–302 yd | 0–244 yd |
| Sight in at 100 yd | +1.6" (+1.6 MOA) | 0.0" (0.0 MOA) |
| Drop at 300 yd | -3.8" | -8.7" |
| Drop at 400 yd | -16.3" | -22.9" |
| 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 50-Yard Zero (the "50/200")
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
Anyone whose AR-15 is a general-purpose rifle: home defence, carbine classes, coyotes, steel out to 300 with a red dot or a low-power variable. The 50-yard zero keeps the bullet inside 2.2" of the line of sight from 11 to 277 yards, so a chest-sized hold works everywhere you are likely to shoot without touching a turret or a holdover. It is also the zero you can confirm on a 50-yard indoor range and trust at distance, which is most of why it became the default.
It suits the flat-top rifle specifically. With the optic 2.6" above the bore the bullet has to climb steeply to reach the line of sight at 50, and that climb is what carries it out to a 245-yard far zero. On a lower sight line the same 50-yard zero collapses to a 150-yard far zero (see the sight-height table below), so this is an AR zero, not a universal one.
The 100-Yard Zero
How it performs
Federal American Eagle 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT (XM193) zeroed at 100 yards with 2.6" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 100 and 131 yards, peaks +0.1" at 115 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 244 yards. At 300 yards it is -8.7". At 400 yards it is -22.9".
| 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 | -1.6" | -6.07 | -1.77 | 3,145 | 1,208 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.8" | -1.58 | -0.46 | 3,053 | 1,138 | 0.3 |
| 75 | -0.3" | -0.37 | -0.11 | 2,962 | 1,072 | 0.6 |
| 100 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,874 | 1,009 | 1.0 |
| 125 | +0.0" | +0.02 | +0.01 | 2,787 | 949 | 1.6 |
| 150 | -0.2" | -0.14 | -0.04 | 2,702 | 892 | 2.4 |
| 175 | -0.8" | -0.42 | -0.12 | 2,619 | 838 | 3.3 |
| 200 | -1.6" | -0.78 | -0.23 | 2,537 | 786 | 4.3 |
| 225 | -2.8" | -1.20 | -0.35 | 2,456 | 737 | 5.5 |
| 250 | -4.4" | -1.68 | -0.49 | 2,377 | 690 | 6.9 |
| 275 | -6.4" | -2.20 | -0.64 | 2,300 | 646 | 8.5 |
| 300 | -8.7" | -2.77 | -0.81 | 2,224 | 604 | 10.3 |
| 325 | -11.5" | -3.38 | -0.98 | 2,149 | 564 | 12.2 |
| 350 | -14.8" | -4.03 | -1.17 | 2,076 | 526 | 14.4 |
| 375 | -18.5" | -4.72 | -1.37 | 2,004 | 490 | 16.8 |
| 400 | -22.9" | -5.46 | -1.59 | 1,933 | 457 | 19.4 |
| 425 | -27.8" | -6.23 | -1.81 | 1,865 | 425 | 22.3 |
| 450 | -33.3" | -7.06 | -2.05 | 1,797 | 395 | 25.4 |
| 475 | -39.5" | -7.93 | -2.31 | 1,732 | 366 | 28.9 |
| 500 | -46.4" | -8.86 | -2.58 | 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
Shooters who dial or hold with a reticle, and shooters who want point of aim to equal point of impact at the one distance most ranges offer. With a 100-yard zero on a 2.6" optic the bullet is never more than 0.05" above the line of sight, so the trajectory is all drop and the dope card is simple: 1.6" low at 200, 8.7" at 300, 22.9" at 400. There is no crossover to remember and no "high at 150" surprise on a small target.
It is also the right zero for a precision or varmint AR where the target is smaller than a chest. The 50-yard zero's 2.2" peak is fine on a torso and a miss on a prairie dog; the 100-yard zero holds inside 2" of the line of sight from 15 to 208 yards with no peak to think about.
Why Sight Height Changes the Answer
Take the exact same cartridge, the same 50-yard zero, and move the sight from 2.6" over the bore to 1.5". The far zero drops from 245 yards to 153, the peak falls from 2.2" to half an inch, and at 300 yards the bullet is 9.3" low instead of 3.8" low. Nothing about the bullet changed; the angle the barrel has to point up at to reach the line of sight at 50 yards did. A tall sight forces a steep climb and a long, high arc; a low sight barely lifts the bore and the bullet falls out of the window early.
This is why forum advice about AR zeros transfers badly to hunting rifles. A bolt gun with a scope in standard rings sits about 1.5" over the bore, and at that height a 50-yard zero is a poor choice: it behaves like a 150-yard zero with none of the 200-yard reach. The equivalent "one hold to 250" zero on a 1.5" rifle is a 200-yard zero, 1.5" high at 121 yards, which the table below also shows. The rule of thumb is that the 50-yard zero belongs to rifles with the optic well above the bore, and the 100- or 200-yard zero belongs to rifles where it is not.
A 1.93" mount, popular for shooting with a heads-up posture, sits between the two: the 50-yard zero then crosses back at 191 yards with a 1.1" peak. If you run one, zero at 50 and expect a shorter window, or move to a 200-yard zero to get the same reach the 2.6" shooter gets from 50.
| Zero | Sight height | Near zero | Far zero | Max ordinate | Inside the 8" zone (±4") to | Drop at 300 | Drop at 400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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" |
| 50 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 50 yd | 153 yd | +0.6" at 102 | 240 yd | -9.3" | -24.0" |
| 100 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 100 yd | 131 yd | +0.1" at 115 | 244 yd | -8.7" | -22.9" |
| 100 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 79 yd | 100 yd | +0.0" at 89 | 221 yd | -10.9" | -26.2" |
How Barrel Length Changes This
Federal publishes 3,240 fps for this load from a 20" test barrel. From a 16" carbine the same cartridge leaves closer to 3,050 fps, and the 50-yard zero then crosses back at about 220 yards with a 1.9" peak; the 100-yard zero is 10.6" low at 300 instead of 8.7". The shape of the argument does not change with barrel length, only the far zero and the drop past 250. If you know your chronographed velocity, put it in the calculator below and read your own far zero off the table.
Which Zero Is Wrong for You
The 50-yard zero is wrong if you shoot small targets between 100 and 250 yards. A 2.2" peak at 150 yards is a miss over the top of a prairie dog and a marginal hit on a coyote's vitals, and shooters who forget the crossover routinely shoot high at 150 and low at 300. It is also wrong on any rifle with a low sight line: the "50/200" simply is not there at 1.5" over the bore.
The 100-yard zero is wrong if you never dial and never use a reticle holdover. It gives away the hold-dead-on window: inside an 8" vital zone only to 244 yards versus 302 for the 50-yard zero, and by 300 yards the bullet is 8.7" low, which is off a torso-sized plate if you hold centre. It also makes a 50-yard indoor range useless for confirming zero, because at 50 the bullet is still 0.8" below the line of sight and every shooter's group looks "low".
Both are wrong if you are shooting past 400. The 55gr bullet is 16" low at 400 and 38" low at 500 on the 50-yard zero and doing about 1,670 fps at 500; at that point you need dope, a rangefinder and a heavier bullet, not a better zero.
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 50-yard zero really the same as a 200-yard zero on an AR-15?
Close, not identical. With the optic 2.6" over the bore and a 55gr load at 3,240 fps the 50-yard zero crosses back at about 245 yards; at 3,050 fps from a 16" barrel it is about 220. In both cases the bullet is within 2" of the line of sight from 50 to 200 yards, which is why the two zeros are treated as one.
How high is a 50-yard zero at 100 yards?
About 1.6" high at 100 and 1.6" high at 200, with the peak of 2.2" near 150 yards, for the 55gr load on a 2.6" optic. On a 1.5" sight line the same zero is only 0.6" high at 100.
Should I zero at 50 or 100 yards with a red dot?
50 yards. A red dot on an AR sits about 2.6" over the bore and is used at the distances where the 50-yard zero's hold-dead-on window matters. Zero at 100 only if the dot is on a precision rifle you dial or if you shoot small targets at 100 to 250 yards.
Does the 50/200 zero work on a bolt-action rifle?
No. With a scope 1.5" over the bore the 50-yard zero crosses back at about 150 yards and is 9" low at 300. The bolt-gun equivalent is a 200-yard zero, which is about 1.5" high at 120 yards and 7" low at 300.
How far can I hold dead-on with a 50-yard zero?
For an 8" vital zone, from the muzzle to about 300 yards on a 2.6" optic. If you want the longest possible window for that zone, the maximum point blank range zero is 293 yards, which extends the window to 338 yards at the cost of a 4" peak.