50 is Fine

 Your humble author turns 50 this weekend. In honor of that, here is a post on something gun related that has the number 50 in it. 

50 Is Fine, But Not a Default – Why the 50-Yard Zero Isn’t Always “Good Enough” for Every Practical Rifle Use

Abstract
When it comes to zeroing a rifle, the 50-yard zero is often tossed around like it’s the gold standard. And truthfully, it is a solid choice—if you’re running a red dot or holographic optic. But too many shooters treat it like the universal solution. In reality, the 50-yard zero is context-specific. It performs well in many use cases but falls short when applied blindly across platforms and sighting systems. As always, tools work best when they’re used correctly. And that includes your zero.

When 50 Works
Let’s start with the good news. For red dots or holographic optics mounted on an AR-15 (barrels between 14.5" and 20") firing 55- or 62-grain military clone ammo, the 50-yard zero offers a remarkably flat trajectory. From contact distance all the way to 250 yards, your point of impact will stay within ±2.5" of your point of aim. That’s center-mass hits all day, with no mental gymnastics. Even better: most red dots are 4 MOA in diameter, which means the top edge of the dot lines up closely with your 100-yard impact. That gives you an intuitive way to hold for extended ranges. A 300-yard shot becomes as simple as putting the dot over the face—closer to the eye box with a 14.5" barrel, and nearer the chin with a 20".

When 50 doesn't work as well
However, the 50-yard zero starts to show its limitations when you move away from red dots. For iron sights, this zero works well out to about 200 yards. Beyond that, you’ll need to hold over 7–10" to compensate for drop at 300 yards. That wouldn’t be a huge issue—except for the fact that your front sight post is roughly 10 MOA wide. That’s 30 inches at 300 yards: enough to blot out your entire target. And when you can’t see the target, you’re violating the 4th Rule of Firearms Safety: be aware of your target and what’s beyond it. No amount of guesswork makes up for a front sight that turns into a censor bar past 200 yards.

When really NOT to use it 
Magnified optics create another mismatch. LPVOs (Low Power Variable Optics) and other scopes with ballistic drop compensators (BDCs) are typically designed around a 100-yard zero. The manufacturers don’t just make that recommendation for fun—it’s baked into the reticle math. If you zero at 50 instead, those BDC marks become inaccurate. Your holdovers are off, and the whole point of a BDC-equipped optic is wasted. You wouldn’t dial in a windage correction and then ignore it, so why undermine your elevation holds by skipping the proper zero?

Summary
In short, the 50-yard zero is fine—for the right setup. It excels with red dots, giving a flat trajectory and intuitive holds from point blank to 300. But it’s not the right choice for everything. Iron sights and BDC-equipped optics each demand something different, and if you’re serious about your rifle setup, your zero should match the mission, not the meme. Choose your tools wisely, and let the use case drive the decision.