In this blog, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to true in your ACOG with minimal ammo. We will also cover the subtle things about your ACOG to provide some tips on how to improve your accuracy.
Mounting the ACOG
To begin with, mount your ACOG on your rifle where you prefer the proper eye relief. While Trijicon states that hand tightening will do the job, it's recommended to give it an extra crank down as sometimes the mount may come loose.
We highly recommend the Geissele Super Precision ACOG mount (up to 2800 lbs of clamping force) or the LaRue Tactical QD mount. They offer built in recoil lugs to prevent shifts during sharp recoil.
Choosing the Correct Zeroing Distance
A lot of people zero at 25, 36, 50, or even 100 yards and call it a day. However, if you acquire your point of aim and your impact is slightly off-center, even after zeroing, this off-center impact will become magnified at longer distances.
This can cause a miss when you're counting on an impact, so it's best to true in your point of aim and point of impact at a minimum of 300 yards.
The idea here is to true the ACOG at 300, so any distance before 300 yards will be much more accurate.
Using the Military Tape Trick
The ACOG prism scope is known to bloom in bright sunlight, which causes the reticle to glow so bright that it covers your target, restricting your point of aim.
To avoid this, use the military tape trick to cover the fiber optics so that you have a thin black reticle that allows you to have a precise point of aim over your targets, especially when you true it in at 300 yards.
Initial Shots
Spray two duplexes for your point of aim with high-contrasting colors and begin your first shot group at 25 yards using the 300-meter sub-tension line as your point of aim.
Using the 300-meter sub-tension line, hyper-impose the reticle on each distance, which compensates for bullet drop, and follow the projectile as it exits the muzzle and climbs an elevation to the max ordinance at 100 meters. After this, it descends down in elevation out to 200 meters and impacts right where our BDC reticle predicted it would.
Fine-Tuning the Impacts
After the initial shots, you need to fine-tune the impacts back onto your center point of aim with a further target downrange at your zero's second intersection point to increase hit probability.
The more precise it is at 300 meters, the more precise it will be back at 25 meters. To true in your ACOG, use the 300-meter sub-tension line on a target at 300 yards to calibrate your point of aim and point of impact at this further distance.
Adjusting the Turret
When you adjust your turret, you're moving your reticle internally. The turret usually instructs which way you want your impacts to move.
Rotate the turret as it instructs to bring your impacts to the right. Adjust your turret as necessary to bring your impacts to the center point of aim.
If your reticle is moving in the opposite of the turret, this is because the turret direction label references the point of impact, not point of aim.
Final Adjustments
When you've adjusted the turret, shoot another three-round group to see the impacts. Adjust again if necessary until you achieve the desired accuracy. Ensure that you test your setup for yourself as every rifle and optic is unique.
