Req 2aj — First Grouping Exercise: Zeroing

This is your first live-fire performance exercise. You must fire five separate three-shot groups, and each group must be tight enough that a standard quarter (diameter approximately 0.955 inches) can touch all three bullet holes.

What “Group” Means

A group is a set of shots fired with the same aim point and the same hold. The size of the group reflects your consistency. A smaller group means you are applying the five fundamentals consistently. The quarter standard is not especially tight—it is achievable by any Scout who has practiced the fundamentals and has a steady supported position.

Position: Benchrest or Supported Prone

Benchrest: You sit at a table with the rifle resting on a front bag (sandbag) and a rear bag under the stock. Your hands guide the rifle but do not support its weight. This is the most stable position for beginners and the most common position used for this requirement.

Supported prone: You lie flat on your stomach with the rifle rested on a bipod, shooting bags, or your support hand over a rolled jacket. Also very stable.

Either position eliminates most muscle fatigue from hold control so you can focus on trigger control and breath control.

The Shooting Process

1. Get into position and establish your natural point of aim—let the rifle settle on the aiming point without muscular effort.
2. Take a breath, exhale to the natural pause.
3. Apply smooth, steady trigger pressure until the shot breaks.
4. Call your shot—note where the sights were at the break.
5. Open the bolt, verify the chamber is clear, and wait for the next command or proceed with the next shot.
6. Fire three shots per group, then step back or wait for the range safety officer’s instruction before retrieving or examining targets.

Zeroing the Sights

After your five groups, examine where the group centers are relative to your aim point. Zeroing means adjusting the sights so that the center of your group hits your intended point of aim.

How to adjust open sights:

• Elevation (up/down): Adjust the rear sight. Raise the rear sight to move the group up; lower it to move the group down.
• Windage (left/right): Move the rear sight in the direction you want the group to move. If the group is left of center, move the rear sight right.

The adjustment rule for rear sights: move the sight in the same direction you want to move the group (opposite is true for front sights, which you rarely adjust on a fixed-front-sight .22).

Scope adjustments are measured in MOA (minute of angle, approximately 1 inch per 100 yards) or milliradians. Each click of a scope dial moves the point of impact by a known increment—typically ¼ MOA per click.

Your counselor will ask you to explain the zeroing process using your actual targets. Be prepared to point to your group center, compare it to your aim point, and explain which direction and how far you would adjust.