5.56 mm NATO (.223 Rem.) AR-15/M-16 RIFLES 






5.56 mm NATO (.223 Rem.) AR-15/M-16 RIFLES



By: L. S. Barrel



 

Studies done by the Germans in WW I and WW II AND by the US in WW II and Korea found the 

following: 

 

The average infantrymanās average shot in combat seldom exceeded 90 yards. A long shot 

was over 150 yards. 

The average sniperās average shot in combat was rarely beyond 175 yards 



 

NOTE:  In both instances the terrain and the skill of the soldier in using cover and concealment kept the engagement distances close. Did you know that the FBIās Hostage Rescue 

Teamās longest ćfor the moneyä shot, prior to Ruby Ridge, was only 77 yards? 

 

One of the reasons that the US military adopted the .223 cartridge was that it and its rifle weigh 

so little. A long time ago the military determined that the average soldier could only carry a 

maximum load of 70 lbs. and still be able to function in a combat environment. Of that 70 lbs. 

load, 17 lbs. were to be weapons and ammunition. The heavier the gun, the fewer the number of 

rounds that could be carried as part of a standard load. Any weight savings on the gun and 

ammo combo adds up, allowing you to carry more ammo for a given amount of weight. 

 

One of the other reasons the military adopted the .223 is that it is a flat shooting cartridge. If your 

rifle is zeroed for 250 yards/meters, then from the muzzle to 300 yds./m. the bullet will not be 

above or below the line of sight by more than 2.1 inches. In other words, if your target is less 

than 3 football fields away, put your sights on the target and youāll hit it. 

 

Thatās nice to know but I canāt find a shooting range that will let me shoot exactly 250 

yards/meters. Okay, go to your range and set up a target at 25 yards/meters. Using 55 grain FMJ 

ammo (like the military), adjust your sights so that the bullet impact AND your aiming point are 

the SAME. If youāre zeroed at 25 yards/meters, youāre also zeroed at 250 yards/meters ! (If you 

zero in yards, your distance is in yards; the same is true for zeroing in meters.) 

 

Iāve included a diagrm of aiming points for a full man-sized target to show where to aim to hit the 

target in mid-chest with a AR-15/M-16 rifle whose sights are set for zero at 250 yards/meters 

(using 55 grain FMJ ammo). 

 





Without changing from the 250 yard sight setting, to hit mid-chest at:






0 to 300 yards/meters

AIM at mid-chest



400 yards/meters

AIM level with the shoulders



500 yards/meters

AIM at the top of the head















