Pistol Zero Target Generator
Generate a printable zero target for your pistol. Choose your zero distance and your shooting distance, and get a target with the correct point of impact and a real MOA grid.
Most indoor lanes are shorter than the distance people actually zero at. If your pistol is zeroed at 25 metres but the lane only gives you 10, your rounds will not land where you aim, and that is normal. The bullet leaves the barrel below your line of sight and climbs up to cross it at the zero distance.
This tool does that math for you. It marks the aim point and the expected point of impact on one sheet, so you can check your zero from a short lane and read the correction off the grid instead of estimating it.
Build your target
Live preview of the A4 sheet you will download.
The distance your sights are already set up for.
The distance you will actually shoot this target from.
Impact offset
0.69 cm low
Your group should land 0.69 cm low
2.4 MOA on the printed grid
A4, free, no account needed.
This tool uses standard ballistic assumptions for a typical 9x19 pistol load and a 22 mm sight height. Real point of impact depends on your ammunition, barrel and sight setup. Always confirm your zero with live fire.
What MOA means
MOA stands for minute of angle, one sixtieth of a degree. It is an angle, so the distance it covers on paper grows with range. At 10 metres one MOA is about 2.9 mm wide. At 25 metres the same angle covers about 7.3 mm. Because the grid on your target is built for the distance you picked, one square is always one true MOA at that distance.
That matters when you adjust sights. Most adjustable pistol sights and optics move in clicks of a fixed angle. If your group sits three squares left of centre, you know you need three MOA of correction, whatever the distance was.
How a zero target works
Your line of sight is a straight line. The bullet path is a curve that starts below that line, rises through it, and later drops back under it. The point where the rising bullet crosses your line of sight is your zero. Before that crossing the bullet is low, and the closer you are to the muzzle the lower it sits.
A zero target prints that gap for you. Aim at the centre dot, shoot your group, and compare it to the marked impact circle. If your group covers the circle, your zero is where you think it is. If it sits somewhere else, the grid tells you how far off you are in MOA.
Why not just shoot at the full distance
Sometimes you cannot. Indoor lanes are often 10 or 15 metres, club ranges get busy, and some bays have a fixed backstop distance. Checking a 25 metre zero from a 10 metre line saves you a trip and still gives you usable information, as long as you know how big the offset should be.
Shooting closer also makes it easier to see what your hands are doing. Group shape and shot placement are cleaner to read when the target is close, and the offset target keeps the reference point honest.
Common pistol zero distances
5 to 7 metres
Close defensive practice. Sight offset is very visible here, which is exactly why an offset target helps.
10 metres
The classic indoor lane distance. A good zero if most of your shooting happens close.
15 metres
A solid compromise for duty and sport pistols. Offsets stay small across normal ranges.
25 metres
Standard for precision pistol work and most optics. Expect a noticeable low impact up close.
10 to 15 yards
Common on imperial ranges. Behaves much like a 10 to 15 metre zero.
25 yards
The usual pistol zero in yard based clubs. Same idea as 25 metres, slightly shorter.
Questions
What is a pistol zero target?+
It is a paper target with two marked points. One is where you aim, the other is where your rounds should land at the distance you are shooting. That way you can check a longer zero from a shorter lane without guessing.
Why does the impact point sit below the aim point?+
Your sight sits above the bore. Right after the muzzle the bullet is still below your line of sight and climbs up to meet it at your zero distance. Shoot closer than that and the group lands low.
Which zero distance should I pick for a pistol?+
Most shooters run 15 or 25 metres for a duty or sport pistol. If your range is short and you mostly train close, a 10 metre zero keeps things simple.
Is the MOA grid on the target real?+
Yes. The grid spacing is calculated for the distance you selected, so one grid square really is one minute of angle at that distance. Measure your group on the grid and you get the correction directly in MOA.
Does this replace live fire confirmation?+
No. The offset comes from typical 9x19 numbers. Your load, barrel length and sight height will move it a little, so treat the target as a starting point and confirm on paper.
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