A zeroing target is only useful if it solves specific problems that generic bullseye targets do not. The T.REX zeroing targets — available as both pistol and rifle variants — are purpose-designed around how red dot sights and optics actually behave during the zeroing process. They ship free with every optic purchase and are available as printable downloads, ensuring a standardized zeroing process is available before the optic is relied upon for defensive use.
The Pistol Zeroing Target
The pistol zeroing target was designed specifically to address the challenge of confirming zero on a slide-mounted red dot sight. Its central feature is a diamond shape that directs the shooter’s eye toward the exact center of a square aiming zone. This geometry matters because during live fire, the pistol is moving — recoil, grip inconsistency, and trigger press all pull the muzzle off target between shots. A diamond provides a more precise visual reference than a simple circle or crosshair, helping shooters track center even as the gun cycles.
The aiming zone retains white paper rather than filling with solid black ink. This is a deliberate design choice tied to how red dot emitters work. Dots can wash out against a dark background. By keeping the center of the target light, the dot remains clearly visible throughout the zeroing string. This is a small detail that makes a meaningful difference in shot-to-shot consistency. For more on the DeltaPoint Pro specifically, see Leupold DeltaPoint Pro on Pistols.
A 25-yard confirmation zone is also printed on the target. The standard process is to zero at a close distance — typically 10 or 15 yards, where group sizes are manageable and feedback is immediate — then move back to 25 yards and fire a confirmation group onto the dedicated zone. This two-stage approach prevents the common mistake of calling a zero “good” at close range only to discover point-of-impact shift at realistic engagement distance. The 25-yard confirmation is especially important for pistol red dots because even a small mechanical error — a loose optic screw, a plate interface problem — compounds rapidly with distance. For more on the broader case for running optics on a pistol, see Why Optics on a Pistol: The Case for RDS Carry.
The Rifle Zeroing Target
Every rifle optic purchase ships with a standardized 8.5” x 11” rifle zeroing target. The recommended zero for most 5.56 NATO rifles is a 50/200 meter zero — meaning the bullet crosses the line of sight at both 50 meters and approximately 200 meters, providing a practical point-blank hold from close range out to roughly 250 yards without significant holdover. This zero is recommended because it minimizes the mechanical offset problem at close range (where the bore is well below the optic) while keeping the trajectory usable at the distances a carbine is most likely to be employed.
The printable version is available on the T.REX website, ensuring that anyone running a rifle optic — whether purchased from T.REX or elsewhere — can use the same standardized target and zeroing procedure. Standardization matters because it eliminates variables. If every member of a team or household zeros to the same standard on the same target, ammunition performance across rifles becomes predictable and verifiable.
For a deeper treatment of the zeroing process itself — including distance selection, documentation, and how to confirm zero after travel or storage — see Zeroing: Process, Distance, and Documentation. For understanding how the 50/200 zero interacts with 5.56 ballistics, 5.56 NATO: Defensive and Duty Ammunition covers the trajectory and terminal considerations.
How to Use the Targets Effectively
The targets are designed for a specific workflow, not casual plinking:
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Stable platform first. Use a bench rest, sandbags, or a stable prone position to remove as much human error as possible. The goal during zeroing is to isolate the mechanical relationship between bore and optic, not test the shooter’s skill.
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Fire a three- to five-round group at the close-range aiming zone. Measure the center of the group relative to the point of aim.
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Adjust the optic in the direction indicated by the offset. Most modern red dots and LPVOs adjust in 1 MOA or 0.5 MOA clicks — the target’s grid helps estimate adjustment values.
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Confirm at distance. For the pistol target, move to 25 yards and shoot the confirmation zone. For the rifle target, confirm at the distance appropriate to the chosen zero (50 meters for a 50/200 zero). Do not skip this step.
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Document the zero. Write down the optic model, ammunition used, date, and number of clicks from mechanical zero. This data becomes critical if the optic is ever dismounted and remounted, or if you switch ammunition lots. The importance of documentation is covered further in Ammunition Zero Documentation and Turret Management.
Why Dedicated Zeroing Targets Matter
A zeroing target is not the same thing as a training target. Training targets — like the Chameleon Variable Threat Targets or T.Rex Paper Training Targets — are designed to develop shooting skill under pressure with variable-size zones, threat/no-threat decisions, and time constraints. A zeroing target exists for one job: getting the mechanical system dialed in so that training data is meaningful.
Running drills or qualifications on a system that has not been properly zeroed is worse than useless — it builds false confidence or, conversely, creates frustration with “accuracy problems” that are actually zero problems. The zeroing target is the first piece of paper that should go downrange with any new optic, any rifle that has been transported, or any pistol that has had its slide or optic removed and reinstalled.
This fits into the broader principle that gear must be verified, not assumed. A plate carrier sitting in a closet is not a loadout — see Building a Coherent Loadout from EDC to Full Kit. Similarly, a red dot bolted to a slide is not a sighting system until it has been confirmed on paper.
Zeroing Under Night Vision
For shooters running NVG-capable setups, zeroing procedures change. IR lasers and optics used under night vision require their own zero confirmation, often at different distances and under different conditions than daytime zeroing. The T.REX zeroing targets are designed for standard daylight use. For NVG-specific zeroing considerations, see Zeroing Under Night Vision.
Products mentioned
- T.REX Zeroing Targets — Pistol and rifle zeroing targets included with optic purchases and available as free printable downloads