Pistol red dot zeroing

[aFella]

I finally put a red dot on a pistol and just got back from the range trying to get it zeroed in. It was an indoor range and I was sitting in a foldable chair while resting the pistol with an extended magazine on the "bench". It was easy enough to get it dialed in, but I noticed that when I went to shoot it normally it seemed to be way off. I was then adjusting it while just shooting normally and seemed to get it pretty close. I went back to try shooting it rested on the bench to see how it compared and it was way off. Are my eyes that bad? Is that normal? Should I re-zero using the bench method and just adjust how I shoot it? Most of the videos I've watched online for zeroing have the pistol rested on a bench.

I feel very stupid even asking this.

Thanks

[gaijin]

Trust zero from bench.
You are chasing your tail attempting adjustment firing “freestyle” unless you’re an advanced pistolero.

You didn’t mention how/where you experienced group shift from standing.
If you’re a right hand dominant shooter I’d imagine you’re probably hitting low left, which means you’re “anticipating recoil”/ milking the shot. This is agonizingly common.

[TomMcC]

You're not. I've noticed a poi/poa shifts in myself using that method. Try just resting your arms right behind yout wrists on a bag to steady yourself. This negated the change for me.

[gaijin]

Red Dots have parallax.
If your eye is directly behind/centered with scope/dot, there will be no shift in POI-rather benched, standing, prone, whatever.

[grizzman]

You're not. I've noticed a poi/poa shifts in myself using that method. Try just resting your arms right behind yout wrists on a bag to steady yourself. This negated the change for me.

This resting method has worked very well for me.

[Twilk73]

I've zeroed only two pistol red dots. I start at 10 yards and go to 25 after that. They both shoot poa standing and benched for me.

I hold my head up behind the gun the same way I would if I was holding the gun standing. Or at least as close to similar. If you're linings your eye straight behind the gun and closing the other eye to sight it in and then shooting normal with both eyes open maybe that's your issue.

[aFella]

I've zeroed only two pistol red dots. I start at 10 yards and go to 25 after that. They both shoot poa standing and benched for me.

I hold my head up behind the gun the same way I would if I was holding the gun standing. Or at least as close to similar. If you're linings your eye straight behind the gun and closing the other eye to sight it in and then shooting normal with both eyes open maybe that's your issue.

I was keeping both eyes open while zeroing form the bench, but I'm thinking my head might have been lined up a bit differently. The chair height and "bench" made it a bit awkward. I'll probably go back tomorrow and tinker some more.

Thanks for the insights everyone.

[mpom]

Can also be a result of a heavy trigger pull. From the bench a heavy trigger weight does not affect the pistol much as its supported well, but some of the force applied to the trigger may shift the pistol just a hair.
Try dry firing and see if the dot moves towards where your standing live fire group happens to print.

Mark

[ABNAK]

Trust zero from bench.
You are chasing your tail attempting adjustment firing “freestyle” unless you’re an advanced pistolero.

You didn’t mention how/where you experienced group shift from standing.
If you’re a right hand dominant shooter I’d imagine you’re probably hitting low left, which means you’re “anticipating recoil”/ milking the shot. This is agonizingly common.

Absolutely! That essentially sets your "mechanical zero", i.e. the true one for your weapon/sight combo. Get that straight first then work on making your "freestyle" work fit the mechanical zero. Applies to long guns too.

[Pappabear]

One thing you should practice is calling your shots. When you pull the trigger see/ remember where the dot was last. And then see where it hits. Shoot and See targets help a lot.