Zeroing Distance in Escape from Tarkov: How to Set It and What the Numbers Mean

Zeroing sets the distance at which your bullet lands where the sight points. Tarkov simulates bullet flight with speed, gravity and air friction, so a bullet falls below the line of sight over distance; a sight zeroed to 100 m is aligned for targets at 100 m, and farther targets need the aim point raised. Zeroing is a sight setting, not a weapon stat, and each sight offers a fixed list of distances.

The numbers below come from the official Escape from Tarkov wiki (default controls page 29 September 2026, sights table 29 October 2026), read on 2 November 2026. The wiki shows no difference between PvP and PvE here.

How to change it

Aim down the sights with the right mouse button, then press Page Up to increase and Page Down to decrease the zeroing distance. Those are the default bindings listed on the wiki's controls page. Related defaults that matter for scopes:

Default input	Function
Right mouse button	Use weapon sights
Page Up, Page Down	Increase, decrease weapon sight zeroing
Left Alt + right mouse button	Switch between sight reticles or magnifications
Left Alt + mouse wheel	Smooth magnification change on long-range scopes
Left Ctrl + right mouse button	Switch between weapon sights

A zeroing step only exists if the sight has one. The Walther MRS reflex sight has a note on the wiki that it must be zeroed again whenever you switch its reticle type.

What distances sights offer

The wiki's sights table lists the zeroing distances of every functional sight. Grouped by class:

Sight class	Zeroing steps (m)	Notes
Compact reflex sights (13 listed)	25, 50, 100	Sighting range 150 m or less
Reflex sights (35 listed)	50, 100, 150, 200 (33 of 35)	One is limited to 50 m, one reaches 400 m
Assault scopes (16 listed)	50, 100, 150, 200	All 16 identical
Long-range scopes (12 of the 24 in the scopes tab)	50 to 450 in steps of 50	Includes the Schmidt and Bender PM II and Hensoldt FF models
Other scopes (12)	6 reach 300 m in 50 m steps; the three PSO-1 scopes and the USP-1 Tyulpan reach 300 m with extra 75 and 125 m steps; 2 have shorter lists
Thermal and night vision	25 to 200	Depends on the model
Iron sights (128 entries)	Mostly one fixed zero	The wiki lists only sighting range; tarkov.dev game data gives most a fixed 25 or 100 m, and 8 pistol and shotgun sights 50 to 200 m

Zeroing versus sighting range

The two terms are easy to mix up. Zeroing is the distance you set; sighting range is a fixed rating of each sight, shown in the same table. A Schmidt and Bender PM II 5-25x56 has a 2,000 m sighting range yet zeroes only up to 450 m, and a compact reflex sight is rated 150 m. Gunsmith tasks use sighting range as a build requirement: the Mechanic's AKM job in Gunsmith Part 6 asks for 800 m or more, which has nothing to do with the zero you pick in a raid.

Why ammo matters

The wiki states that the flight characteristics of a bullet depend on the ammo type, and that bullets lose damage and penetration as air friction slows them. A zero set for fast rounds will be off with slower ones, so recheck it after swapping ammo.

A real use: the Calibration task

The Mechanic task "Calibration" is about long-range shooting: eliminate 20 PMC operatives from more than 100 m away. It needs Mechanic loyalty level 4 and pays 65,000 experience, 400,000 roubles, 4 Weapon Maintenance and 2 Intellect skill levels, and unlocks the 7N40 5.45x39 round at Prapor level 4. Compact reflex sights stop at 100 m, so sights with longer steps are the ones that fit the task.

Common mistakes

• Expecting to adjust iron sights. Most have a single fixed zero in the game data; only a few pistol and shotgun sights (such as the M1911A1 and Desert Eagle rear sights) offer 50 to 200 m.
• Reading the sighting range as the farthest distance you can zero.
• Forgetting to re-zero after switching sights or ammo. The zero belongs to the sight, and the bullet's flight belongs to the ammo.
• Expecting a variable scope's magnification button to change the zero. Magnification and zeroing are separate inputs.

Related terms

• Ballistics and settings glossary: optics in short.
• Reticle: what the aiming mark is.
• Aim down sights: the general term.

The best gun guide covers which gun to build around.

FAQ

What keys change zeroing in Tarkov?

Page Up and Page Down while aiming down sights, by default.

Do all sights have zeroing?

No. Most iron sights have one fixed zero and cannot be adjusted, and compact reflex sights offer only 25, 50 and 100 m.

What is the highest zero you can set?

450 m, on the long-range variable scopes listed on the wiki. Many reflex sights stop at 200 m.

Is zeroing the same as sighting range?

No. Zeroing is the setting you choose; sighting range is a fixed rating of the sight, used mainly as a modding requirement.