At what distance will our patrol rifles be sighted in?

The correct answer is that patrol rifles are typically sighted in at a distance of 50 yards. This distance is chosen because it provides a balance between close-range and longer-range engagements, allowing officers to effectively engage targets while ensuring accuracy. At 50 yards, the trajectory of the round is commonly flat enough that it is a practical distance for a variety of law enforcement scenarios.

Sighting rifles at this distance helps officers achieve quick target acquisition in most urban and suburban environments where encounters tend to occur within that range. Additionally, it aligns well with the ballistics of standard patrol rifle cartridges, ensuring that the point of aim closely matches the point of impact for a variety of distances used in typical engagements.

In contrast, other distances like 25 yards or 75 yards are less common for sighting in patrol rifles due to the adjustments in bullet drop and rise that may not translate as well to real-world scenarios where engagements might exceed those ranges. Sighting at 100 yards can also be effective but may not be practical for routine patrol situations, making 50 yards the standard choice for balance and versatility in typical law enforcement engagements.