I have been having a bit of trouble making the reticle level with the action on some Remington 700's. Used Level, Level,Level and figured the bolt raceway level was not accurate, used a stainless steel rule on raceway in conjunction with a precision level and they were the same! Used a plumb bob and string with levels, same! Thinking it might be me tilting the gun, I had several others shoulder guns with the same results, Can the bolt raceway be out of level?
Finding a level spot on action
- Thread starter OldMan
- Start date
Dr. Vette
Handloader
- Apr 16, 2012
- 1,486
- 385
Can the raceway be out of level? Of course. Or, the barrel can be installed crooked or a number of other scenarios.
Most of the time I use this tool:
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... d6097.aspx
and then use the short level from your L-L-L kit on top of the scope. The tool above places the end of the scope directly over the barrel, and the level then levels the scope to this axis. One caveat is that if you have windage adjustable bases you should try and get them as close to equal on each side, as moving them will change the relationship of the scope and barrel.
I hope that all makes sense.
Most of the time I use this tool:
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... d6097.aspx
and then use the short level from your L-L-L kit on top of the scope. The tool above places the end of the scope directly over the barrel, and the level then levels the scope to this axis. One caveat is that if you have windage adjustable bases you should try and get them as close to equal on each side, as moving them will change the relationship of the scope and barrel.
I hope that all makes sense.
- Thread starter
- #3
Not all model 700's are the same for me. A 270 win and 300 WM both come in easily with the level, level, level system. If you set up my son's 06 it just doesn't work! Not trusting the scope's turrets to be level, i double checked with the plumb bob and string. Same outcome. Maybe the stock is bedded out of square with action?
Dr. Vette":1f9r8209 said:
Excellent advice
What is important for long range shooting is that the bore of the scope and the bore of the rifle are vertically aligned and thus considered to NOT BE CANTED
Dr. Vette's tool and a distant level object will accomplish this
Some pics might explain
The EXD is well made and has a level bubble
Place your rifle in a rest or vise where you can look through the scope at a distant level object, I put mine in a vise and focus on a 4' level on a fence out in the yard
Then I place the EXD on the scope and level the bubble
With the EXD level I then rotate the scope in the mount to align the crosshairs with the distant level object and lock the scope down
Now the reticle and rifle will be uncanted IF you can shoot that way
So when you have everything level you can install an anti-cant device, I use the ScopLevel
http://scoplevel.com/
Which folds down out of the way when not in use
Now you could still throw the gun up and the reticle would seem to be slanted, but you need to train yourself to hold the gun uncanted which can be important at long distance
http://www.riflescopelevel.com/cant_errors.html
As a plus, I install all the scopes for my friends and they all say that the reticles appear perfect
Wyo7200
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2014
- 565
- 1
I have a metal L corner bracket that I align on a flat surface in the action. Then I set my wixey digital angle gauge on the protruding end of the bracket and zero it. Then I set the gauge on the turret, and adjust according to what the gauge tells me. The farthest I've been off with bubbles (according to the digital level) is .3 of a degree. It always twerked me looking through that scope... Until I fixed it.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks to all for the help. It still looks to me that in order for the tool shown to work the action needs to be level before proceeding. It seems to me the only level spot on a 700 action is the bolt raceway or the top of the mounted scope base. So if i am understanding the system, the action needs to be level before proceeding with the reticle leveling tool. Am i correct???
- Thread starter
- #7
You got it
The scope could have turrets that are not level with the reticle, rare but sometimes happens
The action could have scope holes drilled so the action is not level when the scope bore is not vertically aligned with the bore, rare but sometimes happens
None of that will matter as long as when you pull the trigger, the bore of the scope and bore of the barrel are vertically aligned. If you are using hold over, a ballistic reticle or cranking elevation, then the reticle should also be level
The scope could have turrets that are not level with the reticle, rare but sometimes happens
The action could have scope holes drilled so the action is not level when the scope bore is not vertically aligned with the bore, rare but sometimes happens
None of that will matter as long as when you pull the trigger, the bore of the scope and bore of the barrel are vertically aligned. If you are using hold over, a ballistic reticle or cranking elevation, then the reticle should also be level
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