Leveling a Scope

[filmjunkie4ever]

I use the Wheeler Level, Level, Level system. On a couple rifles, I really had to take my time
tightening down the rings while maintaining a level reticle.

Dale, I'm thinking this might be the issue you are having.

JD338

I think so too. Going to give it a going over again tonight and then if its decent weather after church tomorrow going to take her out and see if we are good to go.

Thanks for all the advice gents.

Dale

 

[maverick2]

The following works well for me, and is quick and simple. I put the scope on the rifle, loose in the rings, and set the fore and aft position for eye relief from the firing position that I'll use that rifle the most in (off-hand for a hunting rifle, bench-rest for a target rifle, etc...) Once I get that set, I place the rifle on a shooting rest, remove the bolt, and step back just far enough to look down the bore and thru the scope at the same time. From that position (assuming the reticle is clear enough) I rotate the scope CW or CCW such that the vertical cross-hair is lined up dead center with the bore. Once lined up, I tighten the rings and I'm done.

With that all said, there's a growing school of thought out there that says scope alignment with the bore is not the right way to do it. It seems that a lot of shooters (if not most) shoot with the rifle canted a little based on how it sits in their shoulder pocket, and it's more important for the scope to be mounted level with a flat horizon (perpendicular to gravity) when the rifle is naturally mounted, rather than in line with the bore.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I use the Wheeler Level, Level, Level system. On a couple rifles, I really had to take my time
tightening down the rings while maintaining a level reticle.

Dale, I'm thinking this might be the issue you are having.

JD338

I think so too. Going to give it a going over again tonight and then if its decent weather after church tomorrow going to take her out and see if we are good to go.

Thanks for all the advice gents.

Dale

JD -

Thanks for the tip, that seems to be exactly what was going on. I got her good and square this morning before church!!!

I have to do two more today as well so thanks again for all the advice fellas!

Dale

 

[preacher]

I have the scope mounted by the high school kid at Sports wharehouse...ha! I'm one of those that do it by eyeballing. I set my eye relief first, then I mount my rifle and check the cant. I slowly turn the scope until I'm really close. At the range I set up the rifle to be eyeball level in the shooting bags. I then check for cant, turning the scope as needed. I then zero it where I want. I have had many gadgets, had my smith use the levels,etc and when I held the rifle it felt odd. I cant my rifle a very small, almost imperceptible amount, but its still canted. I only had one rifle I dialed for, and it worked to 900yds OK. Since I rarely shoot game past 250yds, I don't sweat it. I have helped guys at the range sight in and have seen some 30 deg cants, ha. I try to get them to allow me to set it up properly for them, a few won't. I just zero best I can and don't argue with them. Its all fun and if I get too anal it stops being fun for me. Being an old Artilleryman I know cant can be an issue (and has to be adjusted for) in long range shooting. Long range shooters use real long range equipment ( read expensive!) But the average rifle...nothing about it, from stock bedding, mounts, receiver/barrel junction....is square. Have a quivering, breathing, heart pumping average guy mount it and it is off even worse. Science only goes so far until "Art" comes into play. IMO