Scope mounting

[tddeangelo]

Ok, so I tried to outsmart Wheeler Engineering. I don't think I managed to do it, lol.

I was at Lowe's and noticed they had a pack of two string levels for about $3. I thought, "Gee, wouldn't those work well for scope mounting?" and I bought them.

Brought them home, sawed off/sanded smooth the plastic ends not needed for a string attachment anymore. Set on on the turret, set one on the receiver. Oops....can't get it to sit right. Fiddled with it a tad, then found that my scope bases were not level to each other. One had the bubble dead center,the other didn't (putting the level horizontal on the flat of the base..they're Talleys). I flipped the rear based around, rebolted it, and viola...both give the same level reading. Ok, I thought that a good sign.

I found that the left of my M70's receiver would give the same bubble reading as the bases, so I went with that to level the rifle. Then I attached the scope so the bubbles were the same.

Should be great!

It wasn't. Crosshairs rotated a touch clockwise.

No matter what I reference on the rifle, I get clockwise rotation on the crosshairs.

So....any ideas? How does the Wheeler level set work, or does it produce the same problem? Here I was thinking I was going to get it perfect right out of the gate. Not!

LOL

If it doesn't work, I only have $3 in it, but I'd like to make it work. The rings are making good contact with the scope, all is sitting well....I just need to get the dang thing leveled.

Plan to reload some new 300WSM loads this weekend...want to see how she'll shoot, but I need to get the scope mounted up first!

 

[barge]

I do not know much about the Wheeler system. With that said, i do have a problem relying on machine work I did not do. I use the EXD Vertical Reticle instrument and have for so long I can't remember when it was purchased. It works better than any have tried and makes the most sense to me. You will have to still shoot and make a large vertical scope adjustment and shoot again to confirm vertical for long distance shooting. Small adjustment for long range shooting likely 600 plus yds need to confirmed.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I have been using string levels for quite some time and haven't had any issues. The hardest part is trying to find a spot on the receiver to use but once found, I have always been satisfied with the crosshairs final positioning.

When I couldn't find a spot on the receiver I have had to lay the spirit level across the top of a bottom ring to find a level attitude. Then cinched down on the gun vise grips. Position the scope with level across the top turret and cinch the rings tight.

 

[jimbires]

Tom , I eye ball mine then I go to the range and shoot it like barge says . it's the best accurate way . here is a very detailed article on this method . Jim


http://www.longrangehunting.com/article ... larity.php

 

[Oldtrader3]

I use a Leupold, Zero Point Boresighter to level the crosshairs and since the action and mounts are usually level, first I level the action. Then I take a right angled carpenter spirit level and put it on the vertical side of the Leupold Boresighter and use the 2-axis bubble to level the boresighter which makes the grid inside the boresighter level with the action. Seems complicated but is not and works pretty well.

I also check it with a Wheeler Scope Level kit but they are not dead nuts either, being soft molded plastic.

 

[FOTIS]

 

[wildgene]

...couple other thoughts; after you have everthing level, don't forget to set your eye relief before you start tightening things down; if you set a couple different color dots, one @ bore level, one @ scope height above, while you've got everything "square & level", your bore centered on the lower dot, you can adjust your scope to center on the upper dot, & save a few rounds getting "on paper"...

 

[tddeangelo]

...couple other thoughts; after you have everthing level, don't forget to set your eye relief before you start tightening things down; if you set a couple different color dots, one @ bore level, one @ scope height above, while you've got everything "square & level", your bore centered on the lower dot, you can adjust your scope to center on the upper dot, & save a few rounds getting "on paper"...

Now that's a heck of an idea......thanks!

 

[cloverleaf]

I have been using string levels for quite some time and haven't had any issues. The hardest part is trying to find a spot on the receiver to use but once found, I have always been satisfied with the crosshairs final positioning.

When I couldn't find a spot on the receiver I have had to lay the spirit level across the top of a bottom ring to find a level attitude. Then cinched down on the gun vise grips. Position the scope with level across the top turret and cinch the rings tight.

That is exactly what I have been doing. Seems to work OK for me. The other thing I do is get a level line in the target. That way, if the bottom half of my rings are level, and my cross hairs are level and parralel with my line on the target AND the level on the scope cap says its level i figure I'm good. CL

 

[woods]

I do not know much about the Wheeler system. With that said, i do have a problem relying on machine work I did not do. I use the EXD Vertical Reticle instrument and have for so long I can't remember when it was purchased. It works better than any have tried and makes the most sense to me. You will have to still shoot and make a large vertical scope adjustment and shoot again to confirm vertical for long distance shooting. Small adjustment for long range shooting likely 600 plus yds need to confirmed.

+1 on the EXD but it is only part of the process

http://www.riflescopelevel.com/vertical ... ument.html

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=6097 ... INSTRUMENT

It is well made and mine was perfectly level according to a large carpenter's level

The way it works is that you set your rifle in a vise and put the V's over the scope tube and barrel tube

Then you rotate your rifle in the vise until the bubble shows level. What this does is take all the cant out of your rifle. I do this while the rifle is aiming out the door to a 4' level sitting on the fence 30 yards away. You can also use a rope with a weight for a vertical or any perfectly vertical or horizontal object.

While keeping the rifle uncanted, rotate the scope in the rings until the reticle is level with the horizontal or vertical object. Locking the rings down can be a trial and error process and you will discover how tightening screws can rotate the scope as you tighten them.

Once you have the EXD level, the reticle aligned with the distant level object and the scope tightened down you have a reticle is level when you hold the rifle uncanted.

The pic above by FOTIS is of a ScopLevel anti cant device that is useful in the field or on the bench

http://www.scopelevel.com/content/product_info.asp

Let's face it, what good would it do to level the reticle to an uncanted rifle and hold the rifle canted when you shoot?

The ScopLevel will fold down when not in use

so they don't get in the way or catch brush. Anti-cant devices are really only useful when shooting at long distance where cant will make a difference.

I have used the level-level-level bubbles and it is hard to find level surfaces on the rifle and (believe me) scope turrets are not always level with the internal reticle.

 

[tddeangelo]

I did a few different things, but what seems to work well enough for a 3-400 yard hunting rig is...

Put the recoil pad on my chin, and eyeballed the reticle so that the verticle line points to 6 o'clock on the bore with the circles of the muzzle and breech concentric to my eye. I learned this one from David Petzel on the "Gun Nuts" and it works fairly well.

I also used a 2' level and a sharpie to put a vertical line on my wall that the rifle will face in the gun vice on my bench. I line up the line in the bore, getting it as close as my eye can see it, to running into view in the muzzle at 12 o'clock and exiting at 6 o'clock. Then I check the reticle to make sure it's on or very close to the line. Rough boresighting, basically.

I also like to see that with the scopes at mechanical zero, they aren't a large number of minutes off the line. So far, I did two today, and both were within a minute. That makes me feel better that the scope's on as parallel to the bore as I can get it with my abilities.

 

[SJB358]

Well, did you get any rounds down range yet? Scotty

 

[BeeTee]

I use a short Harris bi-pod mounted on the forend, set the rifle on a level workbench, then align the horizontal crosshair to the house siding or another level line (as long as you're 90 degrees to it).

Barring that, set the barrel muzzle on a floor rug, while holding the buttstock at arm's length. You can see the crosshairs, and it's fairly easy to see whether the vertical crosshair intersects with the bore line. Doesn't have to be perfect, but close... Jim

 

[tddeangelo]

Well, did you get any rounds down range yet? Scotty

Nope. Didn't even get them loaded yesterday, but at least got to where I have a batch of '06, .257Rbts, and 300WSM all primed and ready. I'll fill them tonight or tomorrow, shoot Wed.

Hoping to see the 300 shine, but if I have to go into hunting season with it shooting as it is, it'll work.

 

[usmc 89]

I use a valve adjustment gauge and stack them between the bottom of my scope and top of my base. My nightforces are flat on the bottom and trust that being correct more that a set of rings. Also a canted reticle from the factory happens as well as a turret that is not at dead verticle.

 

[SJB358]

Well, did you get any rounds down range yet? Scotty

Nope. Didn't even get them loaded yesterday, but at least got to where I have a batch of '06, .257Rbts, and 300WSM all primed and ready. I'll fill them tonight or tomorrow, shoot Wed.

Hoping to see the 300 shine, but if I have to go into hunting season with it shooting as it is, it'll work.

Looking forward to it Tom. I am following your load work pretty close. Scotty

 

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[Kodiak]

I place the rifle in a gunsmithing cradel. Then pointing it at a Redfield target that I have fastened on the wall with a level, 30 feet away, I use the Wheeler level to level the rifle. I then level the scope x-hairs on the target and tighten everything.

I've done several scopes for hunters thru the years and many said they had never seen it done so easily.

One final note; many rifle shooters do not shoulder their rifle in a level position.

Jim

 

[FOTIS]

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[cloverleaf]

In addition to what I noted above,,,,, another thought, put a level on the center line of your target and the level the bottom half of your rings. Thats as close to a good level surface as you are likely to get. Line the cross wire up ith the leveled line on your target w/o moving the rifle, sinch 'em up.
Was reading an article recently that offered a way to assess if your cross hairs are level and square- if you shoot well enough. It goes somthing like this: Shoot a group. Then move your cross hairs up 3 inches. Shoot another group. In theroy, if your cross hairs are square (and your scope tracks right and you shoot well enough....) your second group will be directly above your first. Of course the pic in the article showed two "one hole" groups exactly on the center line of the target. I cant shoot that well but the theory is sound.... CL