reticle alignment

2428 miles

2428 miles

Well-Known Member
Afternoon One and All!

Seeing as you all think we talk about the same old same old, here’s little question!
I was just wandering if anyone had any cunning ways of aligning ones reticle correctly without having to spend any money on gadgets.

I mounted a scope and recon I have got it about right but then when I’m out and about I think it’s not quite perfectly perpendicular. I have had no trouble shooting with it but it is just niggling at me so thought next time I zero the weapon I will re mount the scope.
Just wandered if any of you wise weasels had a cunning method!

Miles
 
Miles, this is what I do....

Take a large target board and using an equally large peice of paper (I use an A2 wide role) mark a vertical line with a spirit level with a thick black marker. Draw an aiming point at the bottom of the line.

Go back 100yds (or to your zero distance) and set up a bench. Ensure that the bench is level in both axis and cannot move. This is essential!

Set your rifle up with a non-titling bipod and a sandbag for the butt.

Place a shot at the aiming marker. Wind up the elevation by 10MOA and shoot a single shot again, at the aiming marker. The 2nd shot should on very close to the vertical line... if not adjust your scope in your mounts and do it again. I mark my scope with chaulk pen so I can gauge how much to twist it.

A mate showed me this on a vid some years ago. I thought it a bit of overkill but tried it anyway. It does work and is very accurate... if very tedious!
 
verticle alignment

I just do it by eye. I think i dont hold the rifle truly verticle when shooting, i think it tilts in at the top.

swampy
 
I do it by eye. Another way is to vice the action and use a flat milled part of the action with a level. Also...2 plumb bobs close together as long as you can so the vertical part of the ret is equidistant between the two lines.
The bit that counts is tightwning the bolts. Little by little and watch for twisting. If it does....(so.e seem to stay straightand occassionaly some twist).... then back off and rotate the scope in the opposite direction so as you re tighten.. the scope is brought into the verticle.
 
Firstly a point to remember is that even in the best of scopes the reticule can be 5 degrees out of true when it made (info gleaned from UK varmitting).

This is how I do it at home.

Hang a plumb line at about 20 /25yds.

with a workmate or alike set it up so when you put the rifle on it you can align the reticule with the plumb line.

Take the top rings off and remove the scope. Now level you rifle. I have a piece of 1/4 plate glass which I rest across the tops of the half rings. This will also show you if the rings are out. Level up the rifle using a spirit level on the plate glass.

Once level make sure the rifle is secure and cannot move. Now place scope back in rings align the reticule to the plumb line and very carefully tighten top halve screws in sequence checking as you do so that the reticule stays in line with the plumbline.

Also at this stage take the opportunity to fit a rail mounted level if you can. Note where the bubble lies it may well not be true.

The result should be your scope mounted correctly.

If you want to perform a further check then you can do the shoot the box method, however this does rely on your elevation and windage turrets tracking correctly.

The above method using the plumb line is how I mount up all my scopes.

When you first us your rifle having done this may reveal your technique is incorrect as the weapon may be canted, this is where the bubble level is very handy.

I hope this helps

D
 
Level the action and use a plumb line,

I've recently seen a method which is a variation of this, which involves levelling the action then shining a torch through the objective to project the reticle onto a plumb line on a white board, might be worth a try as you don't have to get behind the rifle
 
MOUNT YOUR SCOPE ON THE RIFLE WITH THE RING SCREWS STILL LOOSE, AT A DISTANCE THAT SUITS YOU AND THE SCOPE, HANG A PLUMB LINE, THEN LOOK THROUGH THE SCOPE AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THE EYE RELIEF AND SEEING A CLEAR AND ROUND PICTURE, ADJUST THE VERTICAL OF YOUR RETICULE TO THE LINE. WHEN ALL OK TIGHTEN UP YOUR SCOPE.

BC.
 
Use the level on your iPhone / smart phone, or a little spirit level. Set rifle up in the vice. If it has flats on the top of the action, on the bases - eg Piccatiny rail, use your level to get the rifle perfectly level crossways. Put on the scope bases - check again across the top of the scope bases.

Put the scope on, take off the adjustement caps. Most turrets have a flat top and you can use the vertical one to check for level with your phone or level. Do everything up tight and again check.

You can also check with the bolt out - look from the muzzle back down through the scope - the reticle should point to the middle of the bore. Look away and look again. If it constantly looks to one side is probably not level, if it looks slight off oneside, and then you look again and its off the other way - its probably level. Final check is from the breech end - againg look down the scope and see if the cross hair lines up with the bore.
 
Close enough is close enough, I find. For stalking, anyway. Target scopes are a different kettle of fish I guess, but I know nothing about them
 
I set mine up in the hallway of the house and use the panelling on a door at the end to check for horizontal and vertical..ok granted, I'm assuming the floor and door are smack on aligned but it's very close so I'm usually very happy with the outcome and can do it in the house before I head to a range
 
Setting by eye is the method I use put the rifle in your shoulder and point it to the sky adjust until it looks right.
I haven't found an area of ground yet to put by bipod on that is bang on level, so i dont worry about it.
If it looks right it is right.
 
Vertically split rings like Talleys or Warnes are a bit more of a Hunt to get straight. The scope always seems to twist that Annoyingly, can't live with, minute amount despite carefull sequential tightening.
Normally Nail it on the second attempt though :doh:
 
2428 miles said:
Afternoon One and All!

Seeing as you all think we talk about the same old same old, here’s little question!
I was just wandering if anyone had any cunning ways of aligning ones reticle correctly without having to spend any money on gadgets.

I mounted a scope and recon I have got it about right but then when I’m out and about I think it’s not quite perfectly perpendicular. I have had no trouble shooting with it but it is just niggling at me so thought next time I zero the weapon I will re mount the scope.
Just wandered if any of you wise weasels had a cunning method!

Miles
Click to expand...
Ha, 2428 miles...and he was just wandering. Did he get there in the end? ;)
Sorry,Ken.
 
;)BY EYE ,HOLD RIFLE AS NORMAL AIM AT THE EDGE OF AN HOUSE AND TIGHTEN ,CHECK A COUPLE OF TIMES UNTIL OK THEN PUT KETTLE ON AND GO SHOOTING.
 
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