Rifle scope leveling for stalking

[User00040]

Hi all,

Having done some research on the various methods of scope leveling I was wondering what people use.

One of the many different methods or a combination of several?

Level from action raceways
Level from rail
Level from elevation turret
Level from base of scope
Level from plumb line
Level from horizon
Level from center of bore/barrel
Level via tracking

However, I realise that very few people (definitely not me) can hold a rifle perfectly level on steep side slopes so why even bother leveling the scope thoroughly when most shots are not taken on perfectly flat ground and the distance is not far enough for cant to make a significant difference?

Cheers

 

[jb1]

You must have some kind of base line to start with.

 

[Irish Bob]

It relates to the horizontal and vertical plane remaining separate. A scope which is not aligned with the rifle may move one click left for every 10 clicks up.

So if you move 50 clicks up the horizontal plane should not alter and vice versa.

 

[Dunwaters]

I’ve never really got this.
The theory is that the scope has to be “ level” but level with what?
If it’s level with the action it’s probably not parallel with the axis of the bore, so not “ level” with the barrel.
Seems to me that you’re going to be both level and bang on at one distance only, unless you’re the 1 in a million that managed to get the bore and scope line of sight perfectly parallel.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

I have a magnetic level that I place on the action.
I clamp a spirit level to my garden fence.
I rotate the scope until the vertical cross hair aligns with the spirit level.
I check eye relief again and tighten up the scope rings.
I check then check everything.
I shoot the rifle and check all screws are tight.

Regards

JCS

 

[Rusty Gate]

I have a magnetic level that I place on the action.
I clamp a spirit level to my garden fence.
I rotate the scope until the vertical cross hair aligns with the spirit level.
I check eye relief again and tighten up the scope rings.
I check then check everything.
I shoot the rifle and check all screws are tight.

Regards

JCS

+1 Exactly the same as that. Let the level hang from one end, less likely to move in a breeze than a plumb line then once action level & align vertical. Job done

 

[User00040]

I have a magnetic level that I place on the action.
I clamp a spirit level to my garden fence.
I rotate the scope until the vertical cross hair aligns with the spirit level.
I check eye relief again and tighten up the scope rings.
I check then check everything.
I shoot the rifle and check all screws are tight.

Regards

JCS

Hi JCS,

Your method sounds good and I think I will give it a try, my only question being, what if your leveling devices might not actually be level?

I'm sure yours are good and work properly but the level tools I have at the moment are not exactly precision instruments.

Could you recommend the brand of magnetic level you use please? Which part of the action to you place it on? If you have experience with the levels that sit in the action (bolt raceway) of the rifle, are they worth getting?

I have been aligning the reticle using a plumb line with OK results so far but am a bit lost on on how to actually check that the scope/rifle system is level to the reticle in the scope.

If the stock, action and scope housing are not level in the first place then using a spirit level is pointless due to tolerance stacking.

Does anyone perform a tall-target/ladder test to then check the elevation tracking?

 

[VSS]

By eye. Verticle crosshair aligned with centre of bore.

 

[User00040]

By eye. Verticle crosshair aligned with centre of bore.

Have tried to do this but the eye relief of the scope makes it quite difficult. Even with the rifle in a gun vise the 'back away slowly and take another look' approach does not seem to work for me.

Trial and error?

 

[Tim.243]

Hi JCS,

Your method sounds good and I think I will give it a try, my only question being, what if your leveling devices might not actually be level?

I'm sure yours are good and work properly but the level tools I have at the moment are not exactly precision instruments.

Could you recommend the brand of magnetic level you use please? Which part of the action to you place it on? If you have experience with the levels that sit in the action (bolt raceway) of the rifle, are they worth getting?

I have been aligning the reticle using a plumb line with OK results so far but am a bit lost on on how to actually check that the scope/rifle system is level to the reticle in the scope.

If the stock, action and scope housing are not level in the first place then using a spirit level is pointless due to tolerance stacking.

Does anyone perform a tall-target/ladder test to then check the elevation tracking?

How you check a level is to reverse it and see if the bubble sits even in the lines both ways....basic building 101.

That;s why you have working gauges and inspection gauges etc...

Tim.243...

 

[Klenchblaize]

I've been doing it wrong! As in:

Lightly pinch scope in rings so you can rotate without using too much force. Raise rifle to shoulder with cheek weld as if about to shoot but with eyes closed. Open eyes without moving head and move scope forward or back to achieve that perfect eye relief that is a full sight picture with no dark outer edge. Once that is as you want it do the same but this time twist scope for what you perceive as a levelled crosshair.

If all your stalking is done on the Hill do the same but from the prone position.

K

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Caberslash
I have a Wheeler Level-Level-Level Crosshair Leveling Kit, however I only use the level that I place in the action. I also have a long aluminium spirit level.
I haven't specifically checked action to stock alignment and agree that on occasion they may be misaligned.
Regards
JCS

 

[jcampbellsmith]

By eye. Verticle crosshair aligned with centre of bore.

I have done this in the past, however it's tricky if the scope is offset to the left or right of the bore.
Regards
JCS

 

[Eric the Red]

Eye relief as per post above. Enough slack in mounts to hold, but still to move scope. Two small bubble levels. The first goes across the action to ensure that the action is level. (The rifle should be roughly level through it's length). The second bubble goes on the top of the elevation turret - again, across the action. Scope is level to the action when(ever) both bubbles show same position in the levels. I will also take the levels off and swap them over to double check, if I have the time/inclination.

 

[palo]

This is the method I use.

 

[jb1]

Sounds as is there are allot of engineers on here. They always seem to over complicated things, centre X hair through the centre of bore. Check eye relief, tighten mount screws shoot.

 

[ejg]

Go for Spuhr mounts with bubble level, use the little wedge provided to get crosshairs straight. Done.
One very important factor... oil rail before fitting. believe it or not.
Eye relief I set at 2cm too far back when I am standing. When you take your head back slightly you notice the muscles relax and one has reserves to shoot steep down hill.
edi

 

[bryn]

Wheeler scope levelling kit. Great bit of kit.
bryn

 

[jcampbellsmith]

One further comment - there's no guarantee that the scope internals align with the scope externals, so I don't level off any external part of the scope anymore. Regards JCS

 

[Klenchblaize]

One further comment - there's no guarantee that the scope internals align with the scope externals, so I don't level off any external part of the scope anymore. Regards JCS

Tell me about It! I have two Burris compacts that exhibit this. One sees the elevation turret sit at 11-o'clock its that bad.

K