Rifle scope leveling for stalking

[Miki]

Surely if the reticules are not aligned with the scope body, that's a faulty scope ?

 

[Klenchblaize]

Yep.

K

 

[User00001]

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?

Simple, having made 100% sure the rifle is unloaded obviously, you look through the scope from the muzzle end.

 

[User00040]

Surely if the reticules are not aligned with the scope body, that's a faulty scope ?

Depends on what part of the body, the consensus seems to be that going off the scope base is the best bet. Scope turrets can be off by a little.

Then again the scope is essentially a circular tube so this may not be 100% essential.

 

[Alantoo]

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

Wouldn't it be equally important to align the vertical with the centre line of the bore even when the scope axis is set to one side? Otherwise you must always allow the same amount of offset at all ranges.

I have shot a Lee Enfield (?) which had a hugely offset scope that was set up to remain parallel to the trajectory around 20mm over I would guess...but for slight amounts of offset aligning the cross hair with the centre of the bore and then just canting the rifle so the scope was vertically above the bore would be more intuitive to use.

Alan

 

[HandB]

This is the flashlight method that I use:

1. Position a vice with padded jaws on a sturdy table near a wall.
2. Clamp the rifle in the vice level both ways and with the breech pointing at the wall (bolt removed).
3. Shine a small flashlight down the muzzle towards the wall and place a vertical strip of masking tape about two feet long where the dot of light lands.
4. Using a large spirit level and black marker draw a true vertical line on the masking tape that passes through the dot of light (mark that dot on the tape with a cross in biro).
5. Centre the reticule in the scope by using the mirror method (press the objective lens to a mirror in a brightly lit room and adjust cross hair so it overlays its shadow).
6. Clamp the scope in the rings with a small spirit level balanced on the top of the elevation turret to ensure it is horizontal left to right.
7. Shine a powerful flashlight through the front of the scope and turn the focus ring until the reticule is in focus projected on the masking tape.
8. If the scope is aligned with the bore in the left to right axis you should see the crosshair intersect with the vertical line on the tape.
9. If the cross hair is on or below the biro mark then the mounting rail has useful tilt built into it.
10. If it is above the biro mark by the distance in which the scope centreline is above the bore then the mounting rail has no tilt.
11. If it is above the biro mark by more than the distance in which the scope centreline is above the bore then the mounting rail has the wrong kind of tilt.

 

[paulux]

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

I've tried that method but for me didn't work : the vertical crosshair was not at all aligned with center of bore.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

As I've not got Spuhr or Tier One mounts with the levelling wedge on my stalking rifle,
I used the projector method. It's quite easy.
Trend make a magnetic angle finder, its way more accurate than a spirtlevel and is only £15.
Using the angle finder i draw horizontal and vehicle on the wall, then I set the rifle in a workmate using angle finder which is magnetic, close the curtains, the room doesn't need to be totally dark but it helps, and shine a powerflul-ish torch through the scope to project the reticle on to the horizontal and vehicle on the wall, square up to the lines and tighten the rings on to the tube to 2nm.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

This is the flashlight method that I use:

1. Position a vice with padded jaws on a sturdy table near a wall.
2. Clamp the rifle in the vice level both ways and with the breech pointing at the wall (bolt removed).
3. Shine a small flashlight down the muzzle towards the wall and place a vertical strip of masking tape about two feet long where the dot of light lands.
4. Using a large spirit level and black marker draw a true vertical line on the masking tape that passes through the dot of light (mark that dot on the tape with a cross in biro).
5. Centre the reticule in the scope by using the mirror method (press the objective lens to a mirror in a brightly lit room and adjust cross hair so it overlays its shadow).
6. Clamp the scope in the rings with a small spirit level balanced on the top of the elevation turret to ensure it is horizontal left to right.
7. Shine a powerful flashlight through the front of the scope and turn the focus ring until the reticule is in focus projected on the masking tape.
8. If the scope is aligned with the bore in the left to right axis you should see the crosshair intersect with the vertical line on the tape.
9. If the cross hair is on or below the biro mark then the mounting rail has useful tilt built into it.
10. If it is above the biro mark by the distance in which the scope centreline is above the bore then the mounting rail has no tilt.
11. If it is above the biro mark by more than the distance in which the scope centreline is above the bore then the mounting rail has the wrong kind of tilt.

That's even better.

 

[Albifrons]

Guys, I’ve tried bore sighting my rifle this evening, and when I’ve tried to adjust it, I reached the maximum point and cannot turn the turret anymore.
I appreciate it was as I say bore sighted, and I should have fired a few rounds to accurately find the aim point.
I read somewhere that problems of this type is associated with poor seating of rings. I will try it on paper midweek, but just want to be prepared for any problems.
The scope was mounted in the gun dealers.
Any pointers would be appreciate.

 

[User00040]

Guys, I’ve tried bore sighting my rifle this evening, and when I’ve tried to adjust it, I reached the maximum point and cannot turn the turret anymore.
I appreciate it was as I say bore sighted, and I should have fired a few rounds to accurately find the aim point.
I read somewhere that problems of this type is associated with poor seating of rings. I will try it on paper midweek, but just want to be prepared for any problems.
The scope was mounted in the gun dealers.
Any pointers would be appreciate.

The important point is, from what distance did you bore sight?

I had exactly the same 'problem' when I tried to bore sight, albeit my mistake was being to close to my 'target' (under 20 yards away). You will find that you are shooting low.

This is a good thing, presuming you have bottomed out the turret.

If you choose a 'target' a little further away (say 30m), then you will find the scope still has enough adjustment and you should get close to paper.

Bare in mind that you have a gap between the centre of the mounted scope and centre of the rifle bore. This gap stays the same (obviously) but as distances increase then the lines they take will eventually intersect, relative to your zero (bearing in mind the bullet is falling as soon as it leave the barrel).

Hope that helps!

 

[User00040]

Long and the short of it, I did find a relatively easy way of leveling a rifle scope. Determine your proper eye relief before starting and mark it on the scope and mounts with an ink pen, can be rubbed off later.

Get any form accurate level, (I got a digital one from Trend that works well, also magnetic), and find an 'intersect point' in your house/shed.

This point can be a window frame, door frame, border around the floor, anything so long as there is a vertical and horizontal intersect.

Measure this intersect to make sure it really is a 'perfect' 90 degree angle that is being formed.

Now, take the rifle and place it on a bipod, helps if you have a swivel one that locks. You are trying to line it up with this point.

With the scope off the mounts, there should be enough space along the flat integral top rail (on Tikka T3's) to measure with the magnetic level.

Prop the butt of the stock up with hard-cover books/flat cards to level it (not necessary really, but a bit more convenient). So now you have your rifle level with the intersect point, but the eyepiece/buttstock end facing it, not the barrel end.

Place scope in mounts (lightly tightened), turn off lights, use a small torch to shine through the objective lens. An adjustable desk lamp is even better. Turn the ocular focus till the reticle is sharp and can be clearly seen on the intersect point (remember to properly refocus afterwards!). Either line it up to point directly on the intersection, or align the rifle slightly to the side for a parallel reference.

Now, align away until you are happy that it is level. Make sure the eye relief marks match up and cautiously tighten it. Re-check after tightening.

All done 'perfectly'. No plum bob to mess around with.

 

[enfieldspares]

I like KLENCHBLAIZE use Mk I Eyeball. Then as an aid bring my head back to check that the vertical reticule is perpendicular to the beltway channel.

For then getting a rough zero I used to boresight. But then abandoned that and shot and adjusted one shot at ten yards (to get on paper) then at twenty (for a witness that the ten yard adjustment was correct), then fine tune at twenty at final adjustment at one hundred.

But on the last rifle I'll now ever do I used one of those cheap kits that puts a spud mounted laser pointer into the muzzle.

 

[glasshalffull]

Jam that baby firmly in a dog-gone-good rest on a suitable surface as perpendicular as my eyes can tell then line that horizontal reticle with a window frame. Works for me no flafing about, if you start that it's a slippery slope. Make sure to center that reticle on the scope before you start however, I use the counting method. Then practice......

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

as above put rifle in frame line up the vertical with corner of house wall its ten second job tighten screws up then lock them up,

 

[JabaliHunter]

Plumb line
Spirit level
And one of these:

EXD ENGINEERING Vertical Reticle Instrument - Brownells UK

www.brownells.co.uk

Best and simplest system I’ve used...

 

[HDShark]

The part I struggle with is levelling the rifle itself as there is not a flat surface to be found on the thing!

 

[enfieldspares]

HDSHARK...A big bag of cat litter can be the answer. Just decant it into some smaller bags to give room to tap a furrow, crease, channel in it.

 

[Hornet]

Or a large cardboard box with two v slots cut into it, one at either end obviously, place rifle in the slots and level up.