my reticle appears canted to me(its not)Why?

[Shawnba67]

I mounted my new scope using a wheeler scope level setup. (rem 700) put one level in bolt raceway and one on picatinny rail they agree with each other that rifle is level put one up on scope once rifle was level on a flat part in front of turret not on the cap. scope is in agreement with the other 2 levels. so it must b e level I also did the flashlight through the scope to project the reticle on a wall onto a plumb line and it says level also.
So the reticle isnt tilted.

SO HERES THE RUB
when i get prone behind it and set the rifle on level the crosshairs appear fairly tilted to me.Was just looking at a blank wall with no reference to influence my perception just looks canted. If it were a clocks minute hand would be about 12:02 or 3
What could I be doing to cause this?
Since its probably not the rifle it must be me right?

 

[dragman]

What scope??? I have seen a few that were off inside the tube. Nothing you can do but send it back.
Also I level the action in a vice and then use a plum line on my vertical cross hair. then run a scope test to check it out. I suppose if yours checks out in testing but looks off in some circumstances to you it's just something in the optics that is messing with your eye's.

 

[rardoin]

Take a piece of white poster board and draw a dark line (24-36") with a 'Sharpie', and align it vertically with long spirit level or a plumb bob on the 100yd target board. Set up your rifle in a rest (or bags) to be level while aimed at the line. Then see if the vertical line is parallel to your vertical element on the reticle. I don't trust the turret cap unless it is proven to be 'level' with the horizontal element in the reticle but, even then, I use it as a basic alignment method until I can do a final correction using a distant vertical line as a guide.

 

[hogpatrol]

What dragman said, what brand/price of scope? Barska super special price or Schmidt & Bender $$$? I've observed cheap scopes that had canted crosshairs and/or turrets not at 12 o'clock. Also what stock?

 

[Prose]

Check to make sure that your recoil lug is properly indexed.

 

[M-61]

Check to make sure that your recoil lug is properly indexed.

Interesting

 

[Shawnba67]

Take a piece of white poster board and draw a dark line (24-36") with a 'Sharpie', and align it vertically with long spirit level or a plumb bob on the 100yd target board. Set up your rifle in a rest (or bags) to be level while aimed at the line. Then see if the vertical line is parallel to your vertical element on the reticle. I don't trust the turret cap unless it is proven to be 'level' with the horizontal element in the reticle but, even then, I use it as a basic alignment method until I can do a final correction using a distant vertical line as a guide.

I will do this tonight from my bench. If shes true at 100 from bench its got to be me

 

[Prose]

Interesting

Yes, amazing that Remington can screw that up from time to time, along with soldering the bolt handle in the wrong place (See RR Prefix)

I once had a 700 that no matter what I did, the reticle just never seemed right. I'd do three or four processes like the ones suggested and they would all be perfect. Took a step back one day and figured maybe something was wrong with the gun like the holes are off-center or something. I removed the stock and looked down the barrel and the lug was OBVIOUSLY not on the opposite side of the scope rings. Maybe 10 degrees off. This caused the whole thing to sit in the stock at a cant.

Loosen barrel, move lug, tighten barrel, problem is solved. Good luck to ya.

 

[B Nettesheim]

Try checking your bubble levels against each other on something flat, sometimes when they are next to each other you might find they dont match each other. Try leveling the bolt raceway with a starret pocket level ( I think they are like $20) and then try the plumb line on the wall, you might have better luck. Dont forget to do the tall target test to make sure the reticle is traveling straight up and down.

 

[BoydAllen]

If I can, I use a torpedo level when stapling my targets to the backer. (Obviously for it to have the desired effect the target frame has to be downrange in its holder when I do this.) This gives me a ready reference for plumb and level when shooting.

 

[Richard Coody]

Take a piece of white poster board and draw a dark line (24-36") with a 'Sharpie', and align it vertically with long spirit level or a plumb bob on the 100yd target board. Set up your rifle in a rest (or bags) to be level while aimed at the line. Then see if the vertical line is parallel to your vertical element on the reticle. I don't trust the turret cap unless it is proven to be 'level' with the horizontal element in the reticle but, even then, I use it as a basic alignment method until I can do a final correction using a distant vertical line as a guide.

Well nothing like shooting it to check level.

With this setup you might as well check tracking. Sight in at the.bottom of that 3' plumb line and start dialing up. I use 10 moa. No magic there. Dial till you run out of.adjustment. they should all be pretty close to your plumb line. This will tell the tale.

Lots of us have a natural cant when we shoulder a rifle.

 

[swd]

I swear my brain isn't level in my head. Every scope I set up that us square to the rifle looks canted.

 

[MGYSGT]

What about the rings. Did you twist the scope while tightening the rings. I have done this. Now I use Burris Signature with the inserts and don't do it any longer.

 

[DickE]

What type of stock? flat forearm? I had one that a friend brought me, that the action was bedded crooked to the front flat. could not get the thing to level, until I planed stock forearm perpendicular to the action.

 

[SheepDog]

If you aren't holding the rifle plumb the whole thing will be canted. You are the one variable that has no test except to aim at a known vertical line.

 

[rardoin]

If I can, I use a torpedo level when stapling my targets to the backer. (Obviously for it to have the desired effect the target frame has to be downrange in its holder when I do this.) This gives me a ready reference for plumb and level when shooting.

I have always done the same as you Boyd.

 

[savagedasher]

I assume the action maker would drill and tap or machine the scope rail vertical to the action . I install my scope at the same angle they are I use the same process in reverse when bedding or installing pillars . Very seldom do you find a stock to be the same .
If you doubt the level Set it on a wall and draw a line across the top . Rotating 180 and the line will be the same if the level is good .
Larry

 

[SheepDog]

Levels have limited accuracy. You can draw a vertical line using a 6 foot level and then use a plumb bob and find the level is off. It is better than nothing but when building a structure I have always used a plumb bob to check vertical members. My plumb bob is a 30-06 shell filled with shot and a 180 spitzer bullet. I drilled the primer flash hole to fit a string, fed the string through and tied a double knot. It works great!

 

[savagedasher]

Levels have limited accuracy. You can draw a vertical line using a 6 foot level and then use a plumb bob and find the level is off. It is better than nothing but when building a structure I have always used a plumb bob to check vertical members. My plumb bob is a 30-06 shell filled with shot and a 180 spitzer bullet. I drilled the primer flash hole to fit a string, fed the string through and tied a double knot. It works great!

You sure can if you rotat it 180 you will find it has moved in the other direction Good levels have it where you can change the bubble to Back in true I was lucky enough to buy some used machines levels with the long bubble . Larry

 

[hogpatrol]

I use a plumb bob with orange weed whacker string hung against a white background at 100 yds. to set my scope and scope levels. Back it up with a tall target test. I do it on a calm morning and it takes some time but keeps those hits in the same vertical plane at distance.