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

[ShootDots]

I shoot left-handed and my scopes always look canted, whether from a bench or prone. I used to think that they were in fact canted. What is weird though is if I peer thru the scope right-handed, it looks perfectly level. After shooting F-Open, my mind is so captivated by the target, wind, heat-waves etc..etc.. that I do not notice it when I shoot. As far as I know, when I am in "concentration mode" on the target, it may not even appear canted! Your mind can cause or undo an "optical illusion"... However, this is MY story and may not have anything to do with what you're seeing!

 

[Paul Seaman]

I shoot left-handed and my scopes always look canted, whether from a bench or prone. I used to think that they were in fact canted. What is weird though is if I peer thru the scope right-handed, it looks perfectly level. After shooting F-Open, my mind is so captivated by the target, wind, heat-waves etc..etc.. that I do not notice it when I shoot. As far as I know, when I am in "concentration mode" on the target, it may not even appear canted! Your mind can cause or undo an "optical illusion"... However, this is MY story and may not have anything to do with what you're seeing!

This may be a dumb interjection but is this canted view present with one eye open or two eyes open? This could be eye dominance problem!

 

[ShootDots]

This may be a dumb interjection but is this canted view present with one eye open or two eyes open? This could be eye dominance problem!

I have no idea.. I have never shot a scope with both eyes open. So, I can not respond to your question.. All I know is that when I look thru a scope with my left eye, which is my dominate eye, it appears canted, whereas my right does not give that illusion to me..

 

[Paul Seaman]

I have no idea.. I have never shot a scope with both eyes open. So, I can not respond to your question.. All I know is that when I look thru a scope with my left eye, which is my dominate eye, it appears canted, whereas my right does not give that illusion to me..

I am no expert here but I had similar issues and began shooting 2 eyes open problem went away for me. I am sure there is a name for it but before you waste any ammo try resting your eyes behind the scope open get the feel for it, then take one or two shots and see what it feels like! Only you and your gun can judge!

 

[SheepDog]

Your levels bubbles must come with .001" calibrations on them because I can put three lines on a wall and none of them is truly plumb. A bubble just is not calibrated for that kind of accuracy. My brother is in the building trades and for exterior framing he uses a plumb bob too. Interior stuff requires less precision. Part of the reason that cabinets are shimmed into place and trimmed to fit the wall. Carpenter's tools are not meant to be precision tools. That is not to say that a carpenter can't do precision work just that he probably uses precision tools to do so.

 

[SheepDog]

To get the sights level try holding it differently in your shoulder. You will find a spot where it will naturally align to the vertical.

 

[savagedasher]

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.

That is fine how do you know action is centered The only way I know of is for the bases to be level . Larry

Your levels bubbles must come with .001" calibrations on them because I can put three lines on a wall and none of them is truly plumb. A bubble just is not calibrated for that kind of accuracy. My brother is in the building trades and for exterior framing he uses a plumb bob too. Interior stuff requires less precision. Part of the reason that cabinets are shimmed into place and trimmed to fit the wall. Carpenter's tools are not meant to be precision tools. That is not to say that a carpenter can't do precision work just that he probably uses precision tools to do so.

I don't worry about a scope being .001 off but I do want it centered over bore. The only way I know of doing that is to level off the bases . That can be done by using the ring also . Till that is done everything else is off
Larry

 

[SheepDog]

Savage,
I'm mostly just giving you a hard time. I use a machinists inclinometer. It measures in .5 degrees but you can guess at .25 degrees pretty close. There are a host of more precision tools to measure for level but I quit working in tenths when I retired. As long as what you do, works for you, it is good enough. When it comes to leveling lathes and mills you don't use bubble levels and I work with tools that need to be level.

 

[savagedasher]

Savage,
I'm mostly just giving you a hard time. I use a machinists inclinometer. It measures in .5 degrees but you can guess at .25 degrees pretty close. There are a host of more precision tools to measure for level but I quit working in tenths when I retired. As long as what you do, works for you, it is good enough. When it comes to leveling lathes and mills you don't use bubble levels and I work with tools that need to be level.

I have 3 machines levels and all 3 have a bubble . I also have been a half a bubble of all my life lol Larry

 

[ebb]

I think that the OP needs to get the level the attaches to the picatinny rail and when the reticle looks canted he can glance up at the gun level and see if its right.

 

[SheepDog]

Well I won't tell you how far from plumb I am but I think we all have to be a bit "off" to enjoy life.
Have a good one!

Now, to get back on track here; I had a problem with my 22RF with the reticle appearing off plumb. After checking it and having other people look at it (cause I am hard headed and didn't want to consider it was ME) I learned to raise my trigger arm just a bit at the elbow and the darn thing leveled itself. I don't shoot prone unless I absolutely have to (it seems the ground gets farther down and standing is lot farther up) so I can't say what could be going on between the bench and the ground but it might hold a clue.

 

[snert]

Every scope my friend ever mounted was set at 5:58 PM. It was his face. Or maybe my cheekbones. No matter how we hung the bob or scoped the level, he ended with 558PM ...drove me nuts

 

[Prose]

Every scope my friend ever mounted was set at 5:58 PM. It was his face. Or maybe my cheekbones. No matter how we hung the bob or scoped the level, he ended with 558PM ...drove me nuts

5:58pm, not am. Priceless.

 

[Paul Seaman]

To get the sights level try holding it differently in your shoulder. You will find a spot where it will naturally align to the vertical.

I think that the OP needs to get the level the attaches to the picatinny rail and when the reticle looks canted he can glance up at the gun level and see if its right.

I have a gun level that was when I realized the two eye open vs. one eye open issue. I think it's astigmatism and I shoot with contacts without that correction that is made into my glasses! But if I shoot both open it's gone, like I never had it!

 

[snert]

5:58pm, not am. Priceless.

I hate mornings

 

[DOGCAPPER]

Hang a plumb line fron your target. Check verticle against the STRAIGHT line.

 

[Shawnba67]

Just to update, hung a plumb from the target backer put a level in bolt raceway, one on scope looking through to align the reticle with plumb line
ITS ME they all lined up just fine!

 

[gotcha]

Just to update, hung a plumb from the target backer put a level in bolt raceway, one on scope looking through to align the reticle with plumb line
ITS ME they all lined up just fine!

When all else fails a perfectly flat shooting table (ours are leveled granite) and a plumb bob tell the truth. Also prove if reticle is out of registration to turret................. Nice going Shawnba

 

[snert]

Just to update, hung a plumb from the target backer put a level in bolt raceway, one on scope looking through to align the reticle with plumb line
ITS ME they all lined up just fine!

You must be a twin to my friend...I still tell him its his face not my eyes....

Glad you got it sorted. I learned some things from this post. But I am scared to check out my rifles for fear I find out it is MY face!!!

 

[swd]

Just to update, hung a plumb from the target backer put a level in bolt raceway, one on scope looking through to align the reticle with plumb line
ITS ME they all lined up just fine!

You have the same problem as I do, your brain's not level in you noggin
Please refer back to post 12 LOL.

I shoots lots of prone. If there's not a good level berm to level the cross hairs on and I just level it by my eyes its always turned clockwise a good bit if I don't look at the scope level.

Years ago in my 20's long before I realized I don't see very level, I took a 45 minute introductory flight in an ultra light. The instructor yelled at me the whole flight to level the wings. He'd level the wings and I'd put them back to "my" level and yell back "they are level"! By the end of the flight he was so pissed off if I'd had a chute on he'd have pushed me out.