What method do you use to level a scope?

[hoz53]

made this little fixture, works well, put a bubble level on the plate, mount the scope to the rail, level the plate with the screws, sight the scope on a plumb line, rotate it till the reticle is in line with the plumb line, tighten the rings, done

Now that’s a good idea. Thanks

 

[hoz53]

Couple V-blocks and an edge finder with the appropriate measurements and calculations, one way, dial indicators are another.

I’ve used an edge finder on the reciever rings of an action to drill and tap it. That’s what you mean here right? That assumes the hole through action or bore is in center ? Just trying to learn something thanks

 

[hoz53]

What do you do to level scopes? I have the wheeler two level system and I hate it.

Eye ball it for me.

 

[R.Morehouse]

Hang target level
Level rifle in rest
Line up cross hairs with target +

Using white with orange lines works great.

I do this as well...........

 

[Alvin]

Hang target level
Level rifle in rest
Line up cross hairs with target +

Using white with orange lines works great.

I am trying to to picture this in my head, understand this will make the cross hairs parallel to the rail (left to right), how do you know the rail is running inline with the bore back to front (on the same axis). If there is clearance in the mounting holes could you not rotate the rail a little bit or is that amount irreverent

 

[LVLAaron]

I have a version of what was originally known as the arisaka toolView attachment 1195266

I have one of those that I can't use for a particular AR cantilever mount that doesn't have a flat spot on the bottom of it

 

[ronemus]

Eye ball it, theres no reason a scope has to be level to the rifle. It's turret assembly should be on the same plane as gravity but theres no reason it needs to be level to the rifle.

True, but: if the scope axis is not directly above the bore axis there will be a windage offset that gets larger with range. It's hard to get those axes aligned directly, but it's relatively easy to level the rifle, then the scope to reach the same end.

After that I use a chalk line to put a plumb vertical line on the target for a tall target test; I usually use 30 MOA and combine it with the box test (30 MOA up, 10 MOA left, 30 MOA down an 10 MOA right, shooting a group at each stage; the final group should print directly on the first). At he same time I check that the reticle is vertical by leveling the rifle and looking for divergence between the reticle and the plumb line.

 

[Dub]

I use one level on the scope rail and one on the top turrent. Verify with a plumb line

 

[tobnpr]

The flat on the bottom of the turret.
Stack shims underneath to get it parallel to the rail.

Throw the levels away.

Just another topic awash in meaningless minutiae. Ever figure out how one degree of cant translates to the target?

 

[Lucky Shooter]

I have a tool that consists of two upside down vee blocks and a bubble level.

One vee block bears on the barrel and the other on the scope bell---when
the bubble is level, the scope axis is vertically aligned with the bore axis.

The scope's vertical crosshair can then be aligned with a plumb bob or other vertical line. Its much easier to use this thing than to push it across the
keyboard.

I've had this for a long time and don't remember where I got it-----there are no markings on it to identify it's source.

This has worked very well for years. Maybe somebody here will know more
about it.

A. Weldy

 

[Alex Wheeler]

True, but: if the scope axis is not directly above the bore axis there will be a windage offset that gets larger with range. It's hard to get those axes aligned directly, but it's relatively easy to level the rifle, then the scope to reach the same end.

After that I use a chalk line to put a plumb vertical line on the target for a tall target test; I usually use 30 MOA and combine it with the box test (30 MOA up, 10 MOA left, 30 MOA down an 10 MOA right, shooting a group at each stage; the final group should print directly on the first). At he same time I check that the reticle is vertical by leveling the rifle and looking for divergence between the reticle and the plumb line.

My rough math says if a scope is rotated 5 degrees (this would be VERY visible) and the turret in plane with gravity your poi due to windage offset would be less than 2" at 1000 yards. I would guess that eye balling the scope will get you less than 1" of offset at 1k.

 

[GenePoole]

I use an adjustable parallel.

 

[hogpatrol]

May be of some interest, this article on rifle canting and how much off the target is 1°.

https://www.accurateshooter.com/optics/canting-effect-on-point-of-impact/

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Nothing wrong with leveling a scope to the rifle. But its a very common misconception that a rifle scope needs to be level to the rifle to ensure long range hits. The scope must be level world not the rifle. So when talking about cant and how much it effects the bullet, its the scopes cant to gravity, not the rifle itself. When the turret assembly is canted in relation to gravity, you turn elevation into windage and will hit low and in the direction of the cant.

 

[LVLAaron]

 

[Deleted outa08]

May be of some interest, this article on rifle canting and how much off the target is 1°.

https://www.accurateshooter.com/optics/canting-effect-on-point-of-impact/

Mornin` hogpatrol, Glad to see you on here. I thought you might still be out of power. Sounds bad up that way. Take care. Jeff

 

[Liven The Dream]

If you have a Stigmatism in your shooting eye ? All the levels in the World won't help.
I am one of those lucky ones.

I level the Rifle in my level Rest . I look thru the Scope adjust till it looks good to me.
I recheck adjust the level on my scope .
I go shoot a Match .

 

[edwardware]

A rifle vise, a collection of small levels, and a long plumb bob hanging 200' away in a tree. Level rails/receiver, level reticle, level scope level, dial reticle to check tracking.

 

[xr650rRider]

Use this to get barrel and scope in vertical alignment, then level with bubble level. At that point everything is aligned vertically and level. I attach a wheeler professional level to barrel and match the bubble with the EXD device as it's hard to see a plumb line at 100 yards with the EXD device in place. Remove the EXD level and with wheeler level reading level in a rest, align reticle with plumb line at 100 yards and Robert is your mothers brother. Works for me and stopped all the cock-eyed eye ball leveling. The electronic levels in the Leupold VX-6s seemed to be malfunctioning when using top of turrets to level, in reality the turret tops and reticle were not in alignment. With the EXD device and plumb line, all the electronic levels have agreed.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...ers/vertical-reticle-instrument-prod6097.aspx

 

[jelenko]

Nothing wrong with leveling a scope to the rifle. But its a very common misconception that a rifle scope needs to be level to the rifle to ensure long range hits. The scope must be level world not the rifle. So when talking about cant and how much it effects the bullet, its the scopes cant to gravity, not the rifle itself. When the turret assembly is canted in relation to gravity, you turn elevation into windage and will hit low and in the direction of the cant.

Good point! So, you would get the rifle level, then hang a plumb line and line up the reticle - to the plumb line not the rifle - yes?
Aligning to the rifle may actually not be plumb to gravity.