Help in Choosing a rifle

iloveruger said:
...What i need to align the optics ? ...
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Since you have iron sights, you can get it pretty close at home if you have a vise and a long sight line. Close your curtains if you have any windows nearby. Secure the gun in your vise so you can still see the iron sights (a few layers of towel inside the jaws works). Aim the sights at something as far away as you can inside the house (e.g. piece of contrasting tape on the wall). Turn on your optic and adjust the windage and elevation until the dot is pointing at the same spot. This will probably get you on paper at indoor range distances.

You can do it without a vise if you have some other way to hold the rifle steady. Or do it at the range with live ammunition as Gerard says, it's more fun.
 
It is more fun at the range! Expensive with rifle rounds these days, but I didn't actually think about that on the day, just really enjoyed figuring it out and getting a feel for how my fine new rifle shoots.

Another method encouraged by a lot of folks is clamping the rifle or putting it on bag rests and pulling out the bolt, then sighting your target through the bore, then adjusting your scope/dot sight to match that alignment, being careful not to move the firearm. Of course that can only work with a rifle where pulling the bolt lets you see through from the back end. Might be able to use a little dental mirror through the ejection port on a carbine to do the same thing, but that's stacking opportunities for error so probably not very useful.
 
iloveruger said:
Thank you. Yes will sell as new / never used. Need to get access. Also, im not able to post any thread under the alfahertys section. Another access may be.

What i need to align the optics ? at the range they told me they can help in aligning the optics / red dot. Not sure what it means but will know more on monday
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first you need to attach the red dot to the rail. I put mine about 1/2 way down but everyone is different based on preference.
It will come with a small allen key that you use to tighten the base, BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER TIGHTEN IT !!!

If you have it on low mount you might be able to get what's call a lollipop. That means that you look though the red dot and you can see very the top of the iron sight. If you adjust the red dot around and get it right at the top of the sight it looks like .... a lollipop ! This isn't necessary, but sometimes it just works out and makes set up quicker.

regardless, you adjust the red dot around the window with the two wheels at the top and side. it moves like an etch a sketch. This is one of the few toys that you actually want to take time and read the all instructions that came in the package

Then you go out and put holes in paper.

Bring a sharpie with you. When you walk up to your target you can put a line through the old holes so you don't confuse them on the next round.

there will be a whole safety protocol about looking at you target on the line. Listen carefully and ask questions if you aren't sure you are doing it right. This is one of the #1 ways to get yelled at by a range officer LOL
 
joemanco said:
Laser boresight pays for itself (in saved ammo and range time). <$50
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Ive been on the fence. Do you need to set up indoors to get it dark enough?
I usually shoot at 25 & 50 yards

Is it caliber specific?
aka can i run 7.62x39 and 9 mm or do i need to buy one for each caliber
 
Jmcc said:
Ive been on the fence. Do you need to set up indoors to get it dark enough?
I usually shoot at 25 & 50 yards

Is it caliber specific?
aka can i run 7.62x39 and 9 mm or do i need to buy one for each caliber
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There are laser boresight devices for both chamber and muzzle end. Unless your bore just luckily happens to line up between chamber and muzzle ends, the chamber version is pointless. Most barrels aren't perfect in this way. So you're going to end up with your scope pointing where your muzzle points. Problem with the muzzle end mounted lasers is that they typically use an aluminum rod with rubber spacers to bring them out to the calibre, meaning they're a) wobbly and inconsistent depending on how evenly the rubber compresses slightly into the rifling, and b) the aluminum part is typically about 0.170" diameter so as to fit into the smaller pellet gun bores, so very fragile and susceptible to bending, or even not properly aligned as manufactured. Some factory in China isn't too concerned about perfect alignment. And even if it is perfect, the weight of the laser with battery may cause it to droop slightly on that delicate aluminum rod.

Mine came with 4 little set screws so I could zero the laser itself to something. So I did that with a known-good zero on my 9mm carbine, then changed the rubber spacer on the back end of the rod to fit my 6.5CM bore, the other end being a taper which I pushed snug against the crown. Like I said above, it was way off after adjusting the new scope to that zero at 110 yards. Too much dialing vertically and horizontally to have a hope being on paper, unless it was HUGE paper. Such a device might or might not work for your particular firearm, but I now regard it as a toy.

There are better devices, such as some which apparently work very well with a lens in a little frame which attaches magnetically to the muzzle. I can see that working provided the muzzle is perfectly perpendicular to the bore in its last inch or so... but again, what are the chances it might be off, just a little?
 
Jmcc said:
looks like a great list!

next if you sell the mag that came with it you can cover a uplula mag loader. your thumbs will thank you
and if you sell it "never used" you can usually get a few extra $$ maybe $55

Now open it up and swap out the ruger magwell for the glock. It will give you a good hands on experience with it. Just take your time with allen keys, you don't want to strip stuff!

Practice putting the barrel on and off. It takes a few tries to get proficient,



the backpacker is cool but there is no rush.
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Swapped the magwell and it was pretty easy. also mounted the red dot. though i didnt align, i will probably take the help of someone in the range. i can probably remove it and try without it as well.

Also, added both the spacers to the butt stock and i felt comfortable with all 3 spacers.

it was nice of ruger to give a lock as well.
 
Jmcc said:
Ive been on the fence. Do you need to set up indoors to get it dark enough? ...
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Laser bore sighters might make sense when you can't use iron sights to align your optic (as in my post #81 above), or remove the bolt and sight down the bore (Gerard's post #82). Every optic I've ever mounted allowed me to use one of these two methods, YMMV.

All of these methods (including laser bore sight) will only serve to get you "on paper", and you'll still need to fine tune to get a proper zero. So they all reduce the amount of ammunition and range time needed to properly zero your optic.
 
iloveruger said:
Swapped the magwell and it was pretty easy. also mounted the red dot.....
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You mentioned your SPARC came with a multi-height mount. Did you try the different heights and have a clear winner? Some people prefer a low-as-possible mount, some differ.

Just one more thing you can play around with before heading to the range.
 
ya i saw people using low mount for ruger so i went with it. Not this sparc but red dot in general. Also i mounted at the end of the rail. To me it appeared that red dot is slightly higher than the iron sight. i didnt play with different settings.
 
iloveruger said:
ya i saw people using low mount for ruger so i went with it. Not this sparc but red dot in general. Also i mounted at the end of the rail. To me it appeared that red dot is slightly higher than the iron sight. i didnt play with different settings.
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bring all the alen keys and tools the range with you incase you want to change stuff up while you are there.

now you need a range bag !!

i got mine on amazon for about $50 or just use an old backpack/gym bag for now
 
Jmcc said:
bring all the alen keys and tools the range with you incase you want to change stuff up while you are there.

now you need a range bag !!

i got mine on amazon for about $50 or just use an old backpack/gym bag for now
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Thank you. im all excited for monday already.
 
Jmcc said:
Ive been on the fence. Do you need to set up indoors to get it dark enough?
I usually shoot at 25 & 50 yards

Is it caliber specific?
aka can i run 7.62x39 and 9 mm or do i need to buy one for each caliber
Click to expand...

Mileage might vary. @GerardSamija comments are good. I have a muzzle-end boresighter with attachments for all caliber (.17...12ga). Although budget I got a "good one" (luck of the draw?) that passes the spin test and is accurate within a few inches at 25 yards (the max visible range my eyes work for a green dot in the daylight on a black target). With this I have confidence to push out to 75 yards (optimal zero distance for 9mm imo), remove the boresight, fire 2+ shots to zero.

The primary benefit is getting that first shot at 75 yards on the paper. Secondary benefit is for quick verifying of optics if they are removed for maintenance. Optics usually hold zero if returned to same slot, but it's good to have a way to confirm at home. Dual witnessing is also useful but not available on all setups.
 
Fine tuning your zero requires using the center of groups to adjust - The rifle (and shooter) is not accurate enough for single shots to be used to adjust zero to your final setting.

For getting close, sure, adjust the point of aim based on the point of impact of single shots. But for your final zero setting, you need to use at least three round groups (preferably five round groups), take the center of the group as your point of impact, and adjust point of aim based on that.

Otherwise, if you and your rifle are capable of shooting 10" groups at 100yds (which might be good shooting with typical PCCs and budget ammo), setting your final zero using single shots could leave your point of aim as much as 5" away from the point of impact.
 
Just follow the advice given earlier on in this thread. Set up a target at 10 yards. Rest your gun on a bag or anything that will stabilize the gun while you hold the gun. Do not rest the barrel on anything. Read the instruction that came with the Sparc. They are pretty clear. Fire three rounds to find where the sight is aiming adjust vigorously. Depending where the rounds hit it may take a full turn of the screws to move the point of impact 4 or 5 inches. Fire three more rounds. Make minor adjustments and fire three more. Once the bullets are centered on the target move out to 25 yards. You will find you will need to adjust the sight more 4 clicks to an inch in the direction indicated by the groups. You will be familiar with the gun by going through the sighting process. BTW if you get all your rounds into a one inch group at 25 yards you are golden. You can move out further to 50 yards. The groups will open up for certain. Being a new shooter, if you know anyone who professes to know his way around rifles let him try the gun. If he has good eyes and does know what he is doing he may be able to make minor adjustments .

Remember you do not have an Olympic target rifle in your hands. The gun is certainly capable of achieving accuracy greater than you likely can shoot but that is why you practice shooting to get better. The Sparc11 is an excellent optic sight and will serve you well. The Vortex guarantee is excellent. Break the sight and they will replace it.

Good shooting, you have a rifle that will out last your grandchildren.

Take Care

Bob
 
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