Leveling Scope

Blackcloud

Blackcloud

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What is the best way to level a scope to ensure reticle, etc, are in line with a level rifle.

How does one ensure the rifle is exactly level, (as there are not a lot of flat surfaces on a rifle stock to set level).

Once rifle is leveled what is the best method of leveling the scope so there is no cant??

Any advice from the exprienced?? How about some gunsmith opinions, prefered methods?

Thanks
 
I'm not sure how precise you want to get, as I am a hunter and recreational shooter, but a fussy one. I mount the scope with the rings tight enough so I can still move the scope, but it isn't slipping. Get the eye relief set and close on level then hold the rifle by pistol grip at arms length and look down against a tiled floor or something that is squared up, i find that i can level the gun and the scope the best and simplest that way. I'm sure there are more precise ways, but that has worked well for me.

Good luck, Homesteader
 
a simple spirit ( bubble) will allow you to do it all and A straight horizontal line-
put your level on your supporting structure and level that first, then your rifle in the mountings( vise sandbags, etc) with the level over the receiver- that'll level the rifle- then put on your scope and rings- the turret covers are usually flat so there's your point of contact- as to can't when you set up your target, just make sure your horizontal line is level and then go back and look through the scope , right to the ends- if the scope's reticule lines are up or down from the target lines, you've got a cant- same thing with the verticle- incidentelly, some levels come with a dished surface allowing you to use them on curved surfaces- mine was 5 bucks at cdn tire- if you've got a big bell on either end of the scope, you can put the dished surface between the bells as well- if your turrets aren't high enough to clear
 
Leveling your scope

Ok... this is what I do...
1- Make a half inch thick BLACK LINE, perfect cross hair target on white paper.
2- Take your target and level it on your target board Perfectly.
3- Level the rifle on the bench perfectly with scope rings a little loose.
4- Alligne the cross hairs perfectly through the scope at it's highest magnification on the target cross hairs you set up. check and double check your rifle is level while tightening scope rings, keeping the cross hairs aligned.

my 2cents.
Now you have a "Spot On Scope"
 
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I assume you are asking for the reticle to be level, if that is the case; Segway Industries markets two Reticle Levelers, I prefer the MK-II.

The MK-II can also level your anti-cant device and its only a couple of bucks more. I picked up mine for $38.
 
Thanks, I was just looking at Midway USA and I guess they don't sell to indiviuals on international shipments.

Found another handy item while surfing:

- Segway Reticle Leveler (as described above)

- B-Square Bubble Bore Level (Weaver style clamp, sticks out 90 degrees from rifle and is a spirit bubble level. Clamp onto base or Picatinny rail and there you have it!! Rifle is level!!)

I will be ordering both, see how they work.

Thanks again
 
Before you buy the B-Square, look into the MSP's ACD; Mounting Solutions Plus anti-Cant Device. Their web page is ###.mountsplus.### (as per rules of hotlinks). In my opinion much superior to B-Square. Picked mine up for $45.
 
Ok, the above is all well and good. Now I have a question for you.
If you level the gun and level the crosshairs, what happens if you have a natural cant when you shoulder the gun?
Gun and scope crosshairs level to the ground means nothing if it is all on say 5 degrees to the left when you shoulder the gun.
If you cant, you have to set the scope up with the cant or you will be forcing the rifle into an un-natural possition to shoot.
Now put the scope level equal to your cant and go shoot.
 
This stuff is more for the benched guns and you are looking for consistency, just as you would do for your selection of brass, lot numbers of your powder and bullets ect.

Look at it this way, swimmers once shaved their bodies to reduce drag to gain a few thousands of a second. Every little bit counts.
 
The ACD looks cool, I like the idea of the B-Square because is clamps onto the scope base. Something like a Picatinny rail, (which in my case is what I have), should be machined square to the receiver. By mounting the bubble level there it should get the gun as square as possible, then you can level the scope reticle on the "sqaured" gun. Just my take on things.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.
 
Consistency is everything but you need to be able to gauge it somehow, the anti-cant devise is one way to do this. If you level your reticle and then use the ACD then you can be sure the consistency is there.

A 1 degree cant will shift your bullet one-half inch per hundred yards. One other thing to concider depending on the degree of cant you could find for every six clicks of elevation your canted reticle will pull you one click of windage.

I guess we are going away from the original thread question on leveling your scope to the pros and cons of devices to do this.
 
2katz,
You are right on in your thinking. You have to put the scope on and the level on, but being level to the ground is not important. Everything being level to your natural cant is better.
 
2katz is correct,

If your scope is canted all things being equal when you shoot you will dump rounds to the right or left depending on cant.

When mounted, if the rifle is leveled, then the reticle is leveled, then as maynard said being on level ground is not important as long as your at the same angle for each consec. shot. If angle changes, (cant), during repeated shots you will shift P.O.I.

The important thing when you set up is that the scope is set up level to the rifle, if not you will deal with scope cant and shooting positions.

The question originally possed was to see if there were any different or imporved methods of setting up.

So far, as best I can tell, a bubble level mounted on my picatinny rail, (which should be square on receiver), would give an decent level on rifle. Then the scope reticle can be set to level and all should be well!!

No intent to keep bubble level on after, only as an good means of leveling the rifle. This is what seemed the most difficult to me as most rifles are not condusive to just placing nice and level.

Thanks all
 
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