Tilt question: Turrets vs reticle

[ceriksson]

I was just putting my scope back on after getting my rifle back from the smith and in my efforts to get the reticle properly squared I tried a couple different methods and noticed something interesting.

First I made sure the rifle itself was as level as possible so lets assume for the sake of the issue that the rifle is perfectly level.

Now, first I placed a level tube on the top of my vertical turret and rotated the scope until it was showing level. Strange outcome was that when it was level, the reticle was slightly tilted.

Is it common for turrets not to be square to the reticle or am I missing something?

I ended up going visually by the reticle when I was sure the rifle was square.

 

[Dogleg]

It happens. So does a reticle that looks straight but tracks crooked. So does holes being drilled so far off center that the base is nowhere near the top. It's all designed to drive us slowly insane.
Make sure that you can shoot a 100 yard group, crank 30 MOA or so of elevation and have a second group land exactly above the first. Measure the distance while you're at it to determine exactly what a click in your scope is really worth.

 

[Suputin]

Now, first I placed a level tube on the top of my vertical turret and rotated the scope until it was showing level. Strange outcome was that when it was level, the reticle was slightly tilted.

On what basis are you calling the reticle not level? A lot of the time simply looking through the scope gives and optical illusion that the reticle is canted when it really isn't. Unless you have used an external source like a plumb line to verify the reticle cant, I'd be suspicious about calling it canted just by looking into the scope.

One thing I have noticed as a lefty is that often a reticle that looks straight to me looks canted to a right hander and vice versa. Now either a reticle is straight or it isn't and that it looks straight to one person and canted to another suggests that how we look through the scope produces such an effect.

 

[The ROC]

This is what i mounted on my scoped air rifles and rimfire rifles....

So... with my rilfes leveled I then use another spirit level and place that on top of the scope's elevation turret. Presto.... perfect alignment.

Now... for the first few time you will find the reticles tilted as this is based on how you've been used to holding your rifle but is you check with the mounted spirit level you will notice that you've been holding your rifle canted.

Just my 2 cents that works for me and my rifles.