thoughts on leveling a scope and bubble level

[porkchop401]

Well i reached a plateau with my shooting that made the 1055yd target a real challenge i could not seem to get a reasonable percentage on. I was using good dope for the load but things were notdoing as intended and finally a perfectly calm day came and shooting right and low but mostly right . I looked at my level and with the naked eye and all looked ok looking throughthe scope on flat ground. Out of curiosity i drew a plummed line on a sheet of plywood set it at 50yds. amd matched my vertical hair with the plummed line and low and behold the bubble was off to the right a little . I may shoot a groupat the bottum of the line and track 20 or 30 moa to see if it folows the line. your thoughts on this problem and precedure to cure it.

 

[redneckclimbing]

I am by no means an expert on this range of shooting, and have only taken a handfull of legitimate shots over 1k. However, I do have a Mechanical engineerng Degree and fromm that perspective, I think the method you describe makes the most sense of all that I have heard of.

It is the same metod I used to set up my scope, 100 yds. and 30 MOA. I think that at 100 and 30 MOA you are getting more spread then at 50 and 20 MOA, (obviously). This will make you see even the smallest misallignment that will help your consistency the farther you stretch it out.

Just my thoughts, I'm sure womeone with some real world experience will chime in on this.

 

[X-man]

A level is a good idea beyond 1k, but I doubt it will fix your accuracy issue unless you are tipping the rifle back and forth 5-10 degrees in opposite directions?

Lots of guys develop a load from the bench then take it to distance and wonder why they can't hit well at distance and off the bipod (it isn't the bipod btw).

Most long range problems happen behind the rifle.
Here is a test for you (assuming you have an accurate rifle).
Drop back to 100-200 yards (I prefer 200) and get behind the rifle prone (on a bipod) and try to drill some 5 shot 1/2 moa groups.

Not getting 1/2 MOA?
Consult your mirror, then get back to basics.

NPA, trigger control, rifle control (under recoil), cheek weld, bla bla bla.
To fix the problem you need to figure out what it is that you are doing wrong.

Good luck bro!!

 

[Greyfox]

Given that your alignmen is off at 50 yards, I would definitely start there. A half inch off at 50 yards could put you off near a foot at the distances your shooting. Also, are you compensating for spin drift? I have found the best way to confirm the alignment is to shoot a plumbed verticlal line at 100 yards in 10 MOA increments, 5 shot groups. Based on that alignment, it would adjust my scope and level. It's also a good time to check scope tracking accuracy as well. IMO.

 

[X-man]

Are you hitting once you correct the windage problem or are you just missing because of the windage problem?

 

[Broz]

I may shoot a group at the bottum of the line and track 20 or 30 moa to see if it folows the line. your thoughts on this problem and precedure to cure it.

You need to do this. Until then we will not know if the reticle is plum and true to the tracking. If the reticle is indeed installed a little crooked in the scope all the plumb line will do is true it for your zero. You need to true it to your line of track for dialing in shots.

Make a light pencil line on the scope tube at the parting line of the ring. This will give you a gauge to adjust from as you shoot it in.

Jeff

 

[porkchop401]

The shots track perfectly up the line yesterday , today I will make a run to the range after doing mama's day if the wind is not honking too bad. I am of the oppinion my issue may of been with my level but we will see later today .

 

[porkchop401]

Are you hitting once you correct the windage problem or are you just missing because of the windage problem?

Well it seemed like if wind was from the left corrections from lacking and if the wind was from the right they were excessive with wind varing it was hard to nail down. but to answer yes it could be corrected for on a calm day .
This evening I waited til 6:30 to shoot and it calmed . Was able to print 2 cold bore shots a hour apart at the 8 o'clock 4 " and 7" from the center of the bull on the 20" porta-gong at 1058 yds. I cant seem to get the pic from my phone but since it is in the back of the truck I will photo it in good light tomorrow with my camers and post it . I wanted to take a third shot but light was fading and I wanted all shots to be cold bore.

 

[porkchop401]

Well it seemed like if wind was from the left corrections from lacking and if the wind was from the right they were excessive with wind varing it was hard to nail down. but to answer yes it could be corrected for on a calm day .
This evening I waited til 6:30 to shoot and it calmed . Was able to print 2 cold bore shots a hour apart at the 8 o'clock 4 " and 7" from the center of the bull on the 20" porta-gong at 1058 yds. I cant seem to get the pic from my phone but since it is in the back of the truck I will photo it in good light tomorrow with my camers and post it . I wanted to take a third shot but light was fading and I wanted all shots to be cold bore.

Here is the target I wish dark had not caught me so a third shot could have been made.

 

[DZelenka]

You need to do this. Until then we will not know if the reticle is plum and true to the tracking. If the reticle is indeed installed a little crooked in the scope all the plumb line will do is true it for your zero. You need to true it to your line of track for dialing in shots.

Make a light pencil line on the scope tube at the parting line of the ring. This will give you a gauge to adjust from as you shoot it in.

Jeff

If after you put the elevation on your group falls to the left of the plumb line, do you rotate the scope clockwise or counterclockwise?

Dan