Do you use a scope level to keep your rifle level?

[1Hunter]

Rusty Rick,

Ok, and then?

Do you check your inclinometer for the degrees up from level?
So you can make a sight adjustment for the reduced ballistic
curve your bullet needs to travel to keep from shooting over
the target.

 

[jkupper]

It is going to be the next purchase for my rifle

 

[GonzoK34]

It's a tool that aids in making accurate shots in mixed terrain such as Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Texas hill country.
WHY?
This being Long Range Hunting with the goal of making humane kills at significant distances. It's critical to understand the effects of cant when your shooting from various shooting positions in adverse conditions. Terrain features are mixed timber, sage brush, coulees, steep gullies, ravines, and draws. Rocky canyons and steep mountains some greater than 20+ degrees. Weather also effects our hunting by adding fatigue and exhaustion to the equation. Rarely have I had a decent rest to shoot from. I've been on my belly, face down and my body is twisted in order to make the shot. Cant is the major factor effecting accuracy even at close distances. Shooting off of a tree limb at a 35 degree angle on a slope with your target moving through cover is a tough shot to make. ANY cant or breakdown in your shooting form results in a missed shot or a wounded animal.

2 years ago hunting in Utah we located elk over a mile from our location. It took us several hours to close the distance. When we finally got in range the elk were above us at a 35 degree angle, moving single file up a steep chute.
We had to lay down and prop our rifles on any available support. I chose a large boulder and wrapped myself around it on my back with my rifle stock supported by my heavy jacket. The elk were moving up and around junipers and boulders. Maintaining the rifle level was difficult, my position was effecting my breathing, my body wasn't co-operating, and the elk were getting higher and further away. I was able twist my rifle into an angle that was level, making a one shot kill at "Point of Aim - Point of Impact (POA/POI)". My partner used several logs to build up his position and made a great shot as well. Levels, accurate rifles, good ammo, proper sight- in, come ups to 1000yds and lots of practice are just part of process of a successful big game hunt. Adapting and overcoming obstacles, bad weather, minor screw ups and just staying focused to the very end assures us all success.

Gonzo
SEMPER FIDELIS

 

[1Hunter]

It is going to be the next purchase for my rifle

Good for you, there are some really nice ones. be sure to look around
for one that will meet you needs.

 

[1Hunter]

It's a tool that aids in making accurate shots in mixed terrain such as Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Texas hill country.
WHY?
This being Long Range Hunting with the goal of making humane kills at significant distances. It's critical to understand the effects of cant when your shooting from various shooting positions in adverse conditions. Terrain features are mixed timber, sage brush, coulees, steep gullies, ravines, and draws. Rocky canyons and steep mountains some greater than 20+ degrees. Weather also effects our hunting by adding fatigue and exhaustion to the equation. Rarely have I had a decent rest to shoot from. I've been on my belly, face down and my body is twisted in order to make the shot. Cant is the major factor effecting accuracy even at close distances. Shooting off of a tree limb at a 35 degree angle on a slope with your target moving through cover is a tough shot to make. ANY cant or breakdown in your shooting form results in a missed shot or a wounded animal.

2 years ago hunting in Utah we located elk over a mile from our location. It took us several hours to close the distance. When we finally got in range the elk were above us at a 35 degree angle, moving single file up a steep chute.
We had to lay down and prop our rifles on any available support. I chose a large boulder and wrapped myself around it on my back with my rifle stock supported by my heavy jacket. The elk were moving up and around junipers and boulders. Maintaining the rifle level was difficult, my position was effecting my breathing, my body wasn't co-operating, and the elk were getting higher and further away. I was able twist my rifle into an angle that was level, making a one shot kill at "Point of Aim - Point of Impact (POA/POI)". My partner used several logs to build up his position and made a great shot as well. Levels, accurate rifles, good ammo, proper sight- in, come ups to 1000yds and lots of practice are just part of process of a successful big game hunt. Adapting and overcoming obstacles, bad weather, minor screw ups and just staying focused to the very end assures us all success.

Gonzo
SEMPER FIDELIS

Well done!

 

[GonzoK34]

1Hunter,

Thank you. I'm 67 now and the majority of friends I hunted with in the past aren't willing to put in the sweat equity, and effort into hunting out and away from the roads.

Now days I teach family friends, gun club and varmint club members, as well as young men and women going into the Armed Forces firearm basics, shooting and maintenance.

My main focus has been with 4 young men (Sammy 30, Brian 25, Bobby 35 and Rich 45) training them in archery, long range rifle and pistol shooting specific to tactical survival, varmints and big game hunting.

I spent 6 months last year 2012 teaching Sammy hunting skills, scouting hunting areas, blind setups, funnel areas and ambush sites while in the field. All based on utilizing Google Earth topo maps and aerial photo review of key areas. This included development of know distance calculations mapped out and printed. We than verified this data in the field.

Sammy and I have spent several years hunting together for doves, quail, pheasant, ducks and varmints. Last year it was time for deer. Sammy successfully shot his first big game animal, a Doe at 60 yards with his bow on the last day of the archery season. He followed this up with his first bobcat. 2 weeks later he shot his first buck a beautiful 3x4 buck with his rifle. The buck was located with 5 does a couple of days before the rifle opener. We studied the aerial photos and developed a plan. Just Awesome! Sammy is like a son to me. We've experienced allot of great hunting adventures together that I will always be thankful for.

P.S: He a freaking madman when it comes to hunting ducks!

Gonzo SEMPER FIDELIS

 

[1Hunter]

gonzo k34,

Yes, another fine Reply, I just got back from a 10 day Elk Bow hunt.

Our hunting camp consisted of three experienced hunters and three
novice hunters. It's very worth while to help and instruct folks who
are new to the hunting sport.

One of the young men (novice) shot a spike deer (Deer season coincides with Elk Bow season) 21 Yard shot, instant kill. Then the fun began, his very first deer.
I just happened to be in camp when his hunting buddies returned to camp
and ask if we could help bring in the deer. We got to the site of the kill,
I informed him he needed to tag the animal prior to transporting the animal.
Seeing the weather was around eighty five degrees, it was agreed to disembowel
the animal, to aid in cooling down process. This was a new experience.

Back at camp with the deer and the hunters, the deer carcass was hung from a meat pole and the skinning began. Another new experience for our hunter.

He was one happy hunter, with a clean deer carcass ready for the butcher.

Great pictures of your hunt.

 

[Broken Bow]

no but put one on my crossbow and I liked it so well I ordered 2 more, I did buy one LRH for my AR but didn't have a chance yet to try it.

 

[1Hunter]

no but put one on my crossbow and I liked it so well I ordered 2 more, I did buy one LRH for my AR but didn't have a chance yet to try it.

I can understand that. As i have said before, the level is just an aid to help
the shooter to shoot more accurately. It is not a cure all and correct sight
settings and form are a must, no matter what propels the missal down
range.

I have used sights that contain a level on my bows for years. Even had a
level glued to the sight window on my old re-curve bows.

 

[Kat3eWhit]

I check it right before I start the trigger pull.

 

[1Hunter]

Kat3eWhit,

Good, making that check as part of the shot sequence is essential
to shooting tight groups. Especially if your not using a bench rest.

 

[westexhunt]

I'm sure this is stated in at least one of the previous 22 pages but I don't have time to read it all, I just scanned it over, perhaps others would do the same and find this post helpful. The greater the distance from the centerline of your scope to the centerline of your rifle bore, the greater the error in aiming if canted. The laws of physics do not change. I'm not a professor or scholar of any kind but understand the basic laws of physics. At 600yds I can hit center mass with only a few corrections in a short period of time, as distance increases the factors involved in accurate hits are compounded, that's when being level etc comes into play. The distance number could be different for others, for me 600 is easy and everything past that becomes long range and requires more thought and planning.

 

[1Hunter]

Westtexhunt,

You are right, the greater the distance between the center of the scope and the center of the rifle bore makes the addition of a level a valuable tool.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Simply, the farther away (from each other) the centerline of the bore and optic is, the more rotational error (cant) comes into play.

BTW, I have numerous scope levels and the best and almost the lesat expensive is the Viortex.

I think Len has them in his store attached to this site....