Bought a used rifle and I'm pretty happy with it. It has a 2-7x40 swift on it and the field of view is so wide I can see the barrel on 2x (which I love by the way). So I couldn't help but notice the barrel and the vertical crosshair didn't line up. Slightly irritating so, I used my 'level level', and afer tightening the screws and pulling the gun up, I was now irritated that the crosshairs were not level to me. Since, this is the first time I thought the 'level level' failed me, I checked feverishly to see if the scope was off, the rifle had some quirck, or the scope mounts were off center. But, I found no obvious signs of defect. I even noticed the vertical crosshair now lined up perfectly with the barrel in my scope's field of view. The only thing I can conclude is I like to hold the rifle cockeyed. So I'm pretty sure I'm the defect. My question is: should l mount the scope to my liking or to the guns liking? I like the idea of the crosshairs being lined up with the bore, but it forces me to hold the rifle in an almost uncomfortable way. I'd be more than willing to get used to it if the pros outweigh the cons.
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leveling scope to bore vs leveling scope to please the eyes
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bruce_ventura
Well-Known Member
The answer depends on how far you intend to shoot. For shots in the field under 500 yds, a small misalignment of the reticle or canting error won't chang the point of impact more than a fraction of an inch. For shots above 500 yds, these errors can grow to multiple inches.
As long as you do not try to hold over using the reticle or dial up. You will have left/ right errors too.
Also as long as you are not off at 100 more than 1/10 of inch will it be "a fraction of inch" at 500 (ie 1/2 inch)
It can grow to multiples of inches at 500 depending on the angles. Better check it first.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
Accounting for level is a significant matter even by 500yds.
But you're not doing any precision work at distance with an airgun scope anyway.
If I were you, I'd just get comfortable with it and accept your tested killzone limits.
But you're not doing any precision work at distance with an airgun scope anyway.
If I were you, I'd just get comfortable with it and accept your tested killzone limits.
FearNoWind
Well-Known Member
I add this comment only because other new shooters might get the wrong idea from some of the comments.
For optimum accuracy, the proper way to set up your scope is to align it with the bore. Rifle leveled/scope horizontal cross hair leveled; scope plumb; vertical cross hair plumb. Setting the scope up using any other formula will produce errors on target. The further away your target is, the greater your error will be.
For optimum accuracy, the proper way to set up your scope is to align it with the bore. Rifle leveled/scope horizontal cross hair leveled; scope plumb; vertical cross hair plumb. Setting the scope up using any other formula will produce errors on target. The further away your target is, the greater your error will be.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
It's hard to make hard declarations other than level for your use is important.
I shot my T2000 at 7deg cant, and all that's ever mattered to me with any gun(since I'm a dialer) is elevation adjustment plumb.
For hunting guns shooting off swivel bipods actual gun/base/turret level doesn't matter.
And for dialers, who range with LRFs, and hold-off by inches, the crosshair could be pointed any way on Earth. Hell, we might just be using a dot for an aimpoint.
From a benchrest, the gun itself needs to ride level with a level rest and anything else needed.
For holding off with reticle hash marks, the crosshair needs to be level.
So you have to consider how you will be shooting in the field, and set up for this.
I shot my T2000 at 7deg cant, and all that's ever mattered to me with any gun(since I'm a dialer) is elevation adjustment plumb.
For hunting guns shooting off swivel bipods actual gun/base/turret level doesn't matter.
And for dialers, who range with LRFs, and hold-off by inches, the crosshair could be pointed any way on Earth. Hell, we might just be using a dot for an aimpoint.
From a benchrest, the gun itself needs to ride level with a level rest and anything else needed.
For holding off with reticle hash marks, the crosshair needs to be level.
So you have to consider how you will be shooting in the field, and set up for this.
FearNoWind
Well-Known Member
As ethical hunters, we're looking for quick, clean kills. Gut shot or otherwise wounded game animals are something we do our best to avoid.
Some suggestions here indicate you could mount the scope any way you like as long as it's comfortable for your "style" of shooting. That's one way of looking at it and, depending on circumstances, that argument has merit.
Consider this: If your target is the side of the building across the street you could probably mount the scope upside down and backwards and never miss. An eight inch circle at five or six hundred yards is another story.
Some suggestions here indicate you could mount the scope any way you like as long as it's comfortable for your "style" of shooting. That's one way of looking at it and, depending on circumstances, that argument has merit.
Consider this: If your target is the side of the building across the street you could probably mount the scope upside down and backwards and never miss. An eight inch circle at five or six hundred yards is another story.
bruce_ventura
Well-Known Member
I agree. Reticle alignment errors are less of a concern than canting errors.
I shouldn't have lumped canting error together with reticle alignment error in my first post. A "small" reticle alignment error of 6 degrees, for example, will produce an aim point shift of about an inch or less at 500 yds. That's assuming the reticle is plumb (no canting error).
The same canting error at 500 yds would be several inches. In this case, a 1 degree canting error could be considered "small", as the aim point shift would be about an inch.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
I didn't mean to suggest that level isn't important.
If the scope(however it may be set/used) is not physically plumb over the boreline, you'll always have an error that grows with distance, and this error can be a lot more than intuitive.
If the scope(however it may be set/used) is not physically plumb over the boreline, you'll always have an error that grows with distance, and this error can be a lot more than intuitive.
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