I am looking for advice on how to align/square/plumb my Nightforce NXS scope with my rifle. I am interested in a portable fixture/rifle rest/vice that I can use with different rifle platforms hunting stocks, AR platforms and precision rifles. I want to be able to align the scope and rifle and then verify it with a pulmb line out to 50 or hundred yards hence why I need to be able to take his to the range. Any help you can provide or if you know who I can contact I would appreciative. Thanks
Scope alignment with rifle
- Thread starter jhughes
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gebhardt02
Well-Known Member
I don't exactly have a portable vise that will keep the rifle perfectly level, but I use a bubble level on the rail of my precision rifles. Here is my process:
Then I place my bubble level on the rail of the rifle and double check it with a torpedo level a carpenter might use, the little small kind.
One I'm happy with the rail mounted bubble level, I take the torpedo level off and mount the scope rings with the scope in them loosely to the rail. I place the torpedo level on the elevation turret and ensure that the scope is level and the rail mounted bubble level is still level also.
I then tighten the ring cap screws in an alternating manner while ensuring tha the scope remains level.
So now the scope is mounted to the rifle and the rail mounted level is showing level as well. Now I hang a plumb line out at whatever distance I can see it well and check that when the rail level is showing level, that my crosshairs are plumb with the line. I'm usually so close to perfectly level that it isn't worth trying to change anything. Hope that helps you out.
Geb
I place a Harris swivel bipod on the rifle so that wherever I place the rifle, I can use the swivel to ensure the rifle is level side to side. Then I place a rear bag under the butt of the rifle until it is mostly level front to back. This isn't totally necessary because we are interested in level side to side, but it gives me peace of mind.
Then I place my bubble level on the rail of the rifle and double check it with a torpedo level a carpenter might use, the little small kind.
One I'm happy with the rail mounted bubble level, I take the torpedo level off and mount the scope rings with the scope in them loosely to the rail. I place the torpedo level on the elevation turret and ensure that the scope is level and the rail mounted bubble level is still level also.
I then tighten the ring cap screws in an alternating manner while ensuring tha the scope remains level.
So now the scope is mounted to the rifle and the rail mounted level is showing level as well. Now I hang a plumb line out at whatever distance I can see it well and check that when the rail level is showing level, that my crosshairs are plumb with the line. I'm usually so close to perfectly level that it isn't worth trying to change anything. Hope that helps you out.
Geb
I do pretty much the same as gebhardt02 with good results. I do all of my mounting of the scope in the garage and then line the scope up with a plumb line that hangs off a fence 20 yards away.
I don't understand why you need to go to the range and have the plumb line out to 50 or 100 yards? I actually think it might be harder to work with at that distance.
Prescision shooting is new to me. I read that another prescision shooter reccomended the 50-100 yard distance with the plumb line. As long as it square enough to keep the elevation from tracking at a cant is all I'm interested in. Thanks for your help. I will star there.
woods
Well-Known Member
To align the bore and scope and take all the cant out of the rifle when in a rest
exd at Brownells
when the bubble is level the center of the barrel and center of the scope tube are aligned vertically. Rotate the scope in the rings to align the reticle with your plumb bob line and install an anti-cant device and you're good to go
exd at Brownells
when the bubble is level the center of the barrel and center of the scope tube are aligned vertically. Rotate the scope in the rings to align the reticle with your plumb bob line and install an anti-cant device and you're good to go
The main thing is to keep the reticle's vertical cross-hair level with the ground...
It's nice to have the scope aligned well with the rifle, but if the scope itself is canted a bit, you can still shoot accurately--provided that the reticle is held level while you're shooting...
here's an article I did a few years back which might be helpful...
Practical Riflery Forums... techniques and equipment of the practical rifleman... :: View topic - Canted scope or canted rifle?
It's nice to have the scope aligned well with the rifle, but if the scope itself is canted a bit, you can still shoot accurately--provided that the reticle is held level while you're shooting...
here's an article I did a few years back which might be helpful...
Practical Riflery Forums... techniques and equipment of the practical rifleman... :: View topic - Canted scope or canted rifle?
Well written. Enjoyed reading it. This is what I love about the LRH site. The detailed knowledge shared can be pretty incredible at times.
