Scope leveling nightmare

backcountryguide

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Nov 3, 2011
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Guys before anyone nails me on how to use the search trust me I have spent hours trying to figure out the best method and Im still pulling out hair. My 6.5Creedmoore is all finished up and shooting some of the best groups I have ever shot. The scope is a Nightforce sitting in NF rings on top of a properly bedded NF 20moa base. All my rounds are hitting right in no wind conditions except at 100 yards. I can do nothing about getting the base and rings in perfect alignment with the action so Im not going to worry about that. I just want the rounds to impact center in no wind conditions. It is my understanding that if I use a live fire method on a plumb line and dial up and put a scope mounted cant device on after im done that the rifle being absolute true level is a non issue as long as a the cant device is level on the scope after the trueing process on the plumb line. leveling the action and top of the turret cap is not cutting it and that is showing up in my shooting at distance. If my impact is right after I dial up then wich way do I turn the scope tube? Do i chase the impact or go away from it? I have several levels and a RING TRUE Alinment tool that have got me nowhere so I really dont want to spend any more money. I have over 6k in this one already
 
After using the RingTrue Alignment tool the scope will be aligned properly to the bore of the barrel. At that point, you only need to align the anti-cant indicator parallel to the scope turret.

It's rare that aligning the turret housing or turret cap level doesn't get you dead on. Which anti-cant indicator are you using?

If your impacts are hitting right of a plumb line (after dialing up from your zero), then rotate the rifle left one or two degrees, and then realign the anti-cant indicator level. That's left facing the target. Then repeat the live fire test after re-zeroing the rifle.
 
If my impact is right after I dial up then wich way do I turn the scope tube?
RIGHT

Think about it, it's hitting right with dialing as your crosshair is dialing leftward(due to adjustment cant), and so you roll the gun rightward to get the crosshair on target.
Now you want the crosshair to adjust purely upward, so you turn the scope clockwise until it does.

This sounds like an example of elevation adjustment out of plumb, and rare as it might seem, I've seen it in both Leupold and Nightforce.
Bottom line, if you dial elevation, you should set adjustment plumb. If you're holding off with a crosshair, you should set the crosshair plumb. If you do both, you gotta set both.
No assumptions

There is only one level I recommend, because it's as good as any, inexpensive, it's a permanent level for a given scope, and it's the only level you can see straight on from shooting position -with your shooting eye: Scoplevel Anti Cant Leveling Device

I dial elevation, test every scope(on any rifle), and lock down a ScopLevel to it. From here on I can move the scope from gun to gun & never worry about level again(already preset).
Re-zeroing takes one single shot & dialing to the bullet hole printed. Zero the turret caps. Done.
 
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