misterc01
Well-Known Member
Wheeler, then my trusty Stanley laser level to verify ad finish with a bubble level on the scopes to make sure just before I shoot.
What do you use to level the reticle?
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Pizzaman1
Well-Known Member
I place mine in a Tipton gun vise and secure it. I use 2 levels on the mounting rail, 3 if there is a flat spot on the receiver. Once leveled I use the wheeler level for the barrel and set it. Now I know if the gun is bumped, I can look at the level on the barrel and reposition it. I set a level on the turret and tighten down the screws. . Every scope I have ever mounted will move when tightening the screws. Tighten them Katty corner. Sometimes I have to Lapp the rings. On some scopes it's taken me an hour to do this.
I those leveling kits the level is so small I wonder if it even works...my method that has proven to work for me time and time again.
Place a 3' piece of painters tape on the wall as level as you can.
Take a 3' level and draw a level line on that tape with a sharpie.
Put the rifle on a bipod and back up as far as you can an place the rifle on a level floor of course.
Use the line on the wall to level your reticle and tighten.
Place a 3' piece of painters tape on the wall as level as you can.
Take a 3' level and draw a level line on that tape with a sharpie.
Put the rifle on a bipod and back up as far as you can an place the rifle on a level floor of course.
Use the line on the wall to level your reticle and tighten.
Yes, alignment with bore will make a difference at long range but no matter up to about 300 yards on big game depending on how far off level of course.
DDWing
Well-Known Member
I use the Wheeler Engineering professional scope mounting kit, and have never had a problem. All of my scopes are perfectly level. I also use an anti-cant level on my rifles.
That is exactly why part 1 of leveling device is mounted to the barrel and the part 2 to the scope. Regardless if the rail is off slightly, or the rings are off slightly, the crosshairs are squared to the rifles bore as best it can.
Where I sometimes run into issues is when torque is applied to the scope rings you can get slight shift and the level will show this immediately. It sometimes takes a few tries for everything to come together squared. I find the better quality matched style rings are much easier to square and center the scope, ie. Seekins, American Rifle Company, Vortex PMR, etc.
A reticle not being squared and level in my opinion is a waste of time when wanting to shoot any type of long range. Especially when using reticle holdovers for distance and holdoffs for doping wind.
I use the top of the line Wheeler set also.
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waveslayer
Well-Known Member
Plumb line to level the scope.
Level on the picatinny rail
And look at the actual rifle to verify if the picatinny rail is mounted level.
From there you level the scope with the Plum line.
A trick I do is use a level on a white piece of paper and make a cross hair.
Level on the picatinny rail
And look at the actual rifle to verify if the picatinny rail is mounted level.
From there you level the scope with the Plum line.
A trick I do is use a level on a white piece of paper and make a cross hair.
daka
Well-Known Member
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I use laser levels as well...
Level a gun in a wise and level a reticle to a laser line on the wall, screw them in and then install a bubble level...
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Badger dead level. Of the scope is canted after then your rail or bases aren't level to the receiver.
I use the leveling tool you mentioned to confirm level with rifle bore.
Have used bar stock in the receive, once removing the bolt. This helps confirm that rail is plumb and correct. The follow direction on the wheeler level kit. Once level bubble is mounted to scope I'll reconfirm it to a plumb bob. All this not critical out 200-300 yard in my opinion but I believe it to be essential for the longer range.
if not plumb to Centerline of bore it will effect accuracy left to right and throw your Trajectory table off for elevation in the longer ranges.
The front corner of my neighbors machine shed is just over 800 yards away and works like a dream from the half wall in the living room. Makes for daytime only work though.
Mudduck
Member
I used to do this until a subdivision was built around us. Now neighbours get nervous with a rifle pointing in their direction lol
How do you make sure the rifle is level before you begin?
. All this not critical out 200-300 yard in my opinion but I believe it to be essential for the longer range.
This is true. Before the internet and even the 260 Remington, I learned this the hard way. Great load at 100, 200, things get a little wonky at 300 and 400 it's worse. This was with the old 300 Roy and recoil and $$ were making think real hard about a quick and correct solution. It was a canted reticle and remounting and leveling corrected the issue and opened my eyes. After re-visiting all my rifles I stepped it up to a whole nuther level in the prairie dog arena the next year.
This is true. Before the internet and even the 260 Remington, I learned this the hard way. Great load at 100, 200, things get a little wonky at 300 and 400 it's worse. This was with the old 300 Roy and recoil and $$ were making think real hard about a quick and correct solution. It was a canted reticle and remounting and leveling corrected the issue and opened my eyes. After re-visiting all my rifles I stepped it up to a whole nuther level in the prairie dog arena the next year.
