What do you use to level the reticle?

I just use a torpedo level. On split rings, mount the bottom half, check the base against the rings.Level the base and rings. Set the scope on the rings and level off the top turret if possible. Check against a vertical line. If it's off, note the position of the level on the turret. Most turrets are surprisingly level. Mount the rings and tighten.
 
The best tool that I have ever found and that works perfectly for me is the "EXD Engineering Vertical Reticle Instrument" @ $56.00 from Brownells. I "thought" that I.d done a good job aligning my scopes until I read about this tool on the forum, ended up adjusting my scopes after I bought this tool. I use a vertical line drawn on some masking tape on my garage door in the basement, however a plumb bob could be used in conjunction with the tool. I use a Tipton vise when leveling the scope up, and then I use masking tape to keep the rifle steady while turning the scope level. I really like the idea of the tool in the OP, presently I have been using masking tape around the scope and the stock to hold the scope steady while tightening up the scope ring screws. But.....I have a table saw and lots of scrap wood in the shop. I'm thinking of making a couple of wedges out of some 1 1/2 inch stock and use the wedges to prevent the scope from moving while the scope rings are being tightened.

www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/sight-scope-installation-tools/scope-reticle-levelers/vertical-reticle-instrument-prod6097.aspx?avs|Manufacturer_1=EXD%2bENGINEERING
 
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The op's device can work if the erector assembly is mounted true in the scope body - not a given on even $1000+ scopes. A precise way to to level the scope is level the action with rifle in a vice (or similar) and level the crosshairs with a plumb bob or a leveled target a good distance away so even small differences are noticeable. This will work for all scopes including ones with the erectors not perfectly true to the turrets or flats.

if you cant your rifle - Adjusting your scope to match your cant will guarantee it will be off at ranges significantly different than the sight in range. It would be better to have the stock adjusted to fit you so it doesn't cant.
Use an anti-cant scope level to check your vertical every time you send a round a long way so you only have to worry about 99 other things .
 
I put a saw horse at the end of my back yard and level it with a carpenters level. Then I set the rifle up in a good gun vice making sure it is plumb. Then set the scope up from there. I like the cross hairs level over the rifle barrel as opposed to how I line up to shoot. The change in POI at 600 yds for my .270win due to level in line with my shooting stance was consistently over 5" off to the left. Re-leveling square with the rifle barrel forced me to shoot it to a more consistent, LD POI.
 
Plumb line off the shed in the back yard, then a tall target test to verify. TTT is not really needed if you're not shooting long range, imo.
 
Old rooster said:
I have bought many different tools and still had a slanted reticle on a couple of scopes.
I have the Level Level tool from Wheeler,the Professional level system also from Wheeler I believe and have used the plum bob system and still have a couple slightly slanted reticles.
I just bought a new tool that fixed all my slightly off reticles and was only 19.95.
So far I have fixed all my slightly off reticles and a couple of friends with the same problem.
Has anyone used this before?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MC71PC4/?tag=lrhmag19-20
I hope all scopes I mount will be as easy as my new mounted Athlon Ares BTR 2.5-15x50.
Let me know if there are better tools out there.
Old Rooster
Click to expand...
This looks like a neat tool to me. I level all my rifles with a good level off my pic rail. I always reverse this level end to end a couple times to check for errors. Then I use a plumb line at about 25 yards to aline the scope. Snug the ring caps very gradually, checking the reticle a couple times on the way. Nice thread by the way!
 
C1Pro said:
This looks like a neat tool to me. I level all my rifles with a good level off my pic rail. I always reverse this level end to end a couple times to check for errors. Then I use a plumb line at about 25 yards to aline the scope. Snug the ring caps very gradually, checking the reticle a couple times on the way. Nice thread by the way!
Click to expand...
I have used a plumb line, in the field to check level. Hung a fishing sinker and line from a tree branch and aligned with the vertical cross hair. Very effective and cheap.
 
All those tools suck. You either need a plumb bob line or depending on where you live, if you could look at the vertical corner of a neighbors house or building and align the vertical cross hair to coincide.....back off your eye and look at the bottom vertical cross hair to split the rear of the bolt shroud or firing pin. You have to tighten the rings evenly in very small increments like 1/8 turns to keep the scope from turning. After the scope is aligned to the gun simply line up the vertical crosshair with the known vertical reference and adjust your bubnle level. That part is easy. You have to tighten the screws evenly on the bubnle level too! Dont tighten the bubble level too much, its not really holding anything. You can damage the scope tube. Id rather retighten a loose bubnle level than damage the scope. Just slightly snug will hold the ring. Use a tiny bit of blue loctite on the threads if you want.
 
PredatorSlayer said:
If you don't align the scope with the rifle barrel, there will be a significant POI shift with long range targets. Your impact will be either left or right.
Click to expand...
Actually, that is not true or what causes a shift... it's the reticle not being plumb when breaking the shot. What is important is having a reference level true to the reticle. We have one piece revivers with integral machined rails as bases and do level them first as a starting point before plumbing the optic reticle in the rings. However, that is not what is critical to consistent POI at longer ranges. The important step is once the reticle is plumb, having a reference level mounted to the rifle system somewhere visible that is also plumb. It is not accurate to rely on your senses or what feels comfortable in the field. The barrel bore is round, but not straight, and tho it is nice to imagine your reticle is timed with the 12-6 position in relation to the axis of the bore it is not critical nor practical to reference anyway. We may be very close with the CNC machined flats on our integral receivers, but even then the stacking of tolerances from the receiver to the chamber and the bore, which again is never a perfectly straight tube, makes it a moot point. All that really needs to be done is to align and secure the rifle as close to plumb as possible with bases/rings installed, install your optic and find optimal eye relief, have a plumb line hanging far enough away the parallax can be adjusted crisply, rotate the scope to align with the plumb and torque rings. Finally, while the complete system is fixated with the reticle plumb...align your chosen reference level to be plumb and go shoot stuff at long ranges.
 
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