Leveling your rifle/scope

Jump to latest Follow Reply
josh3rd

josh3rd

Member
Apr 2, 2015
954
47
Newark, Delaware, United States
What I am about to write I may not know the proper terminology and/or verbiage but the question itself is pretty simple. When you try to get you scope inline w/the center line of the bore you would use some type of level to get your rifle level. Some people put it on the weaver part of the scope base or for example some put it on the breach block of their break barrel. Which is obviously flat. But my question is, what it you don't have any flat parts on your rifle? I have a Prosport as many of you already know, which doesn't have any flat spots that I am aware of and the way I did mine was cock the rifle and leave the underlever hanging down and rubber banded a torpedo level to it to make sure the rifle was "level" at least the action but then who is to say that the lever is "squared" to the rifle? Or another example is my 54. I cocked the side lever and placed a torpedo level on it. After that, I put the scope in the rings and placed a plumb bob string 15yds away and with the rifle to what I think/thought is level, i then level or plumb the scope to the line. So again, how or what do you do to make sure your rifle is "level" if there is no level spots so you plumb up your scope?
 
I am sure some springer gurus will chime in soon but I basically do what you did with the cocking arm. Of course, there is no guarantee the action is level in that area. I have seen some use the stock buy I also know that some actions are not really level in the stock. I do use the Wheeler Scope Leveling Kit. After you level the action to the best of your ability, you use the barrel level. After the barrel level is adjusted you have a solid reference when sighting the scope in on a plumb bob (i use my zero range of 28 yards and have bright orange string to make it easier to get the vertical reticle lined up)

ps the photo shows the using the top turret if the scope but that’s not how it’s done.

Hope this helps.

Gary

Venice, FL




 
Upvote 0
I use BKL mounts and sit them on a known level surface. I then put the scope in the mounts and place a small 1" level on the turret. I checked my small level on the known level surface and it was only level on one of 4 sides, so I marked that side. I tighten everything up and mount the unit on the TX200. It always looks perfect, to my eye, so I know it's fairly close. I will only use a gun level that clamps to the scope tube and I level this while using a plumb line. Now the fine tuning part begins. I set up a paper that is level to my shooting position and draw a black Sharpie line, vertically, using a 4' level. I sit it out at 10-12 yards and zero the windage to the line. The scope is set to the middle of it's elevation travel at this time. Once I'm hitting the line, I crank the elevation all the way up and shoot at the same spot on the line. I then turn the elevation all the way down and do the same, being careful to keep the vertical crosshair plumb to the line on the target. When I'm done I should see 3 groups , high, mid, and low right on the line. If the scope is not right the high and low groups will be on opposite sides of the line and I will need to rotate the scope slightly. I don't remember which way to rotate because it's been many years since I've touched my set up scopes. A little trial and error will tell you which way to turn, but I'm sure it won't need much.
 
Upvote 0
This is how I do it, with that Wheeler tool, but keep in mind the guy that’s pretty knowledgeable on this subject will pipe in, and explain that if machining tolerances and placement were perfect, yes that tool will work. But if the scope rail/dovetail placement from the factory is off, that could render this method useless. He will explain his method of placing your rifle about 15’ in front of a mirror, and setting your scope to its lowest power along with your side focus. Then while looking thru the mirror center the vertical line of your scope to your center of bore. I tried that method to double check my method using the Wheeler tool, and although I was spot on, my anti can’t level bubble was off. So, for me, I now have two methods to double check each other. 

I apologize, but I cannot remember the persons forum name. Hopefully he pipes in as he explains the method the best.
 
Upvote 0
As Bigragu mentioned, a jig like that will work great in a lot of cases when the machining is very precise and the barrel is perfectly straight and so forth. But understanding that it is susceptible to these potential sources of error is also somewhat annoying for a device marketed as a "professional" tool.

The good news is you can sidestep this shortcoming with no special tools. All you need is a mirror. 

But first let's establish that the requirements to eliminate cant error are:

1. Align the scope's reticle with the rifle's barrel.
2. Hold the reticle level when shooting.

Item 1 deals with scope cant...i.e. mounting the scope incorrectly.

Item 2 deals with gun cant...i.e. holding the gun incorrectly.

To correctly align the scope to the barrel, set up a mirror at a distance of, say, 5 yards and set your AO to 10 yards. Look through the scope at your reflection in the mirror. Twist the scope in the mounts until the vertical bar of the reticle simultaneously bisects both the muzzle and objective bell. Then lock it down. At this point you have eliminated scope cant (item 1). If it's hard to see your muzzle, add a little dot of White Out or take a dot from a hole punch and tape it to the muzzle with clear tape.

Now to eliminate rifle cant, install and use a level. View a known good plumb line (e.g. hanging string) through the scope and orient the rifle so it precisely aligns to it. Now affix your level so it shows level. From now on when you're shooting, hold the rifle so it shows level and you can be sure you've eliminated both potential sources of cant error.

By the way, don't buy a level that attaches to the scope rail. There is no guarantee it will show level. Instead, get one that attaches to the scope tube so you can rotate it and lock it down where it shows the proper level.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Florida_Man, GeneT, Jeff-51 and 1 other person
Upvote 0
Well to be honest I too was bit skeptical the first time I used a mirror. A more precise way to orient the reticle to the bore would be to use a collimator (laser bore sighter). Now that I've used a mirror to set up a few dozen rifles, I've found the results to be very reliable. However I will acknowledge it requires careful attention to detail whereas I expect a laser would make it harder to get it wrong. For guys who tend to rush things, it's probably a good investment.
 
Upvote 0
As Bigragu mentioned, a jig like that will work great in a lot of cases when the machining is very precise and the barrel is perfectly straight and so forth. But understanding that it is susceptible to these potential sources of error is also somewhat annoying for a device marketed as a "professional" tool.

The good news is you can sidestep this shortcoming with no special tools. All you need is a mirror. 

But first let's establish that the requirements to eliminate cant error are:

1. Align the scope's reticle with the rifle's barrel.
2. Hold the reticle level when shooting.

Item 1 deals with scope cant...i.e. mounting the scope incorrectly.

Item 2 deals with gun cant...i.e. holding the gun incorrectly.

To correctly align the scope to the barrel, set up a mirror at a distance of, say, 5 yards and set your AO to 10 yards. Look through the scope at your reflection in the mirror. Twist the scope in the mounts until the vertical bar of the reticle simultaneously bisects both the muzzle and objective bell. Then lock it down. At this point you have eliminated scope cant (item 1). If it's hard to see your muzzle, add a little dot of White Out or take a dot from a hole punch and tape it to the muzzle with clear tape.

Now to eliminate rifle cant, install and use a level. View a known good plumb line (e.g. hanging string) through the scope and orient the rifle so it precisely aligns to it. Now affix your level so it shows level. From now on when you're shooting, hold the rifle so it shows level and you can be sure you've eliminated both potential sources of cant error.

By the way, don't buy a level that attaches to the scope rail. There is no guarantee it will show level. Instead, get one that attaches to the scope tube so you can rotate it and lock it down where it shows the proper level.
Click to expand...

+1 Accuracy for this, very nice and practical suggestion
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff-51
Upvote 0
I use the Wheeler kit too. And 3 other levels, one on my rest that I can lock the rifle in place. The trick is getting the receiver level.......

ITs just a matter of getting ALL the levels to be level. THEN do the mirror check .

Ive had a couple scopes that had the reticle perfetly level, yet just a tad left or right of the bore center.... some shimming and run back thru the process fixed it 

IMO the mirror method by itself isnt enough, and just using the Wheeler kit is just as incomplete. Use both




 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu