Trying to level scope

[newmexican hunter]

It's sounds like you got it figured out. I was thought that I was never supposed to us the flat surfaces on the outside of your scope to level your reticle. This is because no matter how nice the scope, there is no guarantee that the top of the scope cap or flat surface on the bottom of the scope is perfectly perpendicular to your vertical cross hair. The vertical crosshair should be made parallel to a hanging string(plumb bob) and then make you scope level exactly perpendicular to that. Can be tedious sometimes

 

[Teri Anne]

I am trying to level my scope can my rings be that far off.
thanks

I don't think that you are leveling the scope correctly. What you are showing here means absolutely nothing. Mount the rings to the rail, level the firearm using the level across the rings. either lock the rifle solidly so that it doesn't lose the level or install a leveling block on the barrel and level it to the rings. The latter is the much preferred method. put the scope into the rings and put the ring caps on loose enough that you can move the scope in the rings but not so loose that it will move on its own while handling the rifle. Adjust the eye relief using the position that you most often shoot from. Different positions will vary slightly in the relationship between you eye and the scope so use the position you will be most likely shooting from. Put the rifle back into whatever device you had it in before and using the leveling block on the barrel again level the rifle. Then using a bubble level level the scope across the top turret to the level on the barrel. Both levels should have the bubble in the exact same spot. If your scope is not a tactical with adjustable turrets you may or may not be quite done yet. My final step is to ensure that the vertical crosshair in the reticle is perfectly straight up and down in relation to the barrel itself. Use a non laser type boresight system that used a grid and make sure that the vertical cross hair aligns with the vertical grid lines. This will ensure that when you make elevation or windage adjustments they move true up and down or left and right. Do the final torquing of the screws on the rings. Vortex advises not to exceed 18 inch pounds. Excessive torque can crush the outer tube and make magnification adjustments difficult. Watch the level on the scope while torquing the screws to make sure that the screws being tightened do not disturb the alignment. At this point I use a laser to do a preliminary bore sight. This should get you on paper at 25 yards and you can adjust your zero from there. There are several good videos out on how to mount and bore sight a scope. There is one in Vortex Nation and I believe that Leupold has one out there too. Take your time, there is no need to rush this process.
Good Luck and Good Shooting.

 

[436]

Perhaps someone already said this, get a plumb bob line, lever the rifle with a bubble on the flat of the action, then level to scope vertical reticle with your plumb bob line. It's just one of a few ways to do it and it cheap. Cheers

 

[buzzyb]

436 that's exactly what I did. I got the scope level with plum line but the ring level was not level to rifle.
thanks

 

[436]

436 that's exactly what I did. I got the scope level with plum line but the ring level was not level to rifle.
thanks

Ok... I see, so your ring bubble was the problem, which of course could be the rings or the action as to how it's tapped, and/or perhaps the ring was down on one side more than the other, just enough to throw the bubble off??? I guess... I should have read it closer. Cheers

 

[buzzyb]

Yes it was ring bubble, but I think I have it now.
thanks

 

[mudflap621]

I don't think that you are leveling the scope correctly. What you are showing here means absolutely nothing. Mount the rings to the rail, level the firearm using the level across the rings. either lock the rifle solidly so that it doesn't lose the level or install a leveling block on the barrel and level it to the rings. The latter is the much preferred method. put the scope into the rings and put the ring caps on loose enough that you can move the scope in the rings but not so loose that it will move on its own while handling the rifle. Adjust the eye relief using the position that you most often shoot from. Different positions will vary slightly in the relationship between you eye and the scope so use the position you will be most likely shooting from. Put the rifle back into whatever device you had it in before and using the leveling block on the barrel again level the rifle. Then using a bubble level level the scope across the top turret to the level on the barrel. Both levels should have the bubble in the exact same spot. If your scope is not a tactical with adjustable turrets you may or may not be quite done yet. My final step is to ensure that the vertical crosshair in the reticle is perfectly straight up and down in relation to the barrel itself. Use a non laser type boresight system that used a grid and make sure that the vertical cross hair aligns with the vertical grid lines. This will ensure that when you make elevation or windage adjustments they move true up and down or left and right. Do the final torquing of the screws on the rings. Vortex advises not to exceed 18 inch pounds. Excessive torque can crush the outer tube and make magnification adjustments difficult. Watch the level on the scope while torquing the screws to make sure that the screws being tightened do not disturb the alignment. At this point I use a laser to do a preliminary bore sight. This should get you on paper at 25 yards and you can adjust your zero from there. There are several good videos out on how to mount and bore sight a scope. There is one in Vortex Nation and I believe that Leupold has one out there too. Take your time, there is no need to rush this process.
Good Luck and Good Shooting.

Shouldn't level off the top of turret it's never going to be level to reticle. Using bottom of scope housing is a little better, but still it's not guaranteed to be level with your reticle.

Level action and use a plumb bob to level reticle is the best way to ensure your reticle is correct.

 

[Teri Anne]

Shouldn't level off the top of turret it's never going to be level to reticle. Using bottom of scope housing is a little better, but still it's not guaranteed to be level with your reticle.

Level action and use a plumb bob to level reticle is the best way to ensure your reticle is correct.

Well there are many different ways to level a scope, some work some don't. Personally I always use the non laser grid to check the actual relation between the scope reticle and true vertical. I have found that it works just as good as the plumb bob. Leveling off of the turret gets one close relative to fine tuning. The truth comes out when using an adjustable turret and cranking it up and watching the bullet hits rise exactly vertical to the hits in the initial zero setting. For non adjustable scopes it is not as critical as the zero once established is not moved. In any installation if the rifle is not level everything else is a moot point. As a parting note, if the shooter using a scope is not familiar enough to know what Parallax does when sighting it doesn't really matter very much. Ask the average hunter what parallax is and you get a dumb look in reply. Ask a competitive or true long range shooter/hunter the same question and one can carry on a long conversation.

 

[340PR]

Sounds like you have one thing figured out, but NEVER, NEVER mount your rings that close to the turret body.
You can grossly affect operation of the reticle (Ask me how I know...).

 

[Teri Anne]

Sounds like you have one thing figured out, but NEVER, NEVER mount your rings that close to the turret body.
You can grossly affect operation of the reticle (Ask me how I know...).

I think that I already know but refresh mine and everybody else's memories. Refresh all of our memories.

 

[DWier]

Do you know if I can buy a replacement ring top and get an accuracy 1st level

Not sure you need another ring top. Looks like you have enough room to add Accuracy 1st level.

 

[WapitiBob]

Level in the action so the rifle is plumb, rotate scope till cross hair aligns with plumb bob string, then you tighten the bubble ring so it reads level.

 

[buzzyb]

Got it thanks

 

[sp6x6]

You dont mount close to turret,can cause to much torque at that area and affect adjustments