What do you use to level the reticle?

[AB Shooter]

I usually buy a one piece scope ring mount. Have several Alphamount s from Near Manufacturing. Have placed busines cards between scope turrent housing and mount (or rail) so it is tight when scope rings are torqued. Torque screws with light settings, 5 in #.
1) Ring 1 - Do one screw on side close to you, then go to opposite side.
2) Ring 2 Do the opposite side, then on the start side.
Increase torque by 5 in #.
3) Ring 2, then torque on start side, side to self, then opposite side
4) Ring 1, Do the opposite side, then on the start side
Increase to 15 in # Repeat step 1 and 2
Increase to 20 In # Repeat step 3 and 4
Thus self leveling. Of course after torqueing all screws, remove cards
Shooting out to behound 900 m with no problem

 

[cummins cowboy]

I use this if I can, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W8AXZ98/?tag=lrhmag19-20

 

[livetohunt]

I level my scopes at work. Lucky enough to be able to use a 6'x4' precision granite and various indicators. I square the action to the rock using a few locations on the action, lock the stock in place against a large angle plate, double check I'm still square. Toss the scope on and get it sitting square to the rock also. Then tighten everything down lightly. Then I verify my scope reticle to a plumb bob while everything is still setup. Once everything is torqued down I add my scope level.

 

[YZ-80]

Well, scope cant is like hose memory. A very annoying fact of life. Like others have said, I use the bubble levels in the Wheeler kit to get me close but invariably, I pick up the rifle and shoulder it and it always looks off. This is typically accompanied by some "non-LRH friendly" language and another trip to the fridge. A lot of times, I slap on the Harris bi-pod, take the rig out on the patio, go prone with it and line the vertical cross-hair up with the side of somebody's house a hundred or so yards away in the neighborhood and call it a day. One has to be discreet about such endeavors these days.

 

[arch408]

in a pinch, secure the rifle in a vice. Set a thin steel rod across the scope bases if if there is a flat spot. Look through the scope where you can see the cross hairs and the rod at the same time. Compare the two and rotate the scope until the two are parallel. Tighten the ring screws in an X pattern to insure that they are even. Check continually to insure that scope doesn't rotate while tightening the screws. May not be as precise as some of the previous replys, but works in a pinch.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Tag

 

[Becket Tanner]

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

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TAB7ZO/?tag=lrhmag19-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TAB7ZO/?tag=lrhmag19-20

Used together, Properly, have never failed me.

 

[Plowboy85]

My scope level changes slightly with various shooting positions, stocks and stock packs, I feel fairly comfortable with a little can't either way which rules me out as being able to notice I have the rifle canted even barely. I personally do not see the correlation between the scope being level to the action or rail, I actually wonder how true a bedded rail even is on something like a factory Remington action. I typically shoulder the rifle and get the reticle to where it looks true to me, after that I use a machined aluminum block that has a level in it on the top turret (all scopes are NF NXS) then I install a level on my rail or scope tube and true them up together. Last thing is plumb bob or a good heavy sharpie line made with level on a target, you can shoot and make elevation round up shoot then down shoot and they should be tracking truly vertical. I believe all of the gadgets in the world aren't as good as 3-4 shots to prove the POI relative to the scope.

 

[Eric H]

This is cheap but it gets the job done. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BYAKDM/?tag=lrhmag19-20

 

[peterb]

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

I just make sure the rifle is level and fixed (ie, stable) to prevent it shifting then line the vertical crosshair up with a weighted line hanging from a tree. usually at about 30 yards or so. Cheap and fool proof.
Cheers & Merry Christmas to you all,
Pete

 

[okie man]

Hi, you said, "here's one", but I don't see what you were referring to. Were you talking about a specific method, or a tool that lets you do this? I apologize if I'm being dense or have missed something.

so just about every way and why and why not to level your reticle have been mentioned. I was referring to me when I went through great pains to get my scope perfectly square to the rifle. If I leveled it to use the reticle for hold over and dialed it instead I'd get a different poi . Instead of being dead center it would be off to the left. After lots of jacking around and shooting I came to the conclusion the reticle was off from the turrets.

 

[Indian7953]

This is cheap but it gets the job done. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BYAKDM/?tag=lrhmag19-20

I set my gun up in a gun vice as level as I can then I hang my 6' level up against the garage wall as far away as I can get it and move the gun vice to move the bore center on the edge of the level, (like bore sighting) then I twist my scope to line up the vertical cross hair with the edge of the level and tighten things down alternately to keep it from rotating. This always works 100%. I have seen some levels that aren't true and some recitals that aren't true with the base or top of the scope. this way the center of the cross here is straight above the center of the bore regardless of where the scope or scope mounts are located. No fancy tools needed

 

[bobcat19]

Sounds crazy but shine a bright flashlight from the front and compare the reticle shadow to a plumb line shadow ..Side by

i use a plumb bob to level the vertical axis of my scope then attach an anti cant level to the scope then attach the scope to the rifle with both action and scope in level and plumb position this has worked extremely well for me

 

[dfanonymous]

My scope level changes slightly with various shooting positions, stocks and stock packs, I feel fairly comfortable with a little can't either way which rules me out as being able to notice I have the rifle canted even barely. I personally do not see the correlation between the scope being level to the action or rail, I actually wonder how true a bedded rail even is on something like a factory Remington action. I typically shoulder the rifle and get the reticle to where it looks true to me, after that I use a machined aluminum block that has a level in it on the top turret (all scopes are NF NXS) then I install a level on my rail or scope tube and true them up together. Last thing is plumb bob or a good heavy sharpie line made with level on a target, you can shoot and make elevation round up shoot then down shoot and they should be tracking truly vertical. I believe all of the gadgets in the world aren't as good as 3-4 shots to prove the POI relative to the scope.

To the action or rail:

If the reticle has to be leveled to gravity, or plumb, it's harder to the adjust your scope bubble level and check while setting it correctly without the action leveled as a reference. So I guess to answer your question, if you don't use a bubble level on your rifle scope, and you just use the reticle to decide what is level, then you wouldn't need to level the action per say.