What’s the best cost-effective way that you guys are using to level scopes on your rifles
- Thread starter Jmccracken1214
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Line level attached to short piece of cleaning rod. Rod on scope base and use a rubber band around each end of rod and under the rifle to hold the rod tight and flat against the base. There are lots of other ways, but it's cheap and easy. Level the rifle.
Then hang a string with a heavy nut for a blumb bob near a wall. Shine a flashlight through the front of the scope with the rear of the rifle near the line, butt of rifle close to wall. Scope on max power and adjust the focus ring of the scope so the cross hairs are in focus on the wall. Level cross hairs with plumb line.
Lots of videos on youtube on how to do it. Cheap and very effective if you want the cross hairs exactly level with the rifle.
Then hang a string with a heavy nut for a blumb bob near a wall. Shine a flashlight through the front of the scope with the rear of the rifle near the line, butt of rifle close to wall. Scope on max power and adjust the focus ring of the scope so the cross hairs are in focus on the wall. Level cross hairs with plumb line.
Lots of videos on youtube on how to do it. Cheap and very effective if you want the cross hairs exactly level with the rifle.
I put a bipod on the rifle, open the front door of my house (leaving the storm door shut to keep the cold air out), adjust the eye relief and then I use one of these levels on the pic rail on top of the receiver to make sure that the rifle is level. Once I have the rifle level, I lock down the bipod so the rifle doesn't tilt and then adjust the crosshairs against the edge of my neighbor's front door across the street.
Kind of ghetto, but it works for me.
Kind of ghetto, but it works for me.
I bought a more accurate bubble level from McMaster Carr. I level the rifle (assuming it has a flat spot on which you can put the level) and then level the scope cap. If the rifle and scope cap are level at the same time- tighten the rings all the way.
This thread got me thinking: I could mount the rifle on a mill at work, tram the pic rail and then tram the scope cap with a test indicator. That would have them parallel to one another within 0.0005”
Overkill for sure, but it might be fun to try.
This thread got me thinking: I could mount the rifle on a mill at work, tram the pic rail and then tram the scope cap with a test indicator. That would have them parallel to one another within 0.0005”
Overkill for sure, but it might be fun to try.
And a badger ordnance dead level tool. Leveling a scope while on the rifle is barbaric
Besides a plumb bob I will use the flat bar of a bolt disassembly tool (Kleinendorst) to gently adjust and hold the flat bottom of the scope and the base. A properly sized Allen wrench for your specific gap can also be used this way.
IMO both of these are more flexible and easier than the wedge tool or playing cards.
IMO both of these are more flexible and easier than the wedge tool or playing cards.
Bubble-level the chassis, keep rings loose. Use a large bubble level to draw a perfectly vertical line on the wall behind the butt-stock. Shine a bright flashlight through the front of the scope. Level the projected vertical reticle line to the vertical line on the wall, and slowly tighten the rings. Easy-Peezy-Lemon-Squeezy ... and the line on the wall is there forever and ready for the next scope.
I use the Wheeler scope leveling kit. Its very easy to use. I use it more than I ever thought I would.
I've heard of these but have never actually seen one in use. How do you get the eye relief right? Or am I overthinking eye relief?
Eye relief is the easy part and even easier when you level off the rifle like on a dead level. Set to max magnification. Place scope in the rings or mount on the rail. Adjust your comb until you are looking through the center of the ocular. Then move the scope forward or backward until the black ring is is as concentric as possible.
Done.
mid to need to fine tune the eye relief, you can loosen the rings and very very carefully slide the scope forward or backward. This is for very very small increments. Then Re torque and verify for level. If you center the turret in the rings just forward and backward you shouldn’t have to make those fine adjustments. Moving up or back one or two on the rail is usually more than enough. Just remember if it’s a full length rail and not monolithic don’t bridge that gap
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Wouldnt this work also?
Put the optic in the rings, on the rifle and snug the rings where the scope doesnt really move, but can still be slid around. get your eye relief set, then undo the bottom of the rings, and place on the dead level and level it, tighten down and should be good to go?
Sure. That would work too. Same same. As long as when you level you don’t move it too much.
the way I suggested you only have to put it on the rifle once.
10-4, just googled it. $150+ put me in sticker shock for a second
I believe it, and wouldn’t mind paying that if I did. But I don’t swap optics too often. I’ll keep my options open though. I’m swapping around 3 right now, but they’ll be set for a while once I get them moved
Split it with some friends.
I can assure I was not trying to be obtuse - I just did not know the best way to set your eye relief AND use a badger ordinance leveling device. In my mind, it was going to involve mounting stuff on your rifle to set the eye relief, removing it and leveling it on the badger ordinance rig, then reinstalling it on the rifle.
It can also be used to do the scope target talk tracking test.
buddy of mine has the TargetUSA one and he shares.
Ehhhhhhhhhh. Iffy. It’s not heavy enough. You could easily move it. But it may be doableIt can also be used to do the scope target talk tracking test.
buddy of mine has the TargetUSA one and he shares.
The SH Fixture is different than a Badger Dead Level, one is meant to test scopes the other is strictly for mounting.
The Dead Level is small and Aluminum so it's too light to test tracking. The SH Fixture from Targets USA is 30LBS to keep it from moving when you dial the scope.
I use the Dead Level all the time, mounting a scope indoors with it is too easy.
The Dead Level is small and Aluminum so it's too light to test tracking. The SH Fixture from Targets USA is 30LBS to keep it from moving when you dial the scope.
I use the Dead Level all the time, mounting a scope indoors with it is too easy.
Personally, when the rifle is in my shoulder, there is a small cant, outboard at top. On my AIAX, this is simple to right the rifle with the buttpad and the scope is level to the rifle. On rifles without a buttpad that is adjustable for angle, and the scope is level to the rifle, I have noticed when using the SH target or my own measured tall testing target that is set plumb & vertical downrange, the vertical line on the crosshair is not plumb to the vertical line on the target. With those rifles, I actually plumb the reticle to the downrange target while the rifle is shouldered (bunny-ear rear bag and a front rest or bipod). Otherwise, my shots end up about .2 rt of the 5 & 6 mil dots on a tall target.
Yes, clearly so...I have handled one....and it is indeed a much lighter item. This should have occurred to me before posting.
I guess you could take a Badger dead level and mount it on a heavier plate using the through holes for the feet....add adjustable feet to the heavier base....etc. But then you may as well buy the SH TargetUSA one.
Which, by the by, worked very well but was a mofo to drag down to the line. haha It is indeed heavy.
And even as heavy as it was, I still needed to be very careful not to bump anything and get knocked off of my line when doing the test.
Sorry, bit of a hijack....but I also found the SH scope test targets from Box to Bench to be very effective. Clear and easy to see at 100 yards and printed on some very high qual paper, IMO.
Cheer
Get a Badger Ordnance Dead Level, a set of small Starrett levels, and a Wheeler FAT Wrench. 
Using precision bubble levels, I check for level and plumb on the pic' rails using the bipod at front and monopod at stock. Cant function of the bipod seems to work well and I can lock it in. The scope is loosely attached to the rings and I can then roughly rotate the scope to level and plumb using the turrets.
As final checks, I tighten down the rings evenly and check with a plumb bob at a distance away. I also will check with a target grid pattern and see how the reticle lines up. The target grid is on a wall where it is both level and plumb.
Probably a million ways to do these things, but this seems to work for us, as a bubble level mounted to the scope centers when the cross hairs are placed on the target grid. Cheap also.
Really do like a bubble level that attaches to the scope for in the field.
As final checks, I tighten down the rings evenly and check with a plumb bob at a distance away. I also will check with a target grid pattern and see how the reticle lines up. The target grid is on a wall where it is both level and plumb.
Probably a million ways to do these things, but this seems to work for us, as a bubble level mounted to the scope centers when the cross hairs are placed on the target grid. Cheap also.
Really do like a bubble level that attaches to the scope for in the field.
ACCU/LEVEL ARTICULATING SCOPE LEVEL.
Exactly what I do.
Curious, how accurate is the actual vertical adjustment to the actual cross hairs? To really, really, get a true alignment, couldn't you want to pick a distant (neighbors door/wall) and line up the center cross hair, then adjust up a few mills and make sure it's still on the vertical line?
Not the best way, but very economical at less than $10(for 2). Use these to time barrels on M14's, M1's, FALs and also to mount scopes. They are cheap and accurate to within 0.5 degree. Also great for working on drivelines of vehicles, welding various projects and my carpentry jobs.
https://www.harborfreight.com/dial-...ent=&msclkid=1326ccc128e21af09358ace418925fb2
SD
https://www.harborfreight.com/dial-...ent=&msclkid=1326ccc128e21af09358ace418925fb2
SD
No, walls and door frames are RARELY straight and level. They look that way to the naked eye, but if you've installed enough of them, you'll realize that they're always off. The odds of finding a perfectly vertical wall to use are slim to none, that's why I use actual levels for the gun and the scope, and I use a Badger Ordnance Dead Level for the scope in the rings.
I have a couple of tall radio towers 2-3 miles away and line the vertical stadia with the towers. Then, align the scope bubble level to match. I don't get too wrapped around having the rifle dead-nuts level. I have a little cant (2-4deg) on the butt pad to fit my shoulder.
Never ask a machinist about "level". They obsess over sub 0.005 variations over a foot. They have the tools to measure it too.
Just go with the excellent advice that others have given above.
Just go with the excellent advice that others have given above.
I'm a machinist and I use this. Adjustable parallels work good also but everyone dont have access to them. 
Like lowlight said. Thats why I use the bottom of the scope. Always heard that what the factury uses to align with. Thats why with a pic rail the arisaka tool works awsone
To me bubble levels get you in the ball park, but the arisaka gets it dead on. And with clearance issues thats when the adjustable parallels come in handy. Slide one half in from each side 
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