Difficulty getting crosshairs horizontal when I'm mounting scopes

M

micksis86

New member
Whenever i mount a scope I can never get the crosshairs perfectly vertical and horizontal. Ive got a wheeler level that's supposed to help but i still have difficulty. I get them right and they're fine until I tighten the screws and then i pick the rifle up the crosshairs are canted to left or right.

Does anyone have any tips on how i can get them
right when mounting a scope. I've got a gun vice and I progressively go along and tighten the screws a bit at a time so it tightens evenly.

Any help would be appreciated as this is driving me nuts!
 
I was going to suggest a set of levels, until I saw you already are using them.

:confused:

Are they quality rings? Are you sure you're not bumping the scope as you go? Do the levelers stay on the whole time? That way you can see if it starts to get out of place as you go...
 
I hold the rifle offhand, as I normally would, and use a plumb door jamb or outside wall corner to plumb the vertical line. I get my natural point of aim and close my eyes, relax, and then open them to confirm.

So far, its worked very well. Only downside Ive see to doing it is, Ive had a couple of people tell me the scope isnt right when they pick it up and try to shoulder it.
 
First thing I do is check the receiver to make sure it is level then I check the rings. After that I put the scope in and make sure it is level. That way the scope and action should be straight with each other.
I've got a gun vice and I progressively go along and tighten the screws a bit at a time so it tightens evenly.
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I keep the level on the scope while tightening. It's easy to tighten one side tighter and pull it one way or the other.

Then when I put it in the stock it always seems crooked. I realized a while ago that it was actually me holding the rifle canted. I just practice with it until I can hold my rifle straight.
 
I've got a gun vice and I progressively go along and tighten the screws a bit at a time so it tightens evenly.
Click to expand...

I think therein lies your problem. Set it up in the vice and get the gun perfectly plumb. I use a vertical level and put it against the high and low points of the buttplate. Lay the scope in the rings at the right fore/aft spot and put both ring covers on but leave them loose. Tighten just the two back screws on the back ring only. Tighten them just enough to make the scope somewhat difficult to turn and no more. Now, level the scope. Tighten those two screws enough to hold the scope securely and recheck the level. Now screw in the 4 screws holding the front ring by progressively tightening them. Recheck your level and if good, unloosen the first set of screws and then progressively screw in the 4 screws on the rear ring.
 
JHansenAK47 said:
I keep the level on the scope while tightening. It's easy to tighten one side tighter and pull it one way or the other.
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+1

It is difficult to keep the scope from moving when you tighten down the ring screws. Sometimes I have to start with the scope a bit off from level and bring it into level as I tighten the scope rings. A lot depends on the style of the rings. It has been known to make a preacher swear.;)
 
What type rings are you using? I have some old weaver type rings that have screw points that are not at equal height on the rings. These are very difficult for me to get level. I very seldom have problems with the Leupold/Redfield rings or the Weaver type that have the screw points at equal height. I tighten each side a few turns at a time and this seems to keep evereything held level.
 
me too

Gives me fits. Best trick I know is to hang a bright line from a target stand at 50yds or so and level the rifle. My F-T/R has an onboard level. so that'seasy, on a sporter, I go across the turret top. Vertical cross hair lines up with th plumb brightline and I'm square.
 
Virtually every friend’s rifle I pick up and look through the scope, the cross hairs appear canted.

When I mount a scope, virtually every time I pick up my rifle and look through the scope, the cross hairs appear canted.

It is maddening :(

I have tried taken the action out of the stock and attached a magnetic bubble level to the bottom receiver flat. Then I align the cross hairs with a chain/rope/post in the field of view of the scope.

Even though the crosshairs still appear canted, once the action is in the stock, I have convinced myself that they must be perpendicular to the axis of the bore.

And they could be. :o
 
Get the rifle plumb in a rest,in between sandbags..., set up a noen orange string with a weight on the end ( hanging freely ) at 50 yards, align the scopes crosshairs with it.
 
I look through the scope maybe from a foot behind it so that through the very center of the black donut image I can still barely see the crosshairs. Then I move my head up and down a few inches and the hole of the donut travels up and down allowing you to follow the crosshair up and down. I try to line up the bottom crosshair so that if it continued through the rifle it would perfectly intersect the center of the bore.

All of this is with the bolt removed so you can actually see through the bore.

If you've never heard of "black donut (doughnut?)" its basically when you go beyond the proper eye relief of the scope, the image begins to shrink and the edges turn to black.

This is really just a way of "eyeballing" it but it has worked for me. The hardest part is tightening down the rings without rotating the scope body tube.

If you do all this correctly and when you hold the rifle and look down the scope and it still seems canted, chances are you are holding the entire rifle slightly canted.

If you are using your bubble levels and matching a level reciever with a level scope turret cap, and it still appears to be canted, then you might have a reticle that is just crooked from the factory, and might want to consider sending it back, because you are going to have to choose between having your windage and elevation in line with the bore, which means you can't really effectively use a ballistic reticle, or vice versa- using the reticle aligned properly and having your windage and elevation crooked.
 
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Scope Mounting

If you are useing a single base use a set of feeler gages under the center of the scope they will hold it level. Next get a set of level/ levels for scope mounting when you go to tighten the screws start in one corner and use a pattern Left rear right /front right /rear left/ front has always worked for me.
 
I had the same problem when using a Weaver Side Mount adapting it to a Mosin Nagant.

No way to avoid it, the process of tightening the screws was going to spin the scope. I needed to start with the crosshairs out of plumb/level, and they were brought level during tightening.

It was a very frustrating process of trial and error until I got it just right...
 
I set my rifle up on a desk, using a bipod and a sandbag. Then I point it down the hall at a turn or a door jamb and line up the crosshairs with the corner.
 
Good suggestions here, but one more to add is that if you are using a one piece base you can use the feeler gauge method to level it.
 
I tried Doyle's recommended method today mounting an NXS on my Remmy 700. Worked like a charm. Thanks for the suggestion Doyle.
 
I tried Doyle's recommended method today mounting an NXS on my Remmy 700. Worked like a charm. Thanks for the suggestion Doyle
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Thank you sir. The secret is getting the two back screws just tight enough to hold it level while you properly torque down the front ring.
 
I have the level-level gadgets also. The problem is if you put them on a surface side by side they don't read the same. Mine are junk. I use a 2 foot level on the bases of the scope rings and level the gun in a vice or cleaning station that will hold it level. Next put the scope in the rings and tighten just so you can turn the scope. Now set the level on the top scope adjustment and tighten the rings and watching bubble to keep it straight. I find this works well and i found out like others i tend to cant the rifle on my own. But i know this way the scope is level on the rifle. ED
 
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