How do you level your scope?

N

ndking1126

New member
I'm curious what part of the scope you use to level it. I'm not necessarily asking about the whole process you go through.. just what part of the scope do you place your level on? The top of the turret with the cap on? The top of the turret with cap off? How do you know that part is level with the reticle?

The reason I ask is recently I spent a lot of time trying to get a Vortex PST Gen2 5-25 leveled. Long story short, the problem was the fact that the sling stud I was attaching my bipod to was leaning to the side. When I would level everything with the rifle sitting on a led sled, it was good. Then I'd put it on a bipod at the range and the reticle was slanted.

In the process, however, I checked every possible reason I could think of on why the crosshairs weren't staying level and determined on my scope the top of the turret was not level. It was pretty close, but not exact. My basic understanding is that they are all supposed to be level so we could use that as a way to level our reticles, but maybe not?
 
None of the exterior part of a scope I would use for leveling reference. In stead, I use the reticle. It should align with a plumb line hung at a convenient distance when the scope is leveled.

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
In stead, I use the reticle. It should align with a plumb line hung
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THIS. I dont trust any part of the scope body to be true to the reticle. Since we want the reticle vertical to GRAVITY. I true the reticle to gravity with a plumb bob
 
I level the reticles to plumb

None of the exterior part of a scope I would use for leveling reference. In stead, I use the reticle. It should align with a plumb line hung at a convenient distance when the scope is leveled.
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This is basically most of my process. I level the reticles to the rifle and do use a plumb line. For starters, if I can look down the bore, I eye-ball it. You world be surprised how well this works. Then I proceed with the leveling of the reticles to the rifle which is also level. I use two small levels. ….. :)

Be Safe !!!
 
There are scope levels you can buy , Wheeler makes a level that you set on the top scope cap and one that also rides in the bolt race way by the ejection port , when both bubbles center your level , I find using a plumber line just as good . Hopefully you don't have a canted reticle , I have a scope on my rifle with a slightly canted reticle but I only shoot one distance 200 yards so it doesn't matter . Then there's the problem on how you hold the rifle , your scope could be set up perfectly straight but your comfortable hold could be off making your cross hairs look off . Also important is your base and ring setup ., don't want to run out of adjustment . Years back I remember just slapping on a scope and playing with the adjustments . I guess ignorance is bliss , things were much simpler then .

Chris
 
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I use the trial and error method by eyeballing it. Even using a plumb line isn't accurate if the rifle isn't resting level and that is the hardest part. I've been doing this long enough that I'm usually right on. But sometimes after I get to the range and start shooting beyond 100 yards I'll see that I'm off a bit and I may have to fine tune it some.
 
I just eyeball it.

You can detect less than 1 degree off of perpendicular with your eyeball.

You might be able to find a flat spot on the bottom of the stock, but the receiver is bedded to the stock (possible rotation) and the barrel mounts to the receiver (another bit of mechanical error) and the scope rail mount to the receiver (errors), rings (errors) and the top of the scope adjustment housing (errors) in relation to the reticle (errors).... and people want to measure using a quarter inch bubble in an inch long tube of yellow water???

People that sell yellow water made this idea up.

Make it look right and it will be right. It’s not polymer science or baking. And as said above, the proof is in the shooting, not a bubble level.
 
I level to the top of the turret with the cap screwed down to touch the machined surface of the scope body.

That said, I can see the plumb line being most accurate....except, how do you align the rifle level?
 
Yea The good old days when hitting a beer can a 100 yards , and for sure it was enpty . Life was good back then . Didn't know what headspace , datum , ogive , twist rate and barrel harmonics . Just pull , yes pull the trigger and see if you hit what you were aiming at . Now it's a science . Wish I paid more attention in class . If it wasn't for Baseball I'd still be in High School .
 
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The easiest way is to use the Wheeler scope level kit. It has two spirit levels one of which is used to level the rifle using the rifles square reference point and the other that clamps onto the barrel and is adjusted to match the square reference point. The result is that once you have the barrel level attached you have a constant reference point.

The tough part of all this can be finding the rifles action square reference point. Not all have one that is usable so in those cases you have to trust that the front scope mount or base is going to be square to the action when installed and tight.

Once you have your bases/rings installed square and level then it's time to level the scope to the same level point. On the Vortex PST the correct method is to remove the turret cap and place the level on the turret. You can then reference the barrel level and match the two up.
 
I mount the scope base on the rifle . Using the holes already drilled and tapped.
Place the scope in the bottom rings.
Attach top rings and screw together . Not real tight
Adjust scope back and forth for proper eye relief .
Adjust for vertical by sighting onto a buildings corner across the street , twist the scope left and right to get the vertical cross hair to line up with the buildings corner while holding the rifle in your regular off hand or bench shooting position .
The building corner will be vertical and the building's fascia will be horizontal, when they match up...you got it !
No level involved .
Just make sure the people across the street don't see you pointing a rifle at their building... lots safer to use the barn on your property if you can... Living in the country I tend to forget how city folks get all upset when they see folks with a rifle.... Maybe this ain't the best way for city dwellers to scope in a rifle !!!!!
Gary
 
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Country folks will get pretty crossed too when someone is pointing a rifle at them. It is all understandable. So be sensible when doing all this.

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
I have never had a problem just using my eyes and holding the rifle correctly. To me it seems easy enough, but I've seen other people's scopes way off on their rifles. If you think long enough about it, the idea of mounting the scope so that the reticle is actually positioned in an X orientation rather than the conventional + starts to have a lot of merit......Think about it....:D
 
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