New Savage - sighting it in

J

jtyson

New member
My first savage! A Savage 111 TH XP in 7mm rem mag. I am pretty excited. It was a birthday present from my brother. It was the last one they had (read the floor model) so it has been toyed with. It is a package rifle with a nikon scope. I know I have read a lot about savage being accurate out of the box, but having been toyed with, I don't want to send that expensive ammo down range and not even be near paper.

So what sort of bore sighters do you guys suggest? I could use to have one for my .270 too. I just don't know if I should mess with one of the universal .17hmr - 12 gauge ones, or if I should buy individual ones for each caliber I own. I'm not a super serious shooter, I just don't like to waste lead trying to sight in my scopes. It's one thing with a .22lr, but at $1+ per round, I like to limit my shots in the dirt.

On another note, need to start reloading...have a lot to read. Thanks in advance for all of your opinions!
 
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The best way to boresight a bolt-action is to put the rifle in a vise, pull the bolt out and look through the barrel at a small target about 25 yards away. (I like the Sight-Vise, available at most sporting goods stores and have used it on customers' rifles many times.) Adjust the scope to the center of the target, then take it to the range and shoot it at 25 yards. If it's within a couple of inches at that distance, shoot at 100 yards.

Remember that the adjustment arrows on the scope are the direction you want to bullets to move on the target. Pay attention to the click values on the scope, but remember that they're not extremely accurate in most cases. If the bullet impact (or group center) is 5 inches left of center and each click is 1/4" at 100 yards, you'd need to take 20 clicks right (usually counter-clockwise) to get to center. (Don't be surprised if the next shot is two inches right of center, since click value is often greater than advertised, and not always the same for the entire range of adjustment.) The great thing about using the Sight-Vise method is that it's not dependent on the accuracy of adjustment clicks, or even adjustment dial arrows, (which have been wrong on most cheap red-dots).
 
Yup.
If you don't have vise that fits that bill, buy a cheap gun vise, or rest.
A vise is better, because it locks the rifle down firmly.

I have one on my back porch that I use for this purpose. Might freak out the neighbors, but I haven't seen the cops yet...

Just make sure that the object you're sighting is small enough for some precision of alignment to the center of your bore when looking though it. Make sure it's just not "in" the bore, but actually in the center of the bore through your sight picture.

Align the crosshairs, constantly checking down the bore to make sure you haven't moved the rifle.

Then take a shot at a large target a 50 yards at the range, you should be on paper.
 
Don't waste money on any bore sight tools. Put the gun in a rest as others have advised and put the crosshairs on the bull. Look through the barre and note how far off you are and in which direction. Adjust the scope and take another look. Repeat until they are aligned then fire your 1st shot. It is a 2 minute job.

I zeroed 3 rifles with new scopes just a few weeks ago. This is the 50 yard target with the 1st shot from each rifle using this method.

http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m513/jmr40/?action=view&current=001-10.jpg

Spending $30 or more on a tool will not get you that close for your 1st shot. I made minor adjustments and fired the 2nd shot at 100 yards. Made final adjustments and shots 3-5 were right where I wanted them with only 5 shots per gun.
 
Alright I will skip on the bore sights then. I went by sportsmans today and looked at vices. They had a couple different ones in the $60-100 range. Is there any type that is better than another? Also, should I anchor it to the table I shoot off of when I'm sighting things in? Or does it matter as long as the gun doesn't move in the vice?
 
These guy,s are telling you right.Most of my rifles have been bore sighted from pillows,at the neighbor,s plastic spinning sunflower{about 60 yards}.It,s simple, kick the ole lady out of bed Saturday morning,open up the drapes on the patio door to the deck,put the pillows at the foot of the bed,pull the bolt,look down the barrel at the sunflower,look at the cross hairs,adjust,look at the sunflower,look at the cross hairs,adjust. I repeat until i,m comfortable with it. Vise would be alot better though.Which brings to light ,ever noticed how crowded the gun shops are on Friday evenings. OK enough funny stuff.Good luck with your Savage,I have 4 of them and I am very pleased with all.
 
I figure it is best to shoot off the bench so I can get the most consistent results. That way when I shoot off hand I know that however far off I am, it is because of me and adjustments I need to make to myself and not the gun.

I'm gonna do some shopping around for a vice that I can shoot from. If I can't find anything I like for the right price, I'll just buy a vice and a rest.
 
I have often notched a cardboard box to hold the rifle. Looking down the bore of a bolt action works as well or better than a bore sighter and it is free. I have always been on paper at 100 yards, but then I bore sight at that range.
 
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