How to level rifle before leveling scope

[AZ_Hunter]

No need. Just mount the scope square to the receiver.

Exactly

 

[ThorM465]

If you have a solid rail, I find that using feeler gauges gets the scope the closer to level with the rifle than any other method.

 

[Jordan Smith]

If you have a solid rail, I find that using feeler gauges gets the scope the closer to level with the rifle than any other method.

Feeler gauges are better than nothing, but they rely on a very short measurement axis (the width of the rail), which introduces a lot of relative uncertainty.

I use indicator rods (or segments of multi-piece cleaning rods, for the frugal) affixed to the top of the rail and either the bottom of the erector housing or the top of the elevation turret, and ensure that the rods are parallel 5-6" out from the sides of the scope. That increases precision by lengthening the measurement axis.

 

[Wprinkle]

At class Form mounted a scope and eyeballed it level IIRC. Excluding lazers, when you want to level something you use a 4-6 foot level. The .5" or 1" levels are too small to dead nut something IMO.

 

[Choupique]

feeler gauges wedged between the scope and rail.

This is what I've started doing. Just be careful that you don't pinch them under the scope - don't want to bend the tube or anything silly like that. I've found it impossible to actually keep the rifle 100% level once I start torquing the screws without taking the action out of the stock and getting silly with holding fixtures and a vise.

The feeler gauge method has been working really well for me. If you don't have flat top receiver and the rifle is an open top action like a mauser, it's more difficult. I haven't found a perfect way to do this yet and frankly I've given up. I use a starret 98 across the bottom half of the rings, clamp the ever living shit out of the stock in a vise as close to level as I can keep everything, put the scope in, put a level on the top turret, torque it down as evenly and smoothly as I can.

PSA to scope makers - put a damn indexing feature in the scope & rings so we can quit dealing with this! I've been machinest - adjacent my whole life and the way scopes are required to be mounted drives me insane. It flat out sucks!

 

[wind gypsy]

At class Form mounted a scope and eyeballed it level IIRC. Excluding lazers, when you want to level something you use a 4-6 foot level. The .5" or 1" levels are too small to dead nut something IMO.

Because being perfectly level to bore doesn’t really matter compared to having scope plumb to gravity at the shot and a scope that tracks plumb. As has been discussed ad nauseam.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I set the rifle on a bench with a bipod and rear bag and adjust until it's level both ways, plumb the scope reticle to a hanging bob in view and torque, then torque my scope tube level so it's level to the plumbed reticle.

 

[KenLee]

Haven't shot over 400 yards in years. I mount the scope level to how I naturally shoulder the rifle. Couple minutes and done.
I don't want to be correcting how I hold a rifle after I get behind the scope in the field.

 

[Choupique]

having scope plumb to gravity at the shot and a scope that tracks plumb

I get that, but it still annoys me that there is not an indexing and locating feature made into the scope tube. It should be forced to be level, and not able to move back and forth. Then all this ridiculous scope mounting drama becomes a non-factor.

Again, I get why it is the way it is. I just don't like it, nor do I have the time or money or machinery to make my own stuff, so I'm just going to continue complaining about it on the internet.

 

[beachbunny]

Yeah, THAT.....

Does this really work?

 

[Marbles]

Before mounting a scope I don't level the rifle.

It the rifle has a flat rail (Tikka or full length picc) and the scope has a flat spot on the bottom, I use a carpenters square between the scope and rail and rotate it so one edge presses flat on the action and the other presses flat on the scope, then tighten the scope rings.

The above is really the OPs question, the below is extra.

I then use a horizontal line on a wall (that has been checked with a level) and shine a flashlight through the objective lens of the scope so the reticle is projected onto the wall. Adjust the rifle and scope so the reticle is level, then set my scope level.

The reticle being true to the scope level is what matters, a few degrees of cant between rifle and scope is immaterial. I don't use rail mounted levels for this reason.

 

[huntsman22]

It aligns the reticle to the bore. If a guy want to use a bubba level, all he has to do is plumb the retical and set the bubba. Sure beats all the clamping/leveling the rifle BS.....

 

[Moose83]

Correct me if I'm wrong... but wouldn't this all be quite easy if ring manufacturers put a tiny mark bottom dead center (bdc) on the face of their rings, and scope manufacturers created a faint line bdc of their scope tubes, line both marks up, tighten the ring tops and voila... you have a leveled scope. Do a tall target test to make sure the turrets adjust properly and you are off to the races.

 

[Castle Rock]

It the rifle has a flat rail (Tikka or full length picc) and the scope has a flat spot on the bottom, I use a carpenters square between the scope and rail and rotate it so one edge presses flat on the action and the other presses flat on the scope, then tighten the scope rings.

Then, I set the rifle on a table, place a level across the action, the use paper to shim the one side or another as needed.

I then use a horizontal line on a wall (that has been checked with a level) and shine a flashlight through the objective lens of the scope so the reticle is projected onto the wall, and tighten down the scope level on the tub so it reads true.

If the action or scope has no flat spot, then level the rifle as best I can and use the line on the wall to set the scope reticle level.

The reticle being true to the scope level is what matters, a few degrees of cant between rifle and scope is immaterial. I don't use rail mounted levels for this reason.

Jebus christie
Hold the gun, look through the scope and make sure the vertical wire intersects the centre of the cocking piece or firing pin tail

 

[Nine Banger]

Correct me if I'm wrong... but wouldn't this all be quite easy if ring manufacturers put a tiny mark bottom dead center (bdc) on the face of their rings, and scope manufacturers created a faint line bdc of their scope tubes, line both marks up, tighten the ring tops and voila... you have a leveled scope. Do a tall target test to make sure the turrets adjust properly and you are off to the races.

They would have to officially acknowledge you aren't supposed to set a scope to your house lean or natural cant like some are suggesting here and assume all the actions, pic rails and dovetails are perfect.

 

[wind gypsy]

They would have to officially acknowledge you aren't supposed to set a scope to your house lean or natural cant like some are suggesting here and assume all the actions, pic rails and dovetails are perfect.

Why not natural cant? Heck, if someone actually sets rifles to natural cant it still might be a useful visual for them to see the offset angle. It's an interesting idea to me but then again i just do what castle rock said and worry about what actually matters, having the scope level set when reticle is verified plumb:

Hold the gun, look through the scope and make sure the vertical wire intersects the centre of the cocking piece or firing pin tail

 

[Nine Banger]

Why not natural cant? Heck, if someone actually sets rifles to natural cant it still might be a useful visual for them to see the offset angle. It's an interesting idea to me but then again i just do what castle rock said and worry about what actually matters, having the scope level set when reticle is verified plumb:

If you use a scope level on your rifle and check it prior to every shot you will probably observe that your natural cant is not consistent.

 

[IDVortex]

I wonder if I could setup my stabila layout station to use to level a rifle and attach a scope....

Ive got to find a gauge to mount my scopes. Every time I do it by sight, after about a time or two of me shooting it I realize the scope is off by maybe a degree or 2, it drives me insane.

 

[Choupique]

Correct me if I'm wrong... but wouldn't this all be quite easy if ring manufacturers put a tiny mark bottom dead center (bdc) on the face of their rings, and scope manufacturers created a faint line bdc of their scope tubes, line both marks up,

Im going to do this next time I mount one. I'll have to think of the best way for the average dude to do this with stuff he has at home.

 

[Marbles]

Jebus christie
Hold the gun, look through the scope and make sure the vertical wire intersects the centre of the cocking piece or firing pin tail

No.

Is eyeballing good enough? Yes! Does it annoy the piss out of me when a week later I notice the 5ish degree offset from eyeballing for some reason? Also yes. 5 minutes not to be annoyed is a good time investment for me. YMMV.

Setting the level true to the reticle does matter. I'll edit my crap writing though, after rereading that post.