Do laser boresight devices work? If yes, which is a good one?

[matrem]

Well Tom,
I suppose if there's no way to start at less than six hundred feet, one might prove useful for initial sight in. ( if you're military, my hat is off to you, Sir.)

I have found one thing laser "bore sighters" are good for, though.
For swapping scopes on an already sighted in gun, they're perfect.

Place gun on rest with laser turned on while sighting on something stationary. (I use the flat side of one of my outbuildings at about thirty feet)
Before removing already sighted in "old" scope, I mark on the siding with two dots from a sharpie marker. A dot where the laser points, and a dot where the crosshairs are centered.

After mounting "new" scope, I place laser dot back where it was then dial crosshairs back to where they were.

 

[basicblur]

I have found one thing laser "bore sighters" are good for, though.

As your quote (and others) show, If one buys a laser bore sighter, don't be surprised if you find a number of uses for it that you didn't envision when you originally considered one.

Despite the naysayers...

 

[jose.velez85]

Bore sights do work. It tool less than 15 minuets for my daughter to sight in a P223 scope for her AR. Bush ell has a good one. So does Winchester. The trick is to zero the iron sights first.

 

[Haxby]

I've seen a couple guys who set up to sight in their bore sighted rifles and couldn't figure out why they weren't hitting the paper at 25 or 50 yards.
The last time I swapped scopes around, I purposely did not bore sight at all. Known rifle, scope from a different rifle, adjustments centered, new bases and rings. First shot on the paper at 25 yards. Rounds 8, 9, and 10 grouped under an inch, centered 2.5" high, at 100 yards.
I guess boresighters work, but they don't always work, and I haven't needed one.

 

[illinoisburt]

All depends on the quality of the bore sighter. I have a couple of the metal cartridge type boresighters. Had to center them first by rolling on a flat table and turning the adjustment screws in tiny increments until the laser light stops wobbling as it is turned. Then placed a line on the outside of the housing just to be sure it is inserted with same orientation same in the chamber each time. Use them to verify zero when taking a long trip by making noted of where the laser points to with the scope dialed in.

They do work pretty good at getting on paper with a new scope but keep in mind it is a bore sighting tool, not a sighting in tool. Bore sighted it just close, not exact. So always fire sighting rounds and make final adjustments. If the boresight is super close, that just means a few less clicks. It does not mean lock the turrets and go hunting even though a whole slew of folks shopping at the big box guns stores seem to think otherwise.

 

[duanebuck.schultz]

I used one on my new deer rifle and when I went to sight in on paper, I was off a lot even at 25 yards.
I used the end of barrel type, the type that fit in the receiver may be better.

 

[loose noose]

I've got 3 different types of bore sighters, two are of the lazer type. One is intended to go in the chamber, the other is the muzzle type. The most accurate one is the Bushnell Sportview Truscope, which goes in the end of the muzzle and gives you a view of the mil spec target at 100 yards. It has different arbors that fit into the bore. I've had that for close to 30 years, and have used it repeatedly over those years. I've never had to shoot more than 3 rounds to have it zeroed in, using a quality scope and rings.

Granted I wouldn't give you .02 for the lazer type bore sighters, especially the chamber models that eat batteries and are very inaccurate.