laser bore sights

[VVelox]

Just looking to get a laser bore sight to help make sure I have the front sight on the 7.62x39mm disipator I have is properly aligned.

Any opinions on makes or brands. A quick look at reviews makes it look like most are of questionable quality.

 

[jmr40]

All are a waste of money

 

[Safwan]

My local gunsmith uses them, gets you in the ballpark,just!

 

[maxxhavoc]

Some people love them, some hate them.

I like mine. It is a $39 Bushnell bore sighter that sticks in the muzzle end. I have used it many times over the past several years, and it always gets me within 3 inches at 25 yards, making the rest of sight-in simple. I have only used it indoors against a wall within 10 feet. Make a dot on the wall, measure another dot above it for the scope offset. Put the laser on the bottom dot, line the scope up with the top dot. No vice needed, the bolt can stay in the gun.

It also works for irons, on .22-.50 caliber. Good enough to get my money's worth, but don't expect it to be dead on at 100 yards.

 

[jlr1962]

The best use I have seen for one is setting up a chrony. This guy set up his chrony in record time without having anybody stare with that look of please hurry up dude. He set up the rifle supported pointing at the target holder, put the boresighter in, walked out with his chrony and a piece of paper and was done in seconds. Several jaws dropped.

I use mine on guns where I can't see through the bore to bore sight. It works fine.

 

[boom boom]

If your rifle is a semi-auto sks or ak, then get a cartridge boresighter that fits in the chamber--make sure to get one that has adjustments on the cartridge for the laser. Use a target with a grid pattern and then with the rifle held stationary in a sighting cradle, make sure to rotate the bore cartridge to make sure that it is true. Bolt actions, you can use either the cartridge type boresighter or the arbor and follow the same rotation on the boresighter. Major issue with arbor boresights are that the arbors don't fit the bore perfectly and thus your boresight is actually not inline with the bore.

Boresights at worst should get you on paper at 50 to 100 yds so you can make adjustments, and at best will get you within your rifle's margin of error. That is of course if you know where to expect your ammo to shoot (point of impact) at the distance that you boresighted to (Point of aim).

 

[boom boom]

BTW, the cheap ones cartridge specific ones sometimes have problems with their specs--may take minor Bubbaing such as o rings around the cartridge or masking tape to center in the chamber. Arbors--the more expensive use magnets to hold while the cheaper use plastic inserts that may or may not fit very well in your rifle's barrel. If you rotate either type, then by observing the target you can see if the laser dot produces a cone or stays relatively stationary on the target--to make this easier, consider starting at about 50 ft or so.

If you are boresighting a scope, then you might consider a collimator type.
Optics planet has a good rundown on the types.
http://www.opticsplanet.com/howto/how-to-choose-and-use-a-boresight.html

 

[lysanderxiii]

Will the thing be zeroed after you use one? NO.

Will it make the first round hits the paper close enough to start zeroing? Most likely, if you use it correctly.

 

[CraigC]

All are a waste of money

Yep!

 

[MechAg94]

They aren't really necessary, but can be useful. At the least, they can save you the trouble of having to start shooting at short range. I suggest getting the cheap laser that sticks in the end of the barrel. You can spend more money for the cartridge versions, but I don't think that is worth it. How much extra ammo can you buy with that money?

You can use the cheap laser across the house or in the backyard to make sure the sights are close. Then when you get to the range, you ought to at least be on paper and can adjust from there.

I was never one to worry about sighting in with as few rounds as possible anyway.

 

[VVelox]

Not really trying to sight anything in here, just make sure that the front sigh on the disipator style AR I built is on straight.