Leveling the Scope reticle

[Coltdriver]

Getting the scope reticle level has always been a problem for me. I have always ended up fine tuning the leveling at the shooting range.

I tried something on a set of vertically split warne rings for a CZ 550 that worked great and was very easy to get exactly right.

I put both rings loosely on the scope. Using a 1" bubble level I found a spot on my table that was level up and down and left and right. Then I turn the scope upside down and put the elevation cap on that spot. My scope happened to balance right there. I put the level across the base of the front ring and rotated it until it was perfectly level. I spun the scope 180 degrees on the level spot to make sure the bubble did not change.Then I cinched it on.

Took that and mounted it using the front ring as the witness. The scope reticle came out perfectly level.

You could easily do this with weavers. Takes no time to do either.

 

[d2wing]

Good idea. Here's another way, after mounting the scope loosely I get the rifle as level as I can in a portable gun vise, then line of the verticle crosshairs on the corner of a building that's plum.

 

[JDGray]

Now go to the range with a tall target(36"), draw a vertical line on it with a level, put a target dot at the bottom of the line, align your vertical retical with the vertical line you drew, and put a shot on the dot.(after zeroing of course) Now dial in 12 moa of elevation, and put another shot on your dot, dial another 12moa, and shoot another at the dot. If your scope is truly level, all the shots should be on the line. And if you shot at 100yrds, 12" apart. If zeroing at 50yrds, the holes should be 6" apart. This is a good way to test your scope actual click value, and also how much vertical adjustment you have. If your shots vere off the line one way or the other, you know your scope is not truly centered over the bore.

 

[Coltdriver]

I took it out to try some loads with different powder and it was perfectly aligned straight up and down.

I used to have to go to the range, shoot raise the elevation, shoot again and try to twist the scope just enough to get it perfect, very close to what you describe JDGray.

Not all ring combos will work this way but every time I can do this in the future I will.

 

[Geno]

Here presents the truest beauty of using a one-piece rail.

1: Identify the distance between the rail and the bottom of the scope turret (per the manufacturer).

2: Use a "feeler gauge" of equal size.

3: Place the feeler gauge between the scope's flat turret bottom and the rail.

4: Tighten the ring screws to 15 inch-pounds.

(Bingo! Bata-bahm! Flat-out, absolutely, flawlessly, 100% perfectly vertical crosshairs)

5: Run the scope through 110" of vertical adjustment. Oh yeah! Zero lateral run-out. Ain't gonna get no better, fellers!

This is the process as suggested by Nightforce. It is the process I now use on all of my scopes.

Geno

 

[JDGray]

I've used Genos method, but only using one pretty heavy feeler gauge, not a stack. I simply lightly twist it between the rail and flat scope base, and look for an air gap. Tighten when its parallel