Opinions/suggestions on laser bore sighter?

[Caimlas]

I am perpetually frustrated with sighting in rifles, in part because I hate having to spend quite a few dollars to sight them in, and because I can almost -never- remember if the "R" and "UP" marks on the scope/sight adjustment knobs mean "move the sight to the right/up" or "move the point of aim right/up" - and end up severely screwing up things in the process (I'm a wee dyslexic). You have no idea how frustrating it is to shoot 20-30 rounds while trying to sight in a rifle and be no closer to being sure that it's sighted in than when you started: am I jerking the rifle? Ammo problems? Gun problems? Lose sight fixture/mount? Just the damnest of time.

The way it usually goes: I shoot 5-10 shots and they make a nice group (under an inch @100y with scope, under 1" at 50y with aperture), but not in the center of the target. I start adjusting, and within a couple minutes I'm frustrated, $20 in ammo poorer, and not enjoying myself.

(Strangely, I have sighted in other peoples' rifles before without a problem. Arg!)

Has anyone here successfully used the laser bore sighters? Are they any good? I've noticed that there are two kinds - one kind that fits the muzzle, and the other which fits the chamber. Preferences? I am hesitant about shoving anything down the muzzle of a rifle for concern of scoring the crown.

I've really got to remedy this problem of mine somehow. Please offer suggestions and advice!

 

[tblt]

If you have a bolt action remove the bolt and just look thru the barrel.Then start shooting close 10 to 25 yards then 50.then if you want 100 but my guns shoot dead on at 50 1 to 1 1/2 high at 100.When you shoot ,don't hold your gun down,I shoot one handed thats it and I have a 7 mm mag. just put it up against your shoulder.just let it rest it won't hert you,then squese the trigger."BANG" bullseye.

 

[loadedround]

I use a laser bore sighter on both my AR15's and M1A and find them to work excellently indoors to zero high mounted scopes on barrels with flash hiders. My normal Bushnell optical bore sighter is mounts much too low to see the grid pattern thru the scope on my milspec rifles. I bought the laser unit for the 223 chamber and an adapter for the 308 chamber. You will be happy with any of these laser bore sighters.

 

[Caimlas]

tblt - the problem isn't that I can't shoot. It's that I get confused by the damn knobs. I'm familiar with the process, just typically bad at it.

 

[waumo]

Sight in

Forget the laser bore sighter. The only thing they are good for is setting up a chronograph at the range - and they are very good for that.

When using a scope, fire one shot on the target bullseye from bags or a good rest. Then put the cross hairs of the scope back on the bulleseye without moving the knobs (move the rifle). Hold the rifle steady and crank the knobs to move the cross hairs to the bullet hole.

You are done. Okay, maybe it will take you 2 shots to get exactly on point of aim.

If you are not on the target to start at 100 yds, fire one shot at 25 yds and do the above first.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

My neighbor's kid got a cabelas bore sighter for Christmas several years ago. It will fit anything from .17 up to .50. Just for the heck of it I tried it on some of my rifles that were already sighted in. With 1 exception the lazer was so close I could not believe it.

 

[dstorm1911]

write yourself a note if the only issue you are having is remembering the function of the turrets.... a laser boresighter is not going to do anything to tell you which way you need to twist the knobs but a simple note always will...... cost less too

 

[bensdad]

I have a Leopold [sic?] bore-sighter that grabs the crown with a magnet. It doesn't look like it would work, but I've been told that if you understand prisms, you understand the device.

Anyhoo, it gets me on the paper at 100yds. That's all any bore-sighter was ever good for. Beyond that, waumo described it perfectly. The tricky part (that he/she sort of glossed over), is holding the rifle still while you adjust the turrets.

I have four sandbags, each with two compartments (wish I could remember the company) that I use to keep the gun steady. Even when I use a sled, I still end up bagging the crap out of the gun.

This method is fast, certain and easy. It takes a max of four shots to be dead-on. Then you KNOW your gun is sighted in for the given distance.

 

[dmazur]

I have the "in the chamber" type lasers and they help (a little) in getting the scope initially lined up with the axis of the bore.

Note I didn't say anything about point of impact, which is a trajectory rather than a straight line.

However, the R -> and Up -> arrows on the scope turrets move the laser dot just like they do the point of impact. So, I suppose this is a cheap (even indoor) method of practicing what the scope knobs do when you adjust them.

Also, the laser can be used for a "field zero verification". Most come with instructions as to how to do this, if you're interested. Basically, it is a non-firing check to see if the baggage handlers threw your cased rifle off a 5 ft dock onto concrete...

(I'm going to have to try the lasers for setting up my chronograph, now that I've read this. That sounds like a good idea!)

 

[ThomasT]

I have one of the Cabelas laser bore sighters and it is one of my favorite toys. I used it to bore sight my new Marlin 981t. I was within 1.5" inches at 50 yards. It only neede a couple of clicks to fine tune.

You can set the cross hairs at 100 yards and then look at something 400 yards away and see how much divergence there is between line of sight and line of bore.

It is amazing how far a laser can be seen. With a scope turned up to 9 power i can shine the laser on objects over a 1000 yards away and see the dot.

I have a stop sign at the end of my street that is 330 yards away. I can shine the laser on the sign and it glows red. It really spooks drivers when they see this. They have know idea what is making the sign glow. One driver went around the block 3 times to look at the sign. He never did figure it out.