How to mount long-range optic?

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  • tomandjerry00

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 12, 2013
    1,744
    Howdy,

    I've mounted a bunch of 3-9x scopes on hunting rifles, but I am about to mount my Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 mil dot on my Savage 11/111 XP Hunter with some Warne Maxima rings. I will also be installing an Vortex anti-cant level on the scope as well.

    After I do that, I will be mounting my Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x44 with Vortex Viper rings on my Colt LE6940 AR. I currently have a 3-9x42 Nitrex (Weaver) scope in a Promag one piece flat-top mount. Is this worth doing? Should I use the Promag mount instead of the Vortex rings?

    Long story short, I've watched the videos on YouTube about the basics of mounting scopes, but is there a secret to mounting long-range scopes? Is there a better way to ensure level over balancing a small level on the top? And for the record, I do not have a torque wrench capable of mounting the scope. I plan on going hand-tight.

    All help is appreciated!
     

    axshon

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    1,938
    Howard County
    I only use a level on the action to ensure the rifle is straight. For leveling the scope and anti-cant to the rifle, I hang a yellow line with a plumb bob out at about 30 yards in my back yard and align the reticle to that. As long as there is no wind it should be right on.
     

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    I only use a level on the action to ensure the rifle is straight. For leveling the scope and anti-cant to the rifle, I hang a yellow line with a plumb bob out at about 30 yards in my back yard and align the reticle to that. As long as there is no wind it should be right on.

    You can use a carpenters square to do the same thing and you will be able to do a true X axis and Y axis calibration as long as the surface you put it on is truly level.
     

    INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,816
    I have a Wheeler scope leveling kit. Just a couple of small bubble levels. Comes wih small magnets to mount one on the reciever, the other I place on top of the elevation turret. Works for me. Also bought the Wheeler Fat Boy torque screwdriver for torquing the mount/rings. You can get the Wheeler Fat Boy torque screwdriver locally at Bass Pro.
     

    photoracer

    Competition Shooter
    Oct 22, 2010
    3,318
    West Virginia
    I mount and remount scopes all the time. In fact I recently put a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 on my 6.8 DMR AR. Same dilemma but I ended up using one of my cheap PEPR clones to mount it and it is fine. If I don't feel I am getting the reticle positioned correctly I will use a level but eyeballing it is often close enough except for beyond 600 yards. I recently upgrade the scope on my 3-gun AR and found the old scope BDC reticle was slightly canted. Still did not prevent me from hitting steel at 394 yards at the last event at its max of 4x. I tend to take the most care in torquing the scope mount screws to a proper amount.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    The important thing about level is that the reticle is level when you shoot. The plumb bob method takes into account any cant of the rifle when you hold it naturally.
     

    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,501
    AA Co
    Plumb bob works well, I use a level, mount the weapon in a gun vise, level it and then use the level on the scope. The newer tendency to have target turrets on many optics makes a level pretty effective. I have the 6-24PST on my 308 mounted that way.

    A Wheeler FAT wrench is a great tool to invest in!
     

    BigMBobbyOP

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2011
    1,021
    PA
    Plumb bob works well, I use a level, mount the weapon in a gun vise, level it and then use the level on the scope. The newer tendency to have target turrets on many optics makes a level pretty effective. I have the 6-24PST on my 308 mounted that way.

    A Wheeler FAT wrench is a great tool to invest in!

    Hi guys!

    Hoping to resurrect some knowledge out of this thread.

    I'm having a hard time trying to level the actual rifle on my Ruger American .308

    There doesn't seem to be a good spot to put a level on the rifle.

    Where are we placing levels on the rifle to level the rifle?

    I dont have the wheeler levels but that is my next purchase if I can't figure this out with the standard hardware store levels i have.

    Thanks.
     

    INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,816
    Hi guys!

    Hoping to resurrect some knowledge out of this thread.

    I'm having a hard time trying to level the actual rifle on my Ruger American .308

    There doesn't seem to be a good spot to put a level on the rifle.

    Where are we placing levels on the rifle to level the rifle?

    I dont have the wheeler levels but that is my next purchase if I can't figure this out with the standard hardware store levels i have.

    Thanks.
    does it have a picatinny scope rail? If my Weaver kit has little magnets to mount the level from inside the recievers chamber on my 700.
     

    Pablopac

    pablopac
    Aug 7, 2012
    150
    for what it is worth:
    1. I level the rifle in my gun cleaning vise. I then level the scope in the rings and tighten them symmetrically.
    2. The post noting no place to level a ruger american: I have two (22LR and 17). Not sure if yours is the same, but I use the small flat area on the front sight just behind the blace.
    3. If you are in Carroll County area, happy to do it with you, welcome to come onver one evening or afternoon when convenient to both of us.
    pablo
     

    BigMBobbyOP

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2011
    1,021
    PA
    for what it is worth:
    1. I level the rifle in my gun cleaning vise. I then level the scope in the rings and tighten them symmetrically.
    2. The post noting no place to level a ruger american: I have two (22LR and 17). Not sure if yours is the same, but I use the small flat area on the front sight just behind the blace.
    3. If you are in Carroll County area, happy to do it with you, welcome to come onver one evening or afternoon when convenient to both of us.
    pablo

    Hey thanks alot. I actually escaped to PA a few years back or else I may have taken you up on that offer.

    The .308 doesnt have a front sight so I dont have a small flat spot.

    The only thing I can think of is to get a small flat level on the area between the scope and the base. Problem is i have low rings and there is not much room there. I'd need really slim level, maybe a small line level but i dont think there is enough space even for that. Picture shows the only flat area on the rifle i could find..

    rt11sy.jpg
     

    pwoolford

    AR15's make me :-)
    Jan 3, 2012
    4,186
    White Marsh
    Can you put a level on top of the rifle with the scope removed? If so, clamp the rifle in a vise (carefully) and level it first. Then mount your scope to rifle. I like the string + weight method of mounting the scope after leveling the rifle first in the vise.
     

    BigMBobbyOP

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2011
    1,021
    PA
    Can you put a level on top of the rifle with the scope removed? If so, clamp the rifle in a vise (carefully) and level it first. Then mount your scope to rifle. I like the string + weight method of mounting the scope after leveling the rifle first in the vise.

    Thanks, this may be the best bet for me.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    ONE MORE TIME.

    It does NOT matter if the scope is level to the rifle.

    The ONLY thing that matters is that the scope is level to the WORLD when you shoot.

    Many people hold the rifle with a slight cant due to their shoulder pocket. If you level to the rifle, and cant it, as you change elevation, the shots will walk off to the side.

    And the scope level should be leveled to the RETICLE, not the rifle.
     

    BigMBobbyOP

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2011
    1,021
    PA
    ONE MORE TIME.

    It does NOT matter if the scope is level to the rifle.

    The ONLY thing that matters is that the scope is level to the WORLD when you shoot.

    Many people hold the rifle with a slight cant due to their shoulder pocket. If you level to the rifle, and cant it, as you change elevation, the shots will walk off to the side.

    And the scope level should be leveled to the RETICLE, not the rifle.


    so what do you suggest as far as some steps on setting this all up?

    what is the procedure, how do you do it?

    how do you ensure the scope is level to the world when you shoot?
     

    lmorrison17

    Active Member
    Feb 1, 2008
    187
    WHen I dont have good place to put a level on the rifle Like in BigM's case.

    I secure the rifle in a cleaning cradle or clamping rifle rest.

    In the spot where he put the arrow pointing I have a flat 6" machinist rule to lay on that spot.

    On one side of the rule I place a tiny spirit level and balance the other side with some sort of weight.

    Once the rifle is secured in a level state I use a plumb bob to square the reticle to mother earth.

    I do this to everything But I really only think it matters when you shoot long.
    If im shooting long I have some sort of rest and hopefully I am not canting the rifle.

    On all my rifles that get shot past 300 an anti cant device gets installed.

    If I am shooting unsupported except for a loop sling I do my best to hold the rifle square to the planet.

    Sometimes it's better than others considering situations and time limitations.
     

    BigMBobbyOP

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2011
    1,021
    PA
    WHen I dont have good place to put a level on the rifle Like in BigM's case.

    I secure the rifle in a cleaning cradle or clamping rifle rest.

    In the spot where he put the arrow pointing I have a flat 6" machinist rule to lay on that spot.

    On one side of the rule I place a tiny spirit level and balance the other side with some sort of weight.

    Once the rifle is secured in a level state I use a plumb bob to square the reticle to mother earth.

    good idea with the 6" rule.

    I'm going to try that thanks.
     

    BigSteve57

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 14, 2011
    3,245
    I have found it difficult at times to get a good level on the action or the scope.
    So for mounting a scope and to check if it is canted I have used this to good effect:

    http://www.riflescopelevel.com/vertical_retical_instrument.html

    I level the rifle & scope as per the instructions and hang a plumb line on a target frame at 25 yards.

    Seems to work as the scopes I have that come up plumb with the world track vertically & horizontally. I have had most all my scopes mounted by gunsmiths so they are all VERY close to perfectly plumb "with the world".

    EDIT: here is another link I found for the tool which is made by EXD Engineering called the "Vertical Reticle Instrument":



    http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...ing-vertical-reticle-instrument-prod6097.aspx
     

    axshon

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    1,938
    Howard County
    I have found it difficult at times to get a good level on the action or the scope.
    So for mounting a scope and to check if it is canted I have used this to good effect:

    http://www.riflescopelevel.com/vertical_retical_instrument.html

    I level the rifle & scope as per the instructions and hang a plumb line on a target frame at 25 yards.

    Seems to work as the scopes I have that come up plumb with the world track vertically & horizontally. I have had most all my scopes mounted by gunsmiths so they are all VERY close to perfectly plumb "with the world".

    That's a neat little device! I imagine you could make the same thing with a table saw and some plywood. It sure beats my method of leveling my .22lr rifle.

    My Savage .22 bolt gun has no flat parts on it at all other than the scope base so I pulled off the action and laid a level across the front of the stock. I took a piece of wood and bored a hole through it that was big enough for the barrel but would still sit on the stock on either side of the channel. Then I cut that wood in half and set it on the stock with the stock still level. I layered masking tape on the bottom of one 'leg' of the wood until the wood was also level across the top. Reinstall the stock and I have a permanent leveling device that is useful only for that rifle. It's the long way around but it works and I was doing some work to the stock anyway.

    This all assumes:
    - The the rifle is mounted straight in the stock at the factory which can be a stretch.
    - I am placing this wood in the same direction and location on the stock every time.

    On a .22 though the cant problem is minimal at 100 yards but it's an interesting exercise.
     

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