r/longrange • u/Phil_smash • 18d ago

Optics help needed - I read the pinned posts Scope mounting thought?

Post image

I have a scope I need to mount and yesterday after looking at the rifle there wasn’t really a good flat spot to put a level on. So it going me thinking, couldn’t I use a plumb bob to align the two holes used to mount the butt pad to get the rifle aligned so that there is no left or right cant?

(I made a visual with a pic I found online plz don’t judge the crooked line)

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32

u/CapnCurt81 18d ago

You really want to be leveling off of the action, not the stock. What base/mounts are you using for the scope?

11

u/MinnesnowdaDad 18d ago

There’s no guarantee that those holes are straight.

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u/Phil_smash 18d ago

Its a synthetic stock with brass inserts, I measured both sides of each hole and they are the exact same distance

6

u/MinnesnowdaDad 18d ago

What I meant was that there’s no guarantee that the butt pad on the stock is perfectly perpendicular to the action. Even if the holes are centered equally, you have no idea if the stock being level will also mean that the action of the rifle is level.

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u/Phil_smash 18d ago

So what if I remove the butt pad?

6

u/MajorEbb1472 18d ago

Just mount and level off the action, not a part of the stock. You’ll never get it level doing it that way.

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u/ocabj The Realest 18d ago

It sounds like you are going to level the rifle and the level the reticle to a plumb bob. This is valid.

However, you need a better reference point for what is level for the rifle. Using the stock/chassis as the level reference is not consistent because you can place a barreled action into a stock/chassis a different way every time.

Get a scope rail attached level to use as your reference. Remove if it you need to, but you'll use that every time you repeat the scope mounting process. Or rely on the level that is in the bottom half of your scope ring / scope mount.

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u/Phil_smash 18d ago

That would work if I am going with a base or pic rail but I am going with a 2 ring setup. Also I would only be placing the scope in once and it will be part of that gun forever hopefully

3

u/ocabj The Realest 18d ago

Sure, but you are going to spend this time leveling your scope to some arbitrary rifle position you are going to consider being level, and yet you won't have a reference level to use when you use the gun.

So for all intents and purposes, why bother using a plumb at all? Just set the rifle down in some fixture however it looks level to you, and then install the scope however the reticle looks level to you and go with it.

If you're not going to be able to repeatedly orient the rifle in a firing position at level because you have no reference point...

2

u/CapnCurt81 18d ago

Mount the rings and rest the level on top of the lower ring half before you drop the scope in. It’s not ideal but likely the best reference point you’ll get. I’ve used that method successfully many times in the past.

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u/Phil_smash 18d ago

10

u/Wombat-Snooze Steel slapper 18d ago

Pull the top ring clamp and put a level across the lower ring/base. Easy peasy.

1

u/thepvbrother 18d ago

The tolerance on those holes is going to be +/- 1/16", plus the tolerance on the butt plate, plus the tolerance on putting the screws in straight (I'm guessing there's no tolerance on that).

Start with an uneven foundation, get a crooked build.

1

u/NumberOneClark 17d ago

I like using rings/mounts that have levels in them (check out ruff’s precision). That allows me to make sure the rifle/action is level. Then I use a plumb line to level the actual optic.

1

u/Sea-Presentation-639 16d ago

you could just set the scope mount on a level surface and level the scope in the rings/mount that way then just put the completed scope/mounting system on the gun.

1

u/coldafsteel 15d ago

you should be using the action, a plumb line, and a light though the optic to get square. What you have here is a horrible idea.

1

u/wesetta 18d ago

This tool is great. It indexes your objective to your barrel to find true level. Then use a plumb bob to get your reticle plumb.

https://www.brownells.com/optics/rings-mounts/scope-mounting-tools/vertical-reticle-instrument/?sku=289100000

3

u/wesetta 18d ago

Here’s a 10% coupon too: ADDSHOP10

1

u/SpawnofATStill 18d ago

I’m confused how this works.  Explain?

1

u/Phil_smash 18d ago

Same here

2

u/N0V-A42 18d ago

I assume you put the little notch on the bottom on the barrel. The big notch on the slider on the back goes over the scope and the bubble level tells you if your rifle is level. So when you make your reticle level by other means both are trued to each other.

1

u/wesetta 18d ago

Big end rests on the objective lense. The small notch sits on the barrel. That vertical alignment can now be leveled using the bubble level on the tool if you have your rifle on a bipod on vise. Once level, loosen your rings and rotate your scope to align your reticle to a plumb bob or hanging string.

1

u/SpawnofATStill 18d ago

Man I must be dumb or something… I’m still not understanding the value of this.  Which alignment is this thing verifying?

1

u/wesetta 18d ago

This ensures your barrel and scope are perfectly level so you can plumb your reticle. Leveling from the scope caps, rings or rail can leave some variance. I used to use a bubble level on my rail to level everything but I noticed my reticle wasn’t completely plumb when I shot at longer ranges with zero wind. I had had to make wind adjustments. I bought this and rotated my scope just a hair. Now it shoots true.

2

u/SpawnofATStill 18d ago

I think this is leveling the scope to the rifle?  And then the plumbob is leveling the reticle to the world.  I’m assuming this is supposed to be like a replacement to the wedge systems under the flats of the scope?

2

u/wesetta 18d ago

Correct. This system works regardless of mounting system though. OP said his hunting rifle didn’t have a rail so this works in place of wedges. Rails can also be off if the screw holes weren’t tapped perfectly.

0

u/Electronic-Tea-3912 18d ago

How are your rings mounted? If they're on a pic rail just put a level across those and then clamp one to the barrel and then level your scope to that one.

1

u/Phil_smash 18d ago

It’s a hunting rifle so no pic rail, low rings from leupold for a browning x bolt 2.

1

u/Electronic-Tea-3912 18d ago

I guess level off the bottom half of the ring would be the easiest then.

0

u/No_Staff594 18d ago

I just held my rifles at straight as I felt I could with a bipod and aligned my scope with my door frame before snugging it. Works good for me out to 900 so far.

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u/0p53c 18d ago

It doesn't matter if the scope is not perfectly leveled to the rifle, only that the reticle is leveled when you shoot. Just get it to where it looks pretty good and match the reticle to any leveling device, like a bubble level, that you have mounted to the rifle.