Scope mounting to maintain zero

[JohnJohnson]

holding the rifle level while shooting?

Personally I'm interested in hearing responses for both...

I've used Vortex bubble levels on my scopes while shooting for years. They get the job done and don't cost much money which works generally. I found myself spending too much time taking my eye away from the scope to look at the bubble level though so I just got an MDT Send-It electronic level which is done via LED lights so I don't have to look at it. It's also way more sensitive, is way faster than a real level, and doesn't have the sort of errors bubble levels get when shooting up/down at drastic angles. I'll also keep a bubble level on the scope as an emergency backup though.

 

[fwafwow]

Do you mean for installing the scope level to the rifle or do you mean for holding the rifle level while shooting?

Personally I'm interested in hearing responses for both...

UM has items for both.

 

[cowdisciple]

Do you mean for installing the scope level to the rifle or do you mean for holding the rifle level while shooting?

Ideally first one, them the other!

I've used Vortex bubble levels on my scopes while shooting for years. They get the job done and don't cost much money which works generally. I found myself spending too much time taking my eye away from the scope to look at the bubble level though so I just got an MDT Send-It electronic level which is done via LED lights so I don't have to look at it. It's also way more sensitive, is way faster than a real level, and doesn't have the sort of errors bubble levels get when shooting up/down at drastic angles. I'll also keep a bubble level on the scope as an emergency backup though.

Good to know. I'll check this out. Should've ordered them with the Tikka rings.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Good to know. I'll check this out. Should've ordered them with the Tikka rings.

Vortex bubble levels definitely aren't the only game in town though. I think Accuracy 1st and MK Machining bubble levels would probably be nicer if you want something sleeker than the Vortex without going all the way up to the cost of an electronic one. And then there's rail mounted bubble levels too but I've never used any of them.

 

[2-Stix]

Ideally first one, them the other!

Good to know. I'll check this out. Should've ordered them with the Tikka rings.

I just set up another rifle a few nights ago. Here is my process and steps that are cheap and simple to do and get you ready to site it.

1. I use a vice with rubber soft jaws to clamp my rife
2. on the other side of the garage I run a plumb bob sting line with a weight on the bottom making it perfectly tight and plumb
3. I use the wheeler level set and get the action level in the vice left to right, then attached the level on the barrel matching level and remove the level on the action
4. degrees all action, rings, scope and parts with alcohol
5. install the ring bases racked forward in the pic, studs, whatever to spec
6. set the scope where I want it for eye relief and less then snug align the scope to the plum bob line (move the vice for alignment) and make sure the vert line of the reticle aligns with the string line perfectly
7. torque the rings to spec
8. bore site the rifle to the sting line by moving the vice
9. adjust the scope on the windage to the sting line

If you mark the distance from the center of the scope and barrel to can transfer that dimension to the sting line . Make a mark where it is bore sited. Measure up the distance and mark it. This will get you set up for elevation. Obviously you need to go to the range but this gets me typically about 4-6" MOA and on paper at 100 yards.