Never sighted in a gun before

[lacofdfireman]

Sad to say as I’ve hunted many times before but I’ve been using a gun my dad handed down to me over 20 years ago that has been a deer slayer for years. It’s an old lever action .308 Winchester that my Dad got for college graduation in the 60’s. That gun has been Amazing and still to this day is a great gun. I have messed with the scope from time to time but only small adjustments. This past year I bought a Ruger American Predator 6.5 Creedmore. It’s the first rifle I’ve ever bought in my life. Sad to say I have no idea what the best way to bore sight this gun in is. I’ve been watching a few videos and there seems to be a few different ways. I saw a bullet that had a laser on it. I saw one where you take out the bolt and look down the barrel at an object about 6-10 TFT away and a few others. Also do you recommend a shooting table and a gun vice? The shooting table I have is super wobbly. Ever time you sit down it moves the table since it’s all one piece.


What do you consider to be the best way?

Also I’d like to get away from shooting boxes with paper targets on them and get into some steel targets. The paper has worked but when your shooting over 100 yards it’s nice to hear feedback instead of having to walk back and forth and plug holes all the time. When buying steel targets what thickness and what size diameter is a good one to buy?

Thanks for the help. Looking forward to the replies.

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[sndmn11]

No vice or lead sled.

I take the bolt out and look within the barrel out to 50 yards, shoot once, adjust remembering the adjustments are half value of what they are at 100, then shot number two is at 100, adjust or if it is really close shoot a group.

 

[PRC_GUY]

Just put a white target with a black dot ️ big enough so you can see through the action (when you remove the bolt)
Try it 50 yards and then move farther to 100 yards.

 

[hflier]

Couple of comments:

Who mounted your scope? If you did, how? This will screw you if not done correctly.

If that has been done correctly, then put a target at 25/50 yards, remove the bolt and look through the barrel and get it centered on the target and do something to hold it there. Then look through scope and move windage and elevation knobs to center cross hairs on target center. Keep bouncing back and forth to ensure they are both on target center at the same time. When complete reassemble and shoot a couple rounds and adjust to bring rifle to dead on or slightly high at 25/50 yards.

Once complete, move target to 100 yards and fire a few and adjust.

One other comment, lots of guys start out putting their rifles in a lead sled to hold it steady. This is a great way to ruin your scope. Find a good bag for your front rest and also a bag for a rear rest under the heel of your stock and use those to steady your rifle while sighting in.

You did not say how far you want to be able to shoot when hunting. If over 200 yards you are going to need to know the true velocity coming out of that barrel with your ammo using a chronograph. That way you can use an online ballistic calculator to make a drop chart to know how far to hold over at longer ranges.

Lastly, once you have all this done, you have to use the exact same brand, type and bullet grain of ammo each time or recheck your zero/adjust before hunting.

Just some of the things I did not know when I started a long time ago.

Ron

 

[DiabeticKripple]

setup target at 50yds and boresight, fire a round and see where it lands. Adjust scope to match (remember you are moving the bullet to the crosshairs, not the other way)

setup another target at 100yds and fire a round, adjust scope to center. fire another round to verify, if bang on, fire a group to verify zero.

Usually i am zeroed within 7 shots, including a 3 round group at the end.

 

[Muley Buck]

setup target at 50yds and boresight, fire a round and see where it lands. Adjust scope to match (remember you are moving the bullet to the crosshairs, not the other way)

setup another target at 100yds and fire a round, adjust scope to center. fire another round to verify, if bang on, fire a group to verify zero.

Usually i am zeroed within 7 shots, including a 3 round group at the end.

You actually are infact moving the crosshairs to the bullet (point of impact).

 

[DiabeticKripple]

You actually are infact moving the crosshairs to the bullet (point of impact).

yes, but your turrets are marked as if you are moving the POI to the crosshairs.

If you are hitting to the right, you dial the turret in the L direction

 

[Muley Buck]

yes, but your turrets are marked as if you are moving the POI to the crosshairs.

If you are hitting to the right, you dial the turret in the L direction

Sure, I see what you mean.

 

[PRC_GUY]

Couple of comments:

Who mounted your scope? If you did, how? This will screw you if not done correctly.

If that has been done correctly, then put a target at 25/50 yards, remove the bolt and look through the barrel and get it centered on the target and do something to hold it there. Then look through scope and move windage and elevation knobs to center cross hairs on target center. Keep bouncing back and forth to ensure they are both on target center at the same time. When complete reassemble and shoot a couple rounds and adjust to bring rifle to dead on or slightly high at 25/50 yards.

Once complete, move target to 100 yards and fire a few and adjust.

One other comment, lots of guys start out putting their rifles in a lead sled to hold it steady. This is a great way to ruin your scope. Find a good bag for your front rest and also a bag for a rear rest under the heel of your stock and use those to steady your rifle while sighting in.

You did not say how far you want to be able to shoot when hunting. If over 200 yards you are going to need to know the true velocity coming out of that barrel with your ammo using a chronograph. That way you can use an online ballistic calculator to make a drop chart to know how far to hold over at longer ranges.

Lastly, once you have all this done, you have to use the exact same brand, type and bullet grain of ammo each time or recheck your zero/adjust before hunting.

Just some of the things I did not know when I started a long time ago.

Ron

Great infor!

 

[lacofdfireman]

Couple of comments:

Who mounted your scope? If you did, how? This will screw you if not done correctly.

If that has been done correctly, then put a target at 25/50 yards, remove the bolt and look through the barrel and get it centered on the target and do something to hold it there. Then look through scope and move windage and elevation knobs to center cross hairs on target center. Keep bouncing back and forth to ensure they are both on target center at the same time. When complete reassemble and shoot a couple rounds and adjust to bring rifle to dead on or slightly high at 25/50 yards.

Once complete, move target to 100 yards and fire a few and adjust.

One other comment, lots of guys start out putting their rifles in a lead sled to hold it steady. This is a great way to ruin your scope. Find a good bag for your front rest and also a bag for a rear rest under the heel of your stock and use those to steady your rifle while sighting in.

You did not say how far you want to be able to shoot when hunting. If over 200 yards you are going to need to know the true velocity coming out of that barrel with your ammo using a chronograph. That way you can use an online ballistic calculator to make a drop chart to know how far to hold over at longer ranges.

Lastly, once you have all this done, you have to use the exact same brand, type and bullet grain of ammo each time or recheck your zero/adjust before hunting.

Just some of the things I did not know when I started a long time ago.

Ron

Scope was mounted from factory. It’s the Vortex Diamondback. Not a high end scope but nicer than my 50 year old bushnell.

What’s the proper way to know if it’s mounted correctly or not? Better make sure that’s right first.


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[Cant hit em]

Scope was mounted from factory. It’s the Vortex Diamondback. Not a high end scope but nicer than my 50 year old bushnell.

What’s the proper way to know if it’s mounted correctly or not? Better make sure that’s right first.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Did you buy the gun at a big box store or a gun shop ? If a Box store id take it to a gun shop have them torque everything to spec get your scope set were you are in a comfortable shooting position and have it bore sited. If you bought from a gun shop and they didn’t do it , id take it back and have them do it. Bore site will get you close , then just simple adj you are use to.

 

[Muley Buck]

Did you buy the gun at a big box store or a gun shop ? If a Box store id take it to a gun shop have them torque everything to spec get your scope set were you are in a comfortable shooting position and have it bore sited. If you bought from a gun shop and they didn’t do it , id take it back and have them do it.

This is good advice for the OP.

 

[PRC_GUY]

Scope was mounted from factory. It’s the Vortex Diamondback. Not a high end scope but nicer than my 50 year old bushnell.

What’s the proper way to know if it’s mounted correctly or not? Better make sure that’s right first.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Do you have a lapping bar , lapping the ring is important!

 

[lacofdfireman]

Do you have a lapping bar , lapping the ring is important!

Never heard of that before. Going to google it.


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[NorCal Mixed bag]

There‘s a solid foundation of advice here, but I’d add a few steps earlier in the process, and further develop some commentary from the rest of the group if you’ve never done this at all before: 1.) I’d make sure the reticle is perfectly level - either you’ll have to invest in a proper sled and leveling kit (Brownell’s offers a good one, and there are others…), or take it to a shop or friend who has and knows how. 2.) After I’ve convinced myself that the reticle is perfectly level, and the scope’s eye relief is set-up for my comfortably shouldering the rifle in all positions, I always use a low-med grade Loctite on at least every other opposing mounting screw on both the scope ring base(s), and the rings themselves. And 3.) when it comes to bore sighting….it really works best if you can at least get access to some good, solid sled and you can strap the rifle to it to maintain the aiming sticker or dot concentric in the very middle looking down the bore (as mentioned above), and then you can move the windage and elevation adjustments to the dot/sticker without fear of losing your alignment. But be careful not to strap the rifle “over the scope”, or put too much pressure on the barrel in the fore stock - somewhere in the middle of the open, bedded action is best, and just snugly enough to keep it from rolling or twisting in the sled. And when you adjust the scope windage/elevation turrets, remember that you have to move them in the same direction as you can see it misaligned left or right, and up/down. If you are 6in right, and 6in low, then you have to move the turrets in the same direction, as you are not trying to adjust the point of impact of a fired bullet, which would be the opposite, and is the next step. Confusing at 1st. Don’t forget to do the math on # of clicks - ”standard“ scope setting is 1/4” @ 100 yds, so you need to do the arithmetic for bore sighting @ 25 or 50yds. Somehow I got nominated to do this procedure (and other relatively simple gunsmithing tasks) for my whole extended friends & family hunting compadres. If you follow theses steps to the letter, and then shooting some rounds for a proper groups - then barring any major scope breakage or malfunction - you should theoretically never have an issue with losing zero. I find this process especially rewarding. Best of luck! Sorry for the long-windedness!

 

[lacofdfireman]

Some excellent advice here from many of you. It gives me a great foundation of what needs to be done to sight this gun in right and give me good performance. Taking it to a gun shop tomorrow to make sure my scope is where it needs to be. Thanks again.


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[Marmots]

Scope mounting to maintain zero

After multiple requests for an explanation of how to mount a scope in order to have the lowest possibility of loss of zero, a discussion of a scope mounting video, and the latest thread about scope bases and action screw coming loose, I took some pics of what I do with a rifle when I get it and...

www.rokslide.com

Here's a great scope mounting how to with pictures.

 

[Rich M]

I start at about 20 yards and use a 3x3 or 4x4 ft piece of cardboard or fresh plywood. Get on there, then do 50 yards. Then do 100 yards. Then 200.

 

[wind gypsy]

Scope mounting to maintain zero

After multiple requests for an explanation of how to mount a scope in order to have the lowest possibility of loss of zero, a discussion of a scope mounting video, and the latest thread about scope bases and action screw coming loose, I took some pics of what I do with a rifle when I get it and...

www.rokslide.com

Here's a great scope mounting how to with pictures.

^This. I would take things apart and redo it this way to make sure everything will stay tight and ensure your eye relief is optimal for you.

Bore sighting through barrel with bolt removed as others have said is easy.

Reticle plumbness is most important if you're dialing corrections but even then you need to be able to hold the reticle plumb while aiming for your corrections to be accurate. Basically, if this is a point and shoot rifle, I wouldn't spend a dime on any contraption to make sure your reticle is perfectly plumb to the rifle. Shoulder the gun as you will while shooting and make sure the reticle is aligned with a plumb object (wall of a building is typically good enough).

 

[sodaksooner]

I boresighted mine yesterday and made same the rookie mistake that others have alluded to by cranking the turrets the wrong way. Took me a couple of shots to figure it out. It has been a couple of years. That said I lucked out and had one shot dead on at 50 yards. Still managed to get it where it almost needed to be at 100 yards in 6 rounds. Ran out of time and shoulder was a bit sore. Will go back this weekend and get 'er done at 200 yards. FWIW, my scope leveling kit was only about $25 and seemed to do a decent job. Hard part was finding a true horizontal reference on the rifle.

That said, it's all part of the fun for me and I am sure most of the folks on here. Don't be afraid to learn and play a bit.