How do you get the crosshairs level?

Rick James

New member
Just curious what methods you guys use to get the crosshairs in your scopes completely dead nuts level when mounting.

I've used a level on the top scope cap, and the top of the receiver, I've also done a variety of other things........but am curious how others do it.

I'm fairly competitive in archery, and actually have my own shop in the basement and we use pretty expensive 2nd and 3rd axis tools to make sure we have the sights setup correctly. I'm wondering if there are similar tools/processes for mounting rifle scopes?
 
Last edited:
I've used everything from lines on the wall, to the Scoplevel, the Reticle Leveler, and the "Level level level" from Midway.........
 
Gotta get the gun level first then take off the top scope cap and put level on top of turret. I also use the Wheeler level system which works good. Have a line on the wall too! I get crazy getting crosshairs leveled. At the range, I will hang a weight from a colored string attached to the target frame. Line up the verticle hair with the string.
 
I just use my eye. I set the scope on highest power an look threw it outside until it looks straight. I've played the level game and it never worked good for me. It's to easy to can't a rifle just like a bow so I put it were it feels the best.
 
Generally accepted method is to do as above. Level the rifle and then align the scope with a known vertical (or horizontal) reference.

Here's a thought for you though. Few if any of us bring a rifle up to our shoulder "level", it will almost certainly be canted to some degree by our natural stance, and then the normal shooter (consciously or unconsciously) adjusts his hold or stance to make the crosshair "level" with the world he's looking at through the scope.

Assuming that you want the crosshairs parallel/perpendicular to the horizon (for ease of windage/elevation adjustments and because it's what feels "natural"), wouldn't it make more sense to adjust to your scope to your stance than to adjust your stance to the crosshairs set up on a leveled rifle?

Not an original thought, though I can't remember where I read of it (G. David Tubb maybe?) and I use the generally accepted method above too.
 
Welcome back Leon. Good to see you posting. Tubbs does shoot with a severe cant on his rifles. Looks pretty weird but he is good. Herein lies the reason he can get away with it. He is shooting at a known distance. He is dialed in at that distance and it does not change till he moves to the next stage, wherein he dials in again.

Now with a scope canted on a hunting rifle, problems develop. If the scope is canted and you held the rifle so the scope would appear level, as distance increases so would the windage error created by the cant.
 
I use the same tool as RajnCajn and have for a long time. Some guys use
feeler gauge stacks off the flat on the receiver or rail and the flat under the
scope turrets, when available of coarse.
 
I've heard to make sure your rifle is level, hang a plumb-bob from something, and then line up the vertical hair w/ the p.b. string.
 
2-mg, have you ever compared the two on the same rifle to see if they agree?

On another note, Seems the one I linked to is no longer available. Seems the guy making them passed away. That is sad to hear. I met him back when I was trying to get my COL gauge started up. I wonder if someone in his family will carry on.
 
Yes. They generally work together(same results). The Segway probably leaves a bit more open for error though, as you have to line it up visually. I try to keep even tension on the rubber band also. You have to pay attention to make sure it is sitting even. Not to make it sound complicated, cuz it isn't......
 
For about 10 years now, I've been using the flat ended vials out of a small carpentry level that was damaged. Find a level spot on the rifle somewhere, some you have to pull the bolt for this or find a vertical spot to press the vial to on the rifle/action. Use the scope turret on the side to hold the vial up to, with the cap off (some have slight roundness). Match the bubbles up, good to go. They often shift after tightening the rings though, sometimes it takes a few tries to get them just perfect. Then I see on t.v. that I could have made money on the idea!
 
I just use my eyes..... I got a couple scopes that arn't straight but I still shoot them and it doesn't make any difference to mean I can still shoot good groups... The rifles That I hunt with are straight, just hold it up like im gonna shoot and make the crosshairs straight. I guess I don't understand makeing everything level when I bet not many people hold the gun perfectly straight when its shouldered.
 
I use a small bubble tube from an old framing level and level the rifle using the scope ring mounts to determine the level of the rifle, then shift the bubble tube to the elevation dial on the scope and match it to the ring base.

I've watched the guys from one of the high end optic companies (U.S.Optics?) spin the scope to center the crosshairs but never could get mine to center that way as quickly as they do..... It's easier to use a mirror..
 
On my LR rigs I clamp a level on the base, then go to the back end of my hallway, set the rifle up and level it, line the vert. wire up on a plumb line in the paneling at the end of my livingroom (approx. 50') make sure its plumb with the line, then move the vert. adj. 10-15 moa up and down, watching the reticle to make sure its crawling up and down the edge of the plumbline, if it wanders accrossed the line I turn the scope slightly and try again.
RR
 
I shoot with my eyes,I level with my eyes,I am the only one that matters for my guns.This subject is way over blown and obssessed about. In a hunting application it only needs to appear level to the shooter. I have never missed a shot becuase I didn't use a level.
Shoulder contour,clothing,grade under foot, etc all have an effect on rifle cant.These little levels have such short radius they set in that they are not very accurate.. Maybe if they were 2 t 4 foot long and certified they might be useful.That long a level attached to you rifle to make sure it remains level in the field is going to be a little akward.There is probably no such thing as "completely dead nuts level" when a human is involved.
 
I just read an excellent post on Snipers Hide, the method they used was a set of feeler gauges set under the scopes flat part under the turrets. I havent tried it but it seems like it would be effective and simple. I recently leveled a scope with a plumb line and it is darn straight!
 
A levels accuracy has to do with the radius of the glass tube not it's length.
And of coarse the consistency of the radius. That is one thing I never see
advertised in these cant levels is how many seconds or minutes per mm
they are accurate to. Cant problems are serious if you shoot long distances and use the turrets.
 
I use a line level on a flat part of the receiver, and a small regular level on the elevation adjustment cap. Level the rifle then level the scope.

t/c223encore.
 
Back
Top