Leveling a Scope Vital or Not?

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Badger308

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Yes. You are, if you want to hit anything at distance. The problem with the bubble levels, they aren't super precise and unless you're using a really high quality scope, (over $1,000) then leveling any exterior part of the scope may or may not correspond to the crosshairs. For my precision rigs, where I'm mounting a $2500 Vortex or a S&B, I use a pair of precision parallels and that ensures the bottom of the scope is flat to the picatinny. If you are talking custom guns and really high end glass, then you will be dead nuts. Anything else, I just eyeball then do a tall target test.

I see that you read my Post, but not the post I was replying too. The original post stated "This is not a precision bolt action gun". I personally do not think it is necessary to go through the process of perfectly aligning the scope on anything other than a long range precision shooting instrument. Sure if you have the know how and the equipment go ahead, why not. But I think he is asking if he needs to go through the effort of finding someone with such equipment and knowledge to do the job or go through the effort of acquiring said equipment and said knowledge to perform the task himself.
 

steelfingers

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I see that you read my Post, but not the post I was replying too. The original post stated "This is not a precision bolt action gun". I personally do not think it is necessary to go through the process of perfectly aligning the scope on anything other than a long range precision shooting instrument. Sure if you have the know how and the equipment go ahead, why not. But I think he is asking if he needs to go through the effort of finding someone with such equipment and knowledge to do the job or go through the effort of acquiring said equipment and said knowledge to perform the task himself.
A cheap 2" line level and a flat piece of metal/wood to level the gun. Then put the level on the flat top of the scope. What expensive equipment?
Not a precision bolt action gun. Well guess what, not leveling you have made it an even less precision gun. Just get a red dot.
 

Badger308

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A cheap 2" line level and a flat piece of metal/wood to level the gun. Then put the level on the flat top of the scope. What expensive equipment?
Not a precision bolt action gun. Well guess what, not leveling you have made it an even less precision gun. Just get a red dot.

I have no idea what expensive equipment? I never mentioned expensive equipment? Did you accidentally quote the wrong thread?
 

Pokinfun

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I have no idea what expensive equipment? I never mentioned expensive equipment? Did you accidentally quote the wrong thread?
I would say that the OP does not need to go find anyone to level his scope, but I bet a lot of member son here would give him a hand. Part of the purpose of forums is to make friends, learn a little, argue, debate, and help each other out. If the OP was in Lawton I would give him a hand properly installing a scope.
I do wonder why anyone would want to something half-ass, if he has the opportunity to do it correctly. In the past I have found that things I did half-ass, I ended up redoing.
 

druryj

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You can level the rifle and aim it at a door jam and line it up pretty good without all those mini levels

Works for me. But then, I'm talking about doing this with a cheap .22 bolt action rifle and a cheap scope that I shoot with cheap ammo at an indoor range at 25 yds while wearing cool tactical-looking clothes and pretending I am sniping at ISIS militants from 1,000 yds and out. I can almost hear the cheers of the troops I have saved while surreptitiously perched in my sniper's hide on overwatch as I calmly and coolly peer through my eyeball-leveled scope and kill each little fanatic islamist militant dot on the target with a precisely placed round of high powered .22 bulk pack ammo! Pew, Pew! Take that, you bearded g__f__ scum! Then, I bring the target in closer and go all CQB mode as I dispatch the surviving terrorist dots with my battle hardened 1911, (or a polymer .22 pistol). It always ends in hand to hand combat, when I shred the paper target with my bare, lead covered hands and exfiltrate the range, returning by tactical Honda Civic to the rear area to clean my gear and prepare for the next mission.
 

Badger308

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I would say that the OP does not need to go find anyone to level his scope, but I bet a lot of member son here would give him a hand. Part of the purpose of forums is to make friends, learn a little, argue, debate, and help each other out. If the OP was in Lawton I would give him a hand properly installing a scope.
I do wonder why anyone would want to something half-ass, if he has the opportunity to do it correctly. In the past I have found that things I did half-ass, I ended up redoing.

I am not sure how anyone can actually get on a Thread without seeing the title of it. Nor do I comprehend responding in the thread without actually reading the original post. I am sure that you have lots of knowledge and great information available on all kinds of gun related topics. But the question on this thread was "is it vital?" and then more specifically "NOT A PRECISION BOLT GUN". And the answer the actual question is emphatically NO, it is not vital. It is "so" not vital, that I would imagine there are more scopes mounted without the leveling process than with the leveling process. If the Title to the thread were, "I would like to make friends and have someone help me level my scope" My response would have been different.
 

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