Scope level recommendations

Tactical Gear Optics & Mounts
1

Hi all,

I need some help and I’ve been having a tough time finding something that would work. I’m trying to level a NF ATACR1-8 on my KAC SR15. I’m using a NF unimount 1.5”. I bought the monstrum wedge level but the space from the base of the optic and the mount is way to tight to even fit the first piece in. Would a bubble level suffice? What recommendations do you guys have for me? Thanks in advance.

2

34mm tubes and 1.5" mounts don’t work with those wedges.
Starrett has adjustable parallels if you know the gap size.

I use plumb line on a wall a few feet behind the rifle.
With the rifle level I shine a light through the front of the scope and adjust the diopter to focus the reticle.
Then just level the reticle to the string on the wall.

3

I have found that if you look in a mirror with your scope mounted, you can adjust the cant so the reticle lines up with the center of the bore. You then look at a plumbob rope to adjust your bubble level to the scope if you use one. Mirror method has been working great for me since some tool may not line the scope reticle up with the bore of the rifle and impart cant that you don’t even know about. This causes shots to be off line upto zero and then off on the other side past zero. Did it to all my pellet rifles and powder burners. The effect of optic cant was very obvious on the pellet guns. This was after using levels on scope rails and leveled optics. Mirror method is very easy, you just need a steady base to hold the rifle while you look through it to line up the reticle with the bore.

4

I very rarely level the optic to the mount. I level the optic to the rifle with the use of a plumb bob, after leveling the rifle with a level.

5

I do exactly the same.

6

I’ll 2nd (3rd or 4th) a plumb bob. I’ll use levels to right the gun and the string to right the reticle

7

I use a deck of playing cards to begin leveling the scope. I push enough cards between the picatinny rail and flat on the scope bottom to the point I cannot insert anymore. That gets you close.

Then I draw a 3 foot line on a piece of cardboard and attach it to the wall, making certain the line is plumb. Then I level up the rifle and view the plumb line through the scope.

After I feel the scope crosshairs are close to plumb, I take the cardboard and draw a horizontal line that crosses the vertical line and take it to the range with me. I aim at the center of target, fire a group, adjust the elevation up 40 clicks, then shoot another group. Then I lower the elevation 80 clicks, shoot a group, raise the elevation back to zero, then fire the final group. If the crosshairs on the scope are trued all the groups should cut the vertical line on the cardboard.

Witness marks drawn on the scope body and rings with a thin lead pencil will help you determine how much you are rotating the scope when making minute adjustments.

8

I just us a US Optics rifle bubble on the rail, then some harbor freight bubbles open top of the scope. I have a few. I have a circular one that levels all directions that is kinda nice. Its great if its perfect but I dont stress if its not 100% perfect.

PB

9

https://arisakadefense.com/optic-leveler-small/
They make it in two sizes to get around this, I had no issue with a Badger COMM and a 34mm Creedo.

That being said, a leveled bench and a plumb bob work wonderfully, and I’ve used it with several of my dad’s older rifles that don’t have a flat spot perpendicular to the bore.

Al

10

I have that one, didn’t fit with what I had.
Looks like it’s scope dependent if it fit’s or not.

11

Badger makes an optic leveling stand that I use in combination with bubbles. I have the Arisaka self leveler kit but haven’t actually used it.

12

Don’t sweat it. Buy an Angle Cube. I originally bought it to put exact edge angles on my knives for sharpening.

Screw bubbles and plumb bobs
The great thing is, you don’t even have to level your gun.
Just eyeball it.
Tighten it down in your vise.
Zero the Angle Cube on your rail
Then keep the same zero when putting the Angle Cube on your scope and torqueing the rings down
Accurate to 0.01 degrees
Easy peasy

https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-35-2269-Electronic-Magnetic-Protractor/dp/B01FB5UEAE?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

13

I’m always looking for new / better ideas. Can you put more of the process you use into words? Not following what you are actually doing or how you are using this device.

14

The Angle Cube will zero itself to whatever flat surface you lay it on

So you just tighten your gun into your favorite vise. It doesn’t have to be perfectly level, the more important aspect is that it doesn’t allow the gun to move.

You put the Angle Cube on the receiver rail or scope rail (whatever flat surface you are zeroing the scope to)and hit the zero button. The Angle Cube will now read 0.00 degrees and will be zeroed to your gun position in the vise.

Mount the scope and put the Angle Cube on the turret. Tighten the rings down with the Angle Cube reading 0.00 (as close as you can get it to 0.00 anyway).

Done.

15

Thank you. Just ordered one. I have the Arisaka leveler, but unless your mount has a nice flat spot under the turrets it becomes a little bit of a challenge. Even then it could be slightly off. I’m looking forward to trying out your technique as I need to mount a Vortex Razor in a Badger 1.70 mount. And I’m curious to see how close to true the scopes I already have mounted are to the receiver.

16

Thanks man. I’m gonna pick one up as well and try it out. Sounds a lot more simple and potentially easier than my current method for chump change.

17

Not a problem. I like simple too.

You don’t even need the new backlit usb model. The older one works just fine.

https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-AngleCube-Digital-Level-Bevel/dp/B002LL0BIC/ref=m_crc_dp_lf_d_t1_sccl_4_2/144-9696769-9508464?pd_rd_i=B002LL0BIC&psc=1

18

The plumb bob was mentioned by a few. I carry a plumb bob in my range gear and use it when posting targets at the range. Having the target plumb, or level if you wish, eliminates one source of error when verifying scope tracking.

I’ve leveled the top scope turret with the rail and still had to make adjustments when verifying scope tracking at the range. If you never shoot beyond 300 yards it’s not critical, but you will see tracking errors when making elevation adjustments from a 100-yard zero to a 300-yard target engagement.

19

How do you ensure that the rifle is perfectly level at the range? Do you have a bubble mounted to it? I’m trying to learn more about this.

20

From a physics standpoint this doesn’t make sense.

If:

  1. If the scope reticle is perfectly aligned with the scope turret like it supposed to be (reputable manufacturers)
  2. the rail/receiver in relation to the barrel is manufactured like it supposed to be
  3. The scope reticle tracks true like it supposed to
  4. The rifle is shot level like it supposed to be

then everything is in line and should track like a perfect level plumb line.

Which leaves only a few possibilities:

  1. The receiver was not lined up perfectly with the scope turret due to manufacturing or installation error
  2. The reticle was not in line with the turret (which would cause other problems when making adjustments)
  3. The rifle was not level when being shot

I’m not doubting your real life experience at that time, it just doesn’t make physical sense.