imschur Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Scope leveling is one of the few things I'm OCD with on rifles. The Badger Ordnance Dead Level Scope Leveling Device is an expensive but interesting way to get those crosshairs level without using the firearm itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 <munch> not cheap but <munch> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IM_JOHNNYV Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Seems like a lot of money unless you were selling scopes, pre-mounted in the rings. The method described below was what I was taught over 30 years ago by an old time smith:While holding the rifle by the barrel in the vise, Use a precision machinist level to level the rifle by the Picatinny rail (or lug raceways), then level the scope by the elevation adjustment knob. Have never had anyone complain of scopes being "canted", plus the level can be used for a multitude of tasks around the shop.Just my 2¢ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 About the same way I do it 2 small line levels.Rifle on bi-pod level on rail throw a shim to level rifle [table is not level].Take off scope caps level on top set in and out start snuging hardware watching levels.Noticed before when snugging screws would have tendency to roll scope a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IM_JOHNNYV Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 About the same way I do it 2 small line levels.Rifle on bi-pod level on rail throw a shim to level rifle [table is not level].Take off scope caps level on top set in and out start snuging hardware watching levels.Noticed before when snugging screws would have tendency to roll scope a little.You can avoid rolling the scope by using either 2 screwdrivers or Allen wrenches simultaneously. Also, a drop (and I mean a drop) of red loctite on the bottom of the ring secures the scope solid, even from the recoil of the biggest and sharpest kicking magnums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainTrain Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 I am going to try to make one of these. I will let y'all know how it comes out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 Thanks for the tip brother Johnny,that is quick and easy. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNP Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 Last night I used the levels that came with the wheeler engineering kit. Pretty low quality bubbles, and I wouldn't recommend them off of just this one use. They have one that sets up across the raceway and a little guy to throw on the scope. Got he gun leveled up(according to their bubble anyways) and threw the little guy on top of the scope....Brief time out for back story. So, I'm a surveyor. One of the things we constantly deal with are inspectors showing up with their short digital smart levels and slapping them down on the concrete. "2.2%, tear it out." When you have a 2% max slope for the concrete, these guys trust this digital level a little too much. I usually ask when the last time they had it calibrated was. Most don't know and more than one has tried to tell me there is no need as they come perfect from the manufacturer. BS by the way. My second action is to take their level, turn it 180 degrees and set it back down in the same spot. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a completely different reading this way. "Hmm, 1.8% now. I guess we can take the average and call or 2%. Guess your level needs to be calibrated."...back to the scope. I can't flip the level on the gun, but I turn the top one and wouldn't you know...slopes to the opposite side from what it was reading before. I averaged it out and it should be fine, but don't just trust a bubble to be true out of the box. We perform check on our equipment constantly because a lot of my work depends on instruments being as perfectly level as humanly possible. <thumbsup> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DNP Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 I am going to try to make one of these. I will let y'all know how it comes out.When you need to track down a vial for it, here's a good spot. http://www.surveying.com/Products/Vials/Replacement-Vials.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planeflyer21 Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 DNP that's funny!My F-I-L was maintanence at a large assisted living facility. They got in twenty or so framed prints, which were to be hung in the hallway. He borrowed a level from the guy next door (sister facility) as he had taken his home.After hanging all the frames with this other guy's level, a nurse came down the hall and said "All your paintings are crooked!" He argued it, showed her with the level. She said "I don't care what your little bubble says, those paintings aren't straight."So he told the guy about the conversation when he returned the level. Dude says something like "Yeah, it's adjustable. Look here," then showed him he had used it for some sort of slope at a few degrees.Good stuff.Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas30cal Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 If mounting to a rail or any receiver with a flat on top a machinists adjustable parallel works very well, can even snug the screws with it wedged in there to keep it from rolling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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