Bore Sighting

[PigBoy Crabshaw]

In the past, I've always paid a smith to mount and bore sight a new scope.
What type of bore sighters are you using. I see there are bullet shaped sighters that are chambered as a bullet. Do these word well enough to get you in the ball park and what brands have you had success with?
Thanks. -gary

[dk17hmr]

I do it by eye.  I set the rifle up in a rifle vice or a lead sled, up a 1 sticker at 30-40 yards (across the road on a telephone pole) get the sticker centered in the bore and adjust the scope until you are on the sticker.  This way works good enough to get you on paper at 100 yards, than fine tune from there.

[Singleshotsam]

I spent $40 on a muzzle mounted bore sighter... Found out sometime later that its much easier and a lot less money to do it by eye.  I set up a 4x4 piece of cardboard @ 100 yards and put up a white sheet of paper.  Then dis-assemble my bbl, mount it in my rest, and look down the bore... then I adjust the scope.  Usually gets me close to 6 " @ 100 yards.

[LaOtto222]

I have sighted in scores of scopes. I put the rifle in a solid rest; line up the barrel on some distant object and then adjust the scope so the cross hairs are on the same object. I do this by centering the barrel on the object and then turning the knobs in the opposite direction they call for. If the scope is too low, I move it lower until the cross hairs are right on the target. After I get the scope and barrel lined up I shoot at 25 yards and adjust as needed. I then move back to 50 or 100 yards and adjust again. I am now zeroed. I use a chronograph while doing this to test loads and do a cleaning regiment on a new barrel while zeroing, to make the most of ammo. If it is a gun I can not look down the barrel like a lever action or auto, I set up at 25 yards and start firing. I take a good sized paper and shoot to the center. If my bullets hit the paper, I adjust accordingly. If they do not hit paper, I start aiming off the paper. I go 6" to the right off the paper, of center, then 6" low, then 6" left and so on until I hit paper; one shot at a time. If I still do not hit paper I move out to 12". It sounds like I waste a lot of ammo, but it really does not take that much. I just shoot one round at a time until I get it close, then start shooting 3 shot groups to finalize the zero. Once I think I got it, then I start shooting 5 shot groups. If I was shooting a rifle that takes $3 ammo, I would probably pay a shop to bore sight it for me, but I do not shoot any thing that expensive. I have used the above described method for years and have never wanted for any thing else. I suppose I would really like one if I got it. I got by with out a chronograph for years and never missed it. Now I have one and would not load develop with it. I think if I got one, I would get the type that has the proper pins for your bore and a grid above the bore to set the scope with. I am sure there will be others along that have more experience with them than I do, I just never felt the need. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Natty Bumppo]

I center the bore on a target at 25 yds and move the crosshairs to the bull.  That's always been good enough to get me on the paper.

[Badnews Bob]

Same here that issue eyeball works really well just looking down the barrell. I did however buy a tool from brownells the helps kepping the scope from being canted, I think it can be one of the best things you can do getting your scope plumb to the bore before you worry about anything else.

[MSP Ret]

I also bore sight by eye and have been doing so for years. It's quick and easy, and it works....<><....

[quickdtoo]

Umm, when I remember to, I use a laser bore sighter I bought at Cabela's on sale for $40, I needed another $40 of purchases to get free shipping and $20 off of the total so, I added one to my cart. It's been one of the best $40 I've ever spent! While looking thru the bore works and has for me for about 50yrs on actions that have removable bolts, that doesn't work on all rifles, leverguns and semi-autos for a couple, and the Handi doesn't lend itself to it easily either since the barrel pretty much must be removed from the frame to do it in a shooting rest or bags. The laser works much better, plus you can use it to confirm your zero long after you leave the range without firing a shot, just record the relationship of the reticle at a known shorter distance. Right now they have what appears to be the same one I bought on sale with a scope leveling device.

After the scope is mounted loosely in lapped rings or Burris Signature Zee rings, I place the rifle in a Lohman Sight Vise, then stick a small magnetic torpedo level on the side of the frame to get the rifle perfectly plumb, then point it down the hallway to a heavy white cord I hung at the end of the hallway with a lead sinker on the end, then align the verticle X-hair with the cord and tighten the ring caps evenly so it doesn't roll to one side as they're tightened. I also have a Level-level-level for other firearms that don't have flat sided receivers that works really cool, I even made a 90º bracket that makes it work on flat sided frames like the Handi so I can use my gun vise in my shop to complete mount the scope, then when I remember , laser bore sight it upstairs. I've been known to mount a scope then get to doing something else and forget to bore sight it, much to my disappointment when I get to the range!

Tim

Laser Bore Sighter

[Troyboy]

I use the laser It's the one that is universal from .22 to .45. Works great

                                                   Troy

[OBXPilgrim]

I've never used a bore mounted bore sighter.

I've always looked through the bore of the rifle.  Handi's - I've bore sighted just the barrel without it even mounted on the receiver.  I made a highly polished piece of hardened steel on an aluminum 'paddle' to insert into rifles that are not friendly to looking through the bore, like Rem 742/7400's & M1 Garands.  Look through the bore on a firm rest, adjust the sights/scope. 

Sighted an M1 that I built from parts (all H&R) & the first shot ever fired through that rifle cut one of the legs of the X in the center of the target at 100 yards. 

I'm glad that some folks have a use for those lasers, but it'd be a waste of money for me.

[John Boy]

look down the bore... then I adjust the scope.  Usually gets me close to 6 " @ 100 yards.

Then when you 'get close' ... use this chart for fine tuning:

In the 1998 Issue of the Black Powder Cartridge News, Dan Phariss had an article for 1" - 6" - 12" - 24" vernier sight elevation adjustments for various length barrels/sight radius.  Makes for nice range box addition. 

To make the jpg's larger:  Copy Image > To your computer > Open with a picture manager > Enlarge to a desired size > Print > Laminate

[quickdtoo]

More good stuff, thanks JB!!

Tim

[chip-don]

a laser on the muzzle end is handy when using a chrony , i set the rifle in the rest aimed at the target put the laser on ,then set up the chrony for best results

[PigBoy Crabshaw]

Thanks for the opinions. Well it sounds like the eye's have it. I can see doing this with a bolt action where you can take out the bolt and look up the pipe, but it's seems like a hassle taking the action off the stock to do this on a Handi.
I'll try a bullet type laser. -g

[coyotejoe]

I'd avoid the "cartridge" lasers for two reasons. The necessary clearance between laser and chamber makes them less precise and when you play with more than one caliber you have to buy a whole new laser for each. It is the muzzle end of the barrel which directs the bullet, not the chamber end so a laser which fits into the muzzle just makes more sense.
  I too got along for fifty years just eyeballing them when I could and just shooting up close with a large target for pump, autos and lever guns. A few years ago I got a 40 dollar Bushnell laser and have become quite fond of it since it works very well with all rifles, handguns and muzzleloaders. I first tried one of the type which uses "O" rings to center the spud in the bore and that was a total PITA POS. The Bushnell uses expandable arbors to center the rear of the spud and a long taper to center the front and I've found it very consistent and easy to work with. As Tim said, forty bucks well spent. There is no escaping technology so we may as well make use of it.

[PigBoy Crabshaw]

Coyotejoe, Thanks for the update. I'm always willing to try what has been tried and true and don't want to re-invent the wheel or go broke trying. I'm just looking for something that will get me close without taking it apart. -g

[Tencubed]

Think it's all pretty much been said but I'll add a couple of thoughts.

Knock the primer out of an empty case and put it in the chamber.  Gives a way to be sure you are very close to center of the chamber when looking thru the bore.  Kind of like a peep sight.

I use a small mirror on lever and pump guns.  Got it off the cosmetics counter at Walgreens.  Ladies use them for lipstick repairs.

Was given a bore mount laser one christmas but find it to be more of a hassle than I feel it's worth.  Also don't want to carry the thing with me when hunting.  Easier to peek down the bore if you think something drastic has happened to sight alignment.

Mike

[jammer308]

Just thought I'd add that, at one of my local ranges there is a picture of a blown up barrel on the wall. Poor guy used a laser bore sighter and forgot to remove it before firing the first shot. It was not pretty.