How to Mount a Rifle Scope: Rifle Scope Tips with Ryan Cleckner 

hi..where can i get those levelling wedges?

ask your scope maker if they guarantee the reticle is level with flat surfaces on the scope. i asked vortex and they said no.

Got my wedge on Amazon a week ago.

Don't toss your bubbles. The wedges won't fit on all mounts/scopes. I found this out after buying a wedge set for a new rifle/scope set up! (but didn't toss my bubble levels thankfully!).

Exactly. A Plumb Bob is your best bet. Also, if you level your scope to your rifle and then pull the rifle into your shoulder pocket, is your shoulder pocket straight up and down? Mine isn't! My method is hold the gun comfortably (repeatability), level the scope to the Plumb Bob, and then level the bubble level to the scope. Sitting, kneeling, or standing, the scope naturally levels, weak- side or prone I go to the bubble level. Cheers

That's true. But if your reticle is canted in the scope and you level the reticle, now the erector isn't going to pull the reticle straight up and down when make adjustments.

@@eddieb9110 If your reticle is canted inside the scope mechanics, you are correct, BUT if you read his comment, that's not what he's talking about: the mechanics inside the scope can be square while having the flat on the bottom of the scope body out of square: the external flat that shooters use to index their scope IS NOT what manufacturers index the internals off of during manufacturing. This is why vortex uses a plumbline to level the reticle and then tracks it up and down the plum line to verify tracking: a scope is an optical measurement instrument, not a mechanical measurement instrument. A similar problem presents when reloaders "uniform" primer pockets: most primer pocket tools index off the neck of the cartridge where manufacturers index off the base of the cartridge. Obviously, indexing off the base of the cartridge is more accurate, but also much more difficult to achieve (ie more expensive).

@@wilfdarr Not sure about that... I would say the manufacturing process probably leaves the turrets square to the scope body. The problem is that the reticle is installed by hand. The scope body is machined.

@@eddieb9110 "Probably" and "should", but as noted in the OP, "not guaranteed".

Use a Plumb Bob as a reference for your vertical reticle: hold it next to, not directly over, the Plumb Bob line, and your eyes will pick up if they are parallel or not. Remember, the bottom of the scope and the top of the rail are not necessarily level themselves (in truth, the reticle can also be installed catawampus from factory and the only way to know one way or the otheris to perform a tall target test): gravity is always straight up and down 🗼🍕😁

@@wilfdarrhe explains why a plumb string isn’t really doing anything. What if you’re not holding the rifle plumb underneath the scope?

@@slpeteyAZ You don't have to. In fact, That's exactly what this method accounts for: it assumes you are a human and not a robot, and therefore don't actually hold the rifle level. This method ensures the scope will be level when you hold the rifle naturally, which is important for accuracy. There are 3 "problems" with this method you need to be aware of: 1a) if you shoot with your weak side, or 1b) put the rifle on a level surface; the scope likely will no longer be level: it is only level when the rifle is canted at the same angle to which you leveled the scope. 2) there will be an offset that you need to be aware of, though it's not a problem easily accounted for: say the offset is 1/8inch, and you zero at 100, then the bullet will be 1/8 offset at 200, 1/4in at 300, 3/8 at 400, etc. Equally you could keep the 1/8 offset at 100, and you would have a 1/8 offset parallel to your POA/LOS. But holding the rifle plumb isn't a factor with this method.

I was wondering the same thing

Arisaka

Normally, the scope ring manufacturer will include the torque in the installation instructions.

Hi. I'm a retired pipefitter by trade. You only put the loctite on the male threads. Just follow the example that Ryan showed you and everything will work out great.

Arisaka

That is for the older style rings that mount directly to the receiver rather than a rail. I think it is or was necessitated by uncertainty of tolerances that the receiver tap holes were made to and less precise manufacturing of the rings. It ensured that the rings were perfectly lined up. Now, with a quality made rail and rings, they line up correctly without lapping. It’s one of the reasons your rail and rings should be good quality. They don’t have to be the most expensive but shouldn’t be cheap.

Offset scope would mean you need dope for elevation AND windage for various ranges. Ain't nobody got time for that.

@@eddieb9110 1) For a deer gun, its not an issue: let's say you're holding your rifle so that the scope is laterally shifted 1/8in, you zero at 100 yards, then at 3 hundred yards you're 1/2in out the other side. Most people don't shoot deer beyond 300 yards and a deer isn't going to notice a half inch! Plus you know it's laterally shifted so you can just pull it back a half inch if you're shooting at around 300 yards, one inch at 500. That doesn't take any time at all, so the "got no time for that" argument doesn't hold up. And anything beyond that you're going to have to dope wind anyways, you're already going to your dope sheet, so you've lost no time. 2)ELR shooters already use a Delta Tarac to INTENTIONALLY shift the image laterally to get the barrel out of the way: yes you have to dope for it, but a) it's linier, so 2.1 at at the gun, if you zero at 100 yards, then (range in hundreds - 1) x 2.1 = Lateral shift (5(00yds) -1) x 2.1 = 4 x 2.1 = 8.4: most competitors can do that in their head. b) you don't have to do it in your head because you've already included it in your dope sheet, so you find the range, look it up on the sheet, and shoot the numbers. It's not the problem people are making it out to be. Everything is a compromise: I'd rather hold the rifle comfortably canted KNOWING I'm holding the scope level and in a repeatable position than the other way around. Would I use this method for a prone or barricade competition gun, absolutely not, but for a hunting gun that I'm going to be carrying and quickly shouldering, yes. Horses for courses.

@@eddieb9110 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OORPayHawdk.html

@@bkbruin77 LMAO. 20moa? You really think that's something? 🤣😂🤣😂 "We used a Charlie and Delta TARAC in addition to a *350 moa base* on the 40 moa action." RE: 1092moa for a 4 mile shot: Delta Tarac gives a horizontal offset of 2.1inch. Two ears, one mouth. Next time listen twice as much as you talk.