Installing a level on a rifle scope for long range shooting/hunting, and advanced tips. 

Should send the defective scope back. Just because you spent a lot of money on it doesn't mean they are all perfect. I have personally seen many high dollar optics (or the best a particular manufacture makes) with canted reticules. IE vortex razor HD, Steiner, Leopold, Burris, etc

Charles thanks for your kind words. If you need to purchase any level, keep in mind we now have them on our web site under the accessories. www.bipodbuddy.com

I have my covers flip up at an angle so I can see my turret also.

First, It is very important that when taking a shot the reticle is plumb. It really doesn't matter if the scope is perfectly square to the rifle, as long as when the shot is taken the reticle is straight up and down. You can trust your eyes to level the crosshair at reasonable distance. For longer range shooting, I feel it is best to have a level installed on the scope. I personally would install a level, and set the scope in the rings so that it felt comfortable when you shoulder the rifle. Again as long as the scope is level/reticle is plumb, it does not matter if it is square to the rifle.

@@aroshtr Thanks for the reply! Shoot. I forgot to add some details. lol But I did install a scope level when my reticle was being plumbed. The leveled rifle was just out of preference. So just to be sure. If a plumbed reticle appears canted from our “perspective” but the scope level indicates that it is plumbed, it’s still good? It does appear level when I look from behind the buttpad of the stock but not when I place my head on the cheek rest. I appreciate all your help! 👍🏼

@@spicychich1718 Thanks for the clarification. So in theory, you should be good to go. However, this does depend on how the reticle was plumbed. If you used a true plumb line set with an accurate long level or a plumb bob, and lined the reticle up with this line, I would think you are good to go. It is possible that it is an optical illusion. However If you simply used bubble levels set on the scope turrets/housing, you may have some error. It is important to know that the reticle in scopes can be installed slightly out of square/plumb. I have even seen this in higher end scopes. If this is the case, you have to make a decision. 1. If you are using the reticle for hold overs, you MUST make the reticle plumb to the level mounted on the scope. 2. If you are using your turrets to dial elevation, you will have to ignore the canted reticle, and set the actual travel of the scope plumb to the scope level. Once the level that is mounted on the scope is set correctly, feel free to adjust the rotation of the scope in the rings to feel comfortable to your eye. Obviously after doing this you will need to re-zero your rifle. Hope this helps.

@@aroshtr This absolutely helped. Thanks a bunch! Hope this also helps folks that had similar questions. Take care!

It is a rear support for precision shooting. If you visit my web site, it should make more sense. www.BipodBuddy.com

Meaning, if you adjust the scope level to adjust the tracking of the scope for your eye setup, wouldn't the reticle look crooked to your eye anyway?

Robert, I think I can clear up this confusion if I understand your question correctly. First, it is important to understand the the reticle is independent of the travel of the scope tube. Reticles are installed by humans and it is very common that they are not installed absolutely perfectly true to the scopes travel. I have a Leupold VX3, and a Nightforce that the reticles are not exactly in line with the travel of the scope dial. The scope on the video is slightly the same way. In order to verify if the scope was tracking true with the reticle, I was holding the reticle level in reference to the neighbors garage then dialing. This has nothing to do with how the scope was mounted on the gun, but how the reticle was installed in the scope by the manufacturer. Before installing the level, I was using the reticle for holdover, and that is why I had it adjusted to my "eye" so when I held the gun, the reticle would be plum. Keep in mind that the level mounted to the scope gets the "scope" level for the shot, not the "rifle". After properly installing the level, I could take the scope off that rifle, and install it on another rifle in any position I wanted, and as long as the scope is level when the shot is taken there will be no canting error. Second, it is important to understand that everyone holds these guns slightly different and the "look" of the reticle would also be different. The only thing that matters is that the scope is plum to the earth when the shot is taken. How a shooter gets to that point is less important, and adjusting the scope (not the level) if needed so the shooter is comfortable with how the reticle "looks" will make it easier for that shooter to get the scope level.

Bipod Buddy That makes perfect sense to me now.... Thank you for clarifying. I guess I didn't think of the manufacturer's human error when placing the reticle in the scope. Now I understand the entire video and I applaud you.

Holly, that is the "Bipod Buddy" we produce. They are for getting very steady aiming for hunting and precision shooting. Check out our website at www.BipodBuddy.com

I believe he said it was a Remington 7mm magnum

Thanks for the clarification. I misspoke by saying Minute of angle when I meant a minute on a clock (60 minutes on a clock which is 360 degrees thus one minute equals 6 degrees). I was trying to give a visual reference for those that do not understand angles very well. One major point of this video was to make it understood that there is a difference between "rifle" cant and "scope" cant. Scope cant is very important, but rifle cant is insignificant IF the scope is held perfectly level. I believe it is very important to set the rifle to your natural hold and not be "forced" to hold the rifle vertically. If the rifle is comfortable for your hold, you will have a better chance of keeping the rifle level during the shot execution, and will allow for faster leveling in pressure or rushed situations. Most competition shooters set up their rifles this way for good reason. On the other hand many people feel better knowing the rifle is also level or in line with the bore, which is fine too.

The reason for a level is so you do not miss left or right... The biggest point of this video is that the SCOPE must be level when the shot is made. The rifle being level or not is of least importance.

I see your point. Just finished a 6 day training op and space between my ears isn't at it's best.

Jason Campbell There are three main reasons why I feel it is important to at least KNOW you don't have to have the scope perfectly aligned with the bore. First, and most important, I wanted it to be clear that what really matters is the SCOPE being level when the shot is taken. Too many people think the alignment being off is what causes misses at long range when it is the SCOPE not being held level. Second, I wanted people to understand that the gadgets/tools that align the bore to the scope are not necessary and their money could be better spent on other items. Third, I think it is important for shooters to know that if they want to rotate the scope for more comfort or a better cheek weld they can do it as long as the level is mounted to the scope tube and not the gun.

no thats wrong, I have had a rifle and scope not level to one another, to make an adjustment you now have to make two correction in place of one. lets say your rifle is canted but scope is level, when you fire onto your target you find that your shooting low now to fix that you would have to make an adjustment of lets 1/4 moa up then you would have to make the windage adjustment 1/4 moe to the left

Jason Campbell I will be putting together a video that proves my point, as you are not the only one who thinks the bore must be in line with the scope. When you are say that you will need both windage and elevation to correct for a low bullet placement, this is only true if the SCOPE is canted. Imagine a gun being held vertical, but a scope at a 45 degree angle. In this example you are correct and would need equal windage and elevation adjustments to get the bullet to move straight up, and one 1/4moa click would only equal 1/8moa of elevation change. Take this to the extreme, and imagine a properly mounted scope over the bore, and then lay the gun on its side on the bench. Now the elevation and windage knobs would act opposite . To move the bullet up you would need to adjust the windage turret to the right to get the bullet to come up. and one 1/4 moa click to the right would move the bullet up 1/4 moa. This is not what I am talking about. In my example the scope is held perfectly level, and the GUN is canted at a 45 degree angle. Thus when making a correction the elevation would track true. I agree that the bore will now be to the right of the scope in this case, but it is possible to sight in and hit the middle at say 200 yards. Keep in mind that as soon as the bullet leaves the barrel, gravity pulls it STRAIGHT DOWN. So lets imagine the barrel is off to the right by a full 1/2". So, If you sight in at 200 with the bullet hitting 1/2" to the right, you would hit 1/2" to the right at 100 and 400 or any distance. Now when you correct for the windage to sight in at a particular distance, you now create some angular error. If we now sight in at 200, we would hit 1/4" to the right at 100, 1/4" left at 300, and 1/2" left at 400.... Keep in mind the kind of cant we would actually have is so minimal that it will almost not be measurable in real world shooting conditions.

Jason Campbell no you’re wrong. The rifle can be canted but the reticle cannot, if you want precision. You can “approximately” align the bore and reticle, but you want your reticle to be level and setting up a scope-mounted bubble level helps achieve that in long range shooting.

I disagree 100%

700 yds is a joke

Chunky Father rifle doesn’t need to be true to reticle. Reticle must be true to direction of gravity and track precisely. Zero your rifle with reticle square and your rifle cant is irrelevant (but your reticle cant is critical)

tzsniper you dont know what you are talking about. The reticle needs to track very precisely in the direction of gravity, regardless of your rifle orientation. If it does, and your reticle is not canted when you shoot, you’re good. If your rifle is canted but your reticle is not you’re good