Precision Rifle Scope Mounting & Leveling 

Quick hint from my surveying background. When you check a level of something with a bubble or angle finder, flip it 180 degrees and see if it agrees both ways. If it doesn't, you have error in your bubble, and will need to halve the error. I use a suunto clinometer to do my scopes.

Haven't had a chance to test if it holds zero, but mounts just fine and has nice clear glass. Centered vertically true to a plumb line with the crosshairs which is always a plus!It's a great ru-vid.comUgkxc4K63Fd5LglDMObu7-Bgapxp_ef0W8hE scope. There's no parallax adjustment or focus ring, so may be limited to 3-7x, have to see how it is on the range. Also be aware that the rings are "look through" so you can still use irons, but they are really tall if you only intend to use the optics. On a 22LR no biggie since I'm not shooting competitions or worried about a hard cheek press. Will boresight and range test, if all goes well, I'll leave it at that!

Just use a plumb line hanging off a wall or tree. Match the scope's vertical reticle with the plumb line after ensuring the action is absolutely level. I used to have endless problems letting gunsmiths mount my scopes because they wouldn't take the time to do it properly, since most of it is just grunt labor. But I've never had a problem in 20 years since I started doing it myself. I use Uncle Mike's Guntite which is similar to Loctite 242, however, only Guntite is designed for a lubricant environment. But blue Loctite 243 is slightly stronger than 242, and it is designed to function around lubricants. Gunwriter Layne Simpson uses Loctite 222 which is designed for small scope mounting screws, whereas Guntite, Loctite 242 & 243 are designed for larger action screws. However, Larry Pottterfield (the owner of Midway) mounts the 6-48 screws on his bases with Loctite 242, in Midway's scope mounting videos. Although Guntite is labelled for 1/4" to 3/4" action size screws, it seems to work just fine on the smaller 6-48 & 8-40 scope mounting screws.

This video was very well done. Clear, concise, informative. Plenty of common sense. Thanks for making this video.

Sam, u have a great way of explaining things, so glad I came across your channel.

that is an excellent tip about leveling the scope off the bottom, thanks!

Thank you, I truly enjoyed watching and listening to you explain all of this. I do not shoot any type of competition, but I like getting things correct, or as close as I can. Aim small, miss small!

I just got my hands on a .300 Win Mag. I will be putting a scope on this rifle and I just LOVE the information you presented in this video! Simple straight forward instructions in an easy to understand way. WELL DONE!

By far the simplest and easiest to understand tutorial for this BY FAR

I must've watched 20 different videos on "expert" scope installs. Most are backyard hacks that have no idea what they're doing. It is indeed refreshing to see someone do it the right way and explain why it's done the way it was done. Especially liked the end where you mention using a plumb line to verify correct tracking. Well done. Your videos are great.

Thanks, Sam. Appreciate the work you put in making the vids. Looking forward to more. 😎👍🏽

Thanks loads for this info on leveling off the bottom of the scope adjustment housing. I have heard of this many years ago, but never thought too much about it due to using low rings which did not give much space between the base and the receiver bottom. I recently purchased a CZ .22LR Mod. 457 match rifle, and installed a Nikon Rimfire scope and installed a medium set of Leopold rings, and this method works just fine. Total success!

So easy when someone explains it so well. Great video. Now I know how to mount and level a long range set up

Very good. I like the level idea. Just went down and bought what I needed to make my own. Thanks Sam.

Excellent advise and explained so as to understand the complete user methods involved in scope mounting and adjustment. Thanks loads.

Appreciate you taking the time to demonstrate this for us beginers

Absolutely brilliant. Clear and concise, no nonsense. Very well done Sir 👍👍

Great video. I install my scopes the same way. The piece of metal with the attach level is a fantastic idea.Thanks for showing that. When I finish installing the scope and everything is leveled, I line the elevation and windage reticles up with a piece of door molding or something permanent that is horizontal and vertical and make sure all reticles are as plum as possible. Again thanks.

Thank you for this video Sam. I leveled the scope on all my three rifles yesterday after making a makeshift tool based on the idea you had there with the steel. Even my first gun which was fitted by a gunsmith back then was "way" off in terms of leveling.

I use the Arisaka leveling system. Bought it from Amazon. Best and simplest leveling device I have found.

I’ve been mounting scopes on my rifles for let’s say a long time, first scope on a 22 and the next scope was one of the first Redfield Widefields, dad taught me the door jamb method, over the years I’ve mounted a lot if scopes using different methods to get the scope set square as possible. This year I bought a Athlon Ares for my Ruger #1 300 Win Mag for hunting at long distance if need be. After watching your many instructive videos I just want to say thanks, your videos are direct and to the point, easy to follow and I’m remounting my Athlon scope. Deer season is over for me, 5x5 Muley with my go to 243 Remington model 6. Thanks again.

Wow! My first time to purchase and install a scope. I'm close to being overwhelmed with all the information available on the internet on this topic. Everything from lapping the rings and precise alignment as presented by Larry Potterfield to just bolt it on and go. I just picked up (new) a Remington 700 5R stainless in an M-S Precision stock. Starting point here, picatiny mount(s) on the receiver. Two or one piece, no decision yet made. I suspect I have a lot of learning to accomplish before laying out any cash. I was surprised to hear that a Bushnell scope rated so well with you. As mentioned, I have no experience with scopes but I do recall many decades ago the Bushnell binoculars were what you bought if you were very limited with funds. I now will look more closely at this scope. Appreciate you video, thanks, clear to understand and well put together.

Never thought of leveling from the bottom of the scope! But after seeing it i 100% get it, great to know as i'd just been using the turrets to square off! Brilliant video all round!

I made the leveling tool. Works great. Thanks for sharing.

Thoroughly appreciate this. I'm digging my rifles out now, whether they're correct or not I want to be double sure.

Nice video! Thanks for putting it together. One thing you might want to mention is the nead to have some space between the ring halfs. I'm sure you watch for this but some people may not think about it. I bore sight the same way as you described. It works great for me.

Excellent description. Thanks! You can use a rubber band or a foam ear plug (unused) to hold the level in place against the bottom flat of the scope while you adjust.

Thanks for the instruction. It's always good to get different points of view on accomplishing this task.

I really appreciate your videos. Most of my shooting is 100-300 yards working on the feral hog problem in my area. I just ordered a Vortex scope to mount on my 30-06 and your video certainly presents some good information.

Outstanding video. Thank you.

Awesome video. One piece of advice for an old Army Avionics guy, be sure to reset your torque wrenches to zero to keep from changing the calibration. We had to have EVERY torque wrench, driver, etc., calibrated every 6 months max, some needed calibrated every 3 months due to aviation critical use. I was also our Apache Battalion's calibration co-ordinator doing the actual calibrations on those and about 60% of depot level aviation equipment, you'd be amazed how some can get beaten to death and never change while others taken perfect care of change accuracy just sitting on the shelf.

Sam very nice job,fanks to you, all very simple and clearly! 👍

I love these videos. I’ve really learned allot from you in the last while. Great how you don’t over complicate things, like so many other channels I’ve seen. Keep it up!

I like using the same level for the rifle and optic. Just like you did. Rules out an error if the levels don’t match. Great video man. I’m definitely enjoying your channel.

Very good series. Thankyou for sharing your experience and pragmatic approach.

Thanks for sharing that trick of of using the bottom flat part of the scope. Never thought of that.

The flat magnet with the level is a great idea! Great video. Thanks.

I use a plum line and shine a flash light threw the scope and line up the retical with the plum, If i had a level like the one on the vid I would do it that way also, love the vids and keep them coming, I look forward to seeing them

Glad to see that mounting right next to the turret housing is not anything to worry about. I had to do the same thing to get the proper eye relief on my recent build and was a little bothered by it.

Loving this channel. Subscribed!

Excellent presentation, very easy to understand and I will use your methods to get my scope mounted/zero'd

Nice. Last step (for me) is to verify the reticle is plumb when the scope mounted level says it is. Hang plumb line on wall, shine flashlight through objective to check.

Had a look these last febuary Sam fantastic scopes for sure. Glass is up there with the Gen II razor, ATACR, etc. The DMR II Pro is sure to shake things up as it's the DMR II with ED glass just like the XRS II will be interesting to see if they keep it at $1599. I recently picked up a Mark 5HD and am thoroughly impressed by Leupold thus far. Glass is extremely nice. I hope you do a second video i'd like to see how you set everything up to do the tracking test and plumline.

Great explanation and demo.

Great video I use three levels but not that way but you can bet I will try this method because it makes a lot of sense to me. I am always looking for excellence and that as close as it comes you have helped me considerably thanks Beagleman

Great video boss. I use the Arisaka tool to level the scopes now. Works a treat.

As someone who runs a nightforce NXS and constantly having trouble with the reticle being out. I think I now know why. You legend! Time to machine up a bar and glu a bubble level on it 🤙🏻

I'm just getting into long-range shooting...the scope has been my biggest set back...not 'the' scope...operator with the scope. Set up....this has become a compound issue, now that my Daughter has shown great aptitude for rifle shooting (starting with comp. Air Rifle) I see that I need to study a great deal more...Thank you for your tips and advice on tools... instant subscriber

Great video. I've used a level on the turret with the cap removed and it didn't occur to be that it might not be level. Most of the time I put the rifle in a clamp on my kitchen table and level the rifle. Then I put my 4 foot long level on my back fence 30 yards from the table and level the scope by aligning the vertical crosshair with the level. If I need to bore sight a rifle at the same time I tape a red/orange ball to the level.

Great video, made some stuff much clearer. Your shop makes me jealous!

Excellent tip going to the bottom of the scope make sense thanks for your video

Really helpful....my first scope arrives tomorrow.

I agree with you on the ring spacing, I have seen some scopes with picatinny rails where they mounted the scope with both rings almost all the way against the turrets, which I don’t think anyone should do if they can help it.

Very helpful video. Thank you

Hello, thank you very much for this lesson. Greetings from Poland

Great video and explanations ! Thank you ! Look fwd to more vids from you

That is one of the most sensible precision scope mounting procedures I've ever seen. Maybe I feel that way because it's almost exactly what I do 😂. I don't overthink it, I buy quality hardware like you do and l I've never thought that I need to lap or bed my scope. Project a reticle image and compare it to a plumb line. I do it and I haven't had to make a change either.

Great video Sam, can you do a video some time explaining how to determine picking the correct tool size (hex vs star, imperial vs metric, etc ) I’ve wrecked the odd screw over the years by getting in wrong! My wife shakes her head when she finds me setting up a plumb line on the lounge wall, rifle on the dinner table, but hey it works a treat lol

But just wanting to make a small point. A minute amount of locktite is just a step of precaution. No harm, no foul if using blue removable. A vital step in my break barrel air rifles in my opinion. I really enjoyed your video and instruction.

Several years ago some more experienced shooters than I recommended using a set of feeler gauges between the rail and the flat base on the bottom side of the optic. Just get feeler gauges the exact hight between the rail and optic and make sure it doesn't rock side to side. Seems to work really well and really fast.

That was The best informative video Amazing AmazingStep-by-step Of something I really needed to know Thank you

Good details for doing the job correctly.

Excellent video... Thanks!

Great video. I have the Fat Torque Screwdriver as well. You should not store it with tension on it though. Set it to zero in lbs before putting it back in case.

I really like your choice in Cartridge. To date I have 3 Firearms in the 260 Remington Cartridge and it is my favorite one to use. One Browning A-Bolt Hunter .260 Rem. One Browning A-Blot Stainless Stalker .260 Rem. One personally built AR-10 .260 Rem 24" Wilson Combat SS Fluted. Now that one is a tack driver and when I take it to the range everyone wants to play with it. Lol. I absolutely love shooting the .260 Rem. as it has enough power to even take down the Elk we have here in Washington State and yet I can load it down for just about any Varmint I want to shoot. Looking at building yet another AR-10 in .260 Rem for a spare and just because I like it. In our family we have quite a few Browning A-Bolt Hunters in the .260 Rem. and they have always been such a joy to shoot. My youngest son took his first White Tail @ 200 yards with his A-Blot Hunter .260 Rem. I'd love to hear about how your .260 shoots and what you reload for it. Our favorite has always been ANYTHING Hornady, they are the best I've used and I've been shooting for 50 years. Anyway, good video and keep up the good work.

That was FREAKING AWESOME 👍 thank you.

I never thought of the turret cap being off. I just drove myself to drink setting up a Leupold. I leveled it to the receiver and then after torqueing it down I noticed the reticle was off. I finally set up a 4' level. Leveled the rifle and set the crosshair to the 4' level.

Love these videos 👍👍

Well, I have mounted scopes a few different ways and just watch a Special operations operator explain his method and I must say, I like your procedure much better, actually, the best.

I'm also a huge fan of ARC M10 rings, the best rings I've ever used bar none....

Used Badger rings in the past and liked them but went with a sphur mount on my first big precious rifle build...sphur is probably the only thing I'll use now...spendy but worth it I think. They use a wedge to index off the bottom of them turret housing like you showed. Fast and simplest way to mount a scope ever Period.

Great video man. Well explained and no extra B.S. I subbed👍🏼

10:45 I always knew the scope cap was a poor reference so I always preferred the plum line/reticle method: I'd never thought of using the bottom of the scope. Even if the reticle isn't square to the bottom of the turret housing (imagine it's so bad that looking through your scope you see an “x” instead of a “+”), it's vertical and horizontal tracking will never-the-less be square to the bottom of the housing, so if you find you need to come up .3 mil you can accurately bring the “x” up .3 mil. As always with your channel, I learned something!

Great helpful video. Thanks

Appreciate the video. Good stuff!

Good info. Learned something here.

I like the pink noise when torque is achieved.

FYI...Nightforce said lapping their rings voids the warranty.

I'm going to move to see if it works out forward. I've seen others placed the rear area. Thank you.

Great video! Thanks!

Finally...someone else who truly boresights a rifle. Yeah, I've seen a lot of people WAAAAY over complicate this process with all sorts of gizmo's and such. Even a torque wrench is overkill to me but no harm. If you're mounting a scope on a HUNTING rifle where it may be banged around and see a lot of variation in temp in one day...use the loctite. Your loved and cared for match rifle doesn't really need it though.

Awesome video!!! Wow.

Great video. I have had a base come lose. And a friend had the ring screws come lose. For that reason, I use some form of adhesive on the screws. Can’t hurt and gives me that extra piece of mind. To each their own though.

You’re 100% right about the bottom part of the scope 👍

Great video

Agree. Very good video

Looking good. Just mounted mine yesterday and using the MOAR reticle it just kept playing tricks on my eyes. leveled her up and looked at a plumb bob at 75yds(only distance i had). It looks true, guess we will find out.

Starrett makes sliding parallels and I find the right size that will fit between the top of the Pic rail and the underside of the turret body. Slide the two parallels until they make solid contact with pic rail and scope body. Tighten scope screws and recheck if necessary.

ya. thats the same way i sight mine in, look through the bore and scope. usually you do it in 3 shots @ 100. good video

Well I mounted up a scope, use the top of the turret even tho I new better after watching this video, key word “I new better”, I was looking though the scope and I felt that I had the rifle level but the cross hairs seem to be off, got out levels and compared the top of the turret to the bottom of the scope and yep right there it is proof you were right and I new better then to do it the wrong way!!! Thanks Btw there are a lot of RU-vid videos mounting scopes the WRONG way.

Really Nice ! Great to see it done right! The only thing I would add is,set up a plumb bob/string and check your reticle in the scope for level. You would be surprised how many are off a degree or three. Ha Ha He even says it near the end! Nice job.

Thanks from Lewis county!

Thanks for the video!

Great video. Can you give us the dimensions of the “Level Stick” you had made? Handy tool. I promise we won’t make a big deal about you not using a NF scope.

I feel like I accomplished scope mounting 101. I'm so happy with the outcome. Thanks 🤙

Thank you so very helpful

I level scopes by matching the vertical crosshair with a plumb line. More accurate than any bubble level. Loctite acts as a lubricant before it cures, so your torque values will be off. A guy at Vortex recommends tightening to 15 in-lbf when using Loctite if you want the final result to be 18, but he was just guessing at the number.

Point taken mate!

I do it differently. First make certain the rifle is level. Hang a string bob 6-8 feet from the scope. Next shine a bright flashlight through the objective end of the scope. The reticle will be projected on the wall by the string bob. Just twist the scope until the reticle lines up with the string. No need for expensive tools. been doing this method for decades. Works perfectly.

Will have to check back and see how the turret tracking repeatability holds up.