Crosshair Alignment

[OldiesButGoodies]

I've been trying to align my crosshairs by laying it flat on a bench and eyeballing them level as much as possible but everytime I switch from bench to off hand they seem to be uneven. Is it necessary to have them as level as possible for best accuracy or is it ok to only have them level to your personal hold? What methods do you guys use to align your crosshairs?

[amb5500c]

I make sure that the crosshairs are aligned level with the gun. If they arent level when I shoulder the gun, that means its me holding the gun crooked.
Richard

[Tpatner412]

well what you are probably doing is canting the gun when you hold it off hand.  I do the same thing with most of my guns.  I generally try to align the crosshairs straight at the bench so I know that if they are off at all it is me and not the scope.  Canting the gun or scope for that matter can create accuracy issues so I would try and correct you hold before anything else.

[Norm_m]

I agree with the others, get your rifle as level as possible and adjust your scope to that. One good way to get your cross hairs level is to 1st get the gun level and 2nd to drop a plumb bob ( line with a weight on it) in front of your scope about 5 - 10 yards away from it and adjust the scope's crosshairs to that. If your rifle is level the string will be perfectly plumb and your combination will be perfectly set-up. After that has been done you will always know if the rifle is being held correctly of if you are canting it right or left.
Good luck
Norm

[Slay No More]

oh this problem, i actually sat there once for 5 hours trying to get them leveled i didn't know that much time passed until my mom got off work i'm a perfectionist and i tell you it's a ***ch to do this, i have no solutions sadly.

[JonnyReb]

  Try holding the gun out in front of you, with your eye even with the buttstock. From this far back, scope cant is easy to spot and i'll do most of my adjusting based on the visuals from this.  I've got a tacklebox full of scope leveling apperatus and find that it's all worthless with many guns, they(ag's) are not made to a perfect enough tolerance when the dovetails, receiver/barrel alignment is all taken into consideration. Alligning by eye seems to work best for me.  J

[Jay]

You can also check the level/alignment by placeing a mirror at least 10 yds in front of gun then aim at your scope/self in mirror, if scope is aligned right the cross hair will disect straight though center of barrel.

[sawtoothscream]

some great tips hear. going to have to try that string thing. 

[ChickenSlayer671]

You could also use a carpenters level (tradesman, beam level). Place the level on your wall 10-15 yards away, tape a 4' painters  or electrical tape on the wall aligned with the level. Set your rifle in a vice or sandbag. Put the level on the flat part of the breach block and make adjustments to make it level. Turn the scope until it aligns vertical with the tape on the wall.

[Slay No More]

lol good suggestion, i sight my crappy bb gun that way. ;p

[Bullit]

I personally think the Plumb Bob method is the easiest for me.  I tend to cant myself, so I have to keep it in mind.