WTB (buy to borrow) A tool to site in scopes

[Apestoso]

Hello all,

I am looking for a proper tool that can be used to site in rifle scopes. Trial and error is getting a bit old. If you have something to sell, great, if you have a really nice tool (keep the jokes to yourself) and can help me sight in a basic scope on a Ruger 10/22 I would appreciate the help and info. I would like to buy one, but I would almost prefer someone helping my son and I site a scope and learn how to do it properly along with some edumication about what makes a good siting tool as well as technique.

Even some good suggestion about which one to buy new would be helpful. Seems like there are so many ranging from really heap to more than I make in a month. Not sure what I really need to spend for standard scope sighting.

Thanks for any help!

[Holland&Holland]

Sighting in tool would be a box of ammo and a paper target. Hard to get cheaper than that.

[Countryfried Frank]

I don't have a lot of experience sighting a scope but my method is to start at 25 yds (closer if I'm not on paper) and get it as close as I can with the gross adjustments on the mount/add shims/whatever. Then I step it out to 50 just to make sure I didn't seriously screw up at 25. Last I move to my target range and dial it in there. Don't be bashful about pulling the trigger and be cognizant of barrel temps. You can probably save a couple cartriges with a laser but I like making things go boom. Whatever you do, use the same ammo/load you intend to use in a practical situation. Patience will be your best friend. Don't make an adjustment based on one shot, you will be chasing the bull for hours. Shoot a group and adjust on the group. On my .22 I was shooting 10 shots and adjusting the scope based on each group, on my .300 Win Mag it was a 3 shot group. Until the tragic boat accident.

Someone else probably has a better way. They are right.

[Apestoso]

Sighting in tool would be a box of ammo and a paper target. Hard to get cheaper than that.

True, that's the way i've always done it, then I bought a new rifle a year or so ago and they sent it in back to sight in the scope I also bought. That thing was so damn accurate it was amazing. More than just the accuracy of the rifle, but the scope seemed perfectly aligned. No complaint about doing it the manual way, I was just impressed with what they did in a matter of minutes. Because I frequently shoot without scopes, then like to put the scope back on, re-sighting them becomes a time consuming chore.

Thanks for the helpful tip, though.

[yuppiejr]

Yep, assuming the sights are not really screwed up at the factory you should be able to start at 25 feet or so with sandbags, fire a test shot, adjust your optics, test-adjust-etc. until zeroed and then back out to 50-100 yards and fire/check again.

Bolt action rifles are the easiest since you can just pull the bolt, look down the barrel at a 30-50 yard target and then adjust the scope to match your point of reference - dial in a zero and then push out to 100 yards and adjust again, done.

I've owned 3 bore sighters (optical, cartridge size laser and muzzle mounted laser) and have still found shots at short and then long range on a good size target is still the easiest and cheapest method. Knowing how your scope adjustments will impact POI at a given range will help as well, a lot of people are way too conservative between adjustments and burn more ammo than necessary on a sight-in.

[OldmanFCSA]

PM sent - sight-in with two shots, whatever the range, as long as you can see point of impact of 1st shot.

[subwofer2]

PM sent - sight-in with two shots, whatever the range, as long as you can see point of impact of 1st shot.

This works. EVERYTIME.

[farmerj]

I am lazy.

I sight in at 25, 28 or 33 yards depending on the load. Confirm at 280, 300 or 325 yards with a clay pigeon.

[benny]

I have a guide gear bore sighter kit new in box for $20 if you want it.

Benny

[Holland&Holland]

Sighting in tool would be a box of ammo and a paper target. Hard to get cheaper than that.

True, that's the way i've always done it, then I bought a new rifle a year or so ago and they sent it in back to sight in the scope I also bought. That thing was so damn accurate it was amazing. More than just the accuracy of the rifle, but the scope seemed perfectly aligned. No complaint about doing it the manual way, I was just impressed with what they did in a matter of minutes. Because I frequently shoot without scopes, then like to put the scope back on, re-sighting them becomes a time consuming chore.

Thanks for the helpful tip, though.

I assume by a "tool" you are refering to a bore sigter? If so, all it can do at its best is get you on paper. Or are you talking about tools to mount the scope? Really, once it is on paper the rest is up to the shooter. Even a bore sighter is not going to help you with scope alignment. Not sure what you are really looking for. Not to be a jerk but if you sent it in to be sighted in, they did nothing other than that, the accuracy of the rifle and the consistency of the optic already existed.

[Tromix-Saiga-12]

I highly recommend the Leupold Zero Point. If you are near Bloomington you can PM me if you want to use mine.

[benny]

If your still looking for help to sight in that rifle on the next warmer weekend we can meet at Beaverbrook gun club.

I will bore sighr it for you, coach you along on the paper tuning and show you how it is done so your able to do it your self on the next rifle.
Just send me a PM or post on here for me.
Benny

[kerns bbo]

Steve-

I have a bushnell boresighter you are welcome to borrow. Like others have said, it isn't perfect but will get you in the general area. I have found that at 25 yards I am within approx 6 inches of center. Give me a call if you want to use it (if you don't have my number any more let me know).

[Apestoso]

Not to be a jerk but if you sent it in to be sighted in, they did nothing other than that, the accuracy of the rifle and the consistency of the optic already existed.

Not being a jerk at all. This is one area I just don't have that much experience with and from the comments and PM's I've learned there is no "magic bullet", so to speak. What got me thinking about some sort of "sighting in tool" was the experience I described at the store. Now I realize it was probably just the quality of the optics/rifle combo and a little luck thrown in there. I was just so surprised how accurate it was the first time out, no need to adjust a thing, that I assumed they had some tool that I just had to have! Now I realize I probably could use a simple tool to start with, but the reality is getting the proper technique out on the field is where it's really going to matter to get it sighted properly.

Thanks for all the responses. I guess there isn't some "magic bullet". It was just the right optics and some luck.

Thanks
-A