Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leveling Scope Reticle Talley LightWeight Rings

Hi John, I hear you on small bubble levels, but my Segway is an ancient model and lacks a bubble level. Really, I find a bubble level completely unnecessary anyway - if the reticle is leveled square to the scope base, that's all I really care about.

mine also .

I have been using this Brownell‘s Exd tool and a plum line for years and find it the most accurate method for me.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...ertical-reticle-instrument-prod6097.aspx

Yes, it's so simple, even a monkey can do it.. The guy that invented that tool is pretty smart. Those that have never tried it, should invest in one. No plumb bobs or levels, just a rubber band that holds it securely to the scope and what you see in the picture. Extremely simple.

The bubble levels are so short in radius don’t think much of them maybe if they were like a carpenter level in length would be more useful. I have always just used my eyes leave both open and move back from the ocular lens far enough to see the action and possible the front sight if there is one. When one throws the rifle up to his shoulder due to clothing and one’s body shapes most likely things are not level anyway. Then throw in the likelyhood in a hunting situation where you are on a grade or slope and all this becomes much less relevant.
If you level a surface with one of these tiny levels and then use a precision machinists level on the same surface you discover they are not that accurate.

Close to what I do. I use a long level on either the base or action. Then put the barrel clamp level on the barrel and adjust it to match the long level. The adjustment screw on the barrel level makes it very easy to adjust. At this point the level on the barrel will always let you know if it's level or not.

Following that I install the scope and align the reticle to a hanging orange piece of paracord that's weighted on the end. Make sure the barreled action is level with the level on the barrel and that the reticle is level with the paracord. On rifles I plan on shooting longer distance, I usually go ahead and put a bubble level on the scope at this time for reference when shooting.

If I'm using a pic base, I use playing cards when putting the scope in rings and check against the above....it usually gets it really close. Sometimes I'll use MK Machinings Rail Mounted level along with the others - it's turned out to be very true but I only have one if them and not all scopes are going on pic rails.

I own/use one of the Reticle-Tru's but prefer the level's. It works well, I just prefer the levels and hanging cord....I've already got the cord set up and a work top located to view it so it only takes a couple of minutes.

I use the wheeler double level kit. Am a hunter and rock shooter at distance. The wheeler will get a leve as need to be shooting off a pack or off my truck hood. moral of the story - depends on how you use your rifle is the answer.

Guess I can't help but mention that the more complicated the tool/concept, the less likely it is to actually get the reticle square with the bore, every time. I know this due having used just about all the tools here--and they don't consistently work as well as the Reticle-Tru.

This is because the Reticle-Tru DIRECTLY compares the reticle with the center of the bore/action, rather than depending on several measurements that may or may not get there. And I have checked its results out with a "tall target test," which has turned out to be dead-nuts every time.

But whatever....

I like my 30+ year old Segway leveler so well, I decided to try to find another since they're apparently no longer made. I Easily found one NIB on ebay. I'm now covered for the rest of my life

I noticed the plastic Reticle-Tru isn't available right now. It's not inexpensive, but good things rarely are. If I were 20 years younger and in the height of rifle looneyism, I'd shuck out the $75. As it stands, most of my rifle experimentation is well behind me, so the old Segway is good enough.