Thread: Scope alignment methods

Originally Posted by earplay

I've recently purchased a new scope for my Howa 1500, and have run into the familiar problem of knowing how best to align the scope to the bore to minimise scope cant.

Every time I do this, I end up stuck in an obsessive vortex (excuse the pun) about whether the scope is properly aligned to the rifle. Part of the problem is the action doesn't seem to sit perfectly vertical in the stock, and the rings/bases don't appear perfectly aligned with the action either. So using the scope bases as a horizontal reference has resulted in what looks to be a wonky alignment.

In this case, I ended up taking the action out of the stock and using the flat base of the Howa action as my reference, then aligned the crosshair to a vertical reference - it looks ok, but still feels like it is canted one way.

Probably the easiest (or simplest) answer is to stop obsessing - but it got me curious about what other people's methods are, especially when there isn't an obvious flat reference on the top of the action?

You don't necessarily want the scope perfectly level when the rifle is levelled on a bench, as when you shoulder the rifle chances are you can't the rifle a little one way or the other.

The easiest way to see if the scope is level is to hang a plumbob and look at it through the scope as you shoulder the rifle.
Make sure you do this a few times and try not look through the scope as you line up on the plumbob string otherwise you'll inadvertently cant the rifle to line up on the string.

There will likely be a small amount of cant between the scope and rifle but it won't matter 99.9% of the time.
If you don't adjust it to you, then you'll either always have the scope canted (probably not the end of the world for most hunters anyway but you'll keep 2nd guessing) or you'll be fighting your bubble level (if you have one).

If you have a chassis/stock with an adjustable cant butt pad, they yes try get the scope level on the rifle first and adjust the buttpad to suit you.