Lets discuss bore sight devices

[OMCHamlin]

I am wondering who has a bore sight that they really like and seems to work well for the purpose of rough targeting a rifle with a newly mounted scope. The lasers that fit in the bore, are they any good? I have used the older spud type that holds an optic out at the end of the muzzle which contains a grid, are laser versions better? Tell me what you think?

I have a fairly useless Leupold magnetic bore sight device, hate it, not even close to useful.

 

[DWalt]

I have seen two different bore sights which were left in the muzzles of rifles when someone pulled the trigger. That's the limit of my boresighting device experience, at least that didn't involve boresighting .50 M2 aircraft machine guns.

 

[Nevada Ed]

There are the shotgun and rifle ammo that has a red laser beam
that helps in sighting in........
I have only used the 12 Ga. item but they might help you out.

 

[kwselke]

Mount scope and take rifle to range.

Place a 200 yard target at 25 yards. From sandbags fire one shot at dead center of target. Reset rifle as best as you can to the original position on the bags and hold aim as before. Crank your scope cross hairs to the bullet hole. Repeat process until dead center at 25 yards. If no hole on paper mover closer to target.

Once on at close range move to 100 yards. I do about 1.5" high at 100 yards, then go out to 200 yards and zero my rifles true at that range.

No bore-sighting needed. I've done at least a dozen rifle scope combinations this way.

 

[snake803]

I like the old fashioned Bushnell type...I just can't seem to keep the little e-clips in their place...Anybody have any extras????
JIM.......................

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

What I think is not much of bore sighting devices.

I've seen so many guys struggle with something that is very simple.

A. With a new scope turn elevation and windage adjustments on scope till they stop. Then turn adjustments in the other direction until they stop while counting the total clicks. Then turn adjustments half way back.

B. Put up a large paper target like kwselke describes at 25yds. Bang. Measure the bullet strike distance up/down, left/right from where you were aiming. Adjust scope accordingly. For example-- the bullet strike was 5in right and three inches low. With a .25moa scope adjustment, that would be 80 clicks to the left and 48 clicks up. Your next shot will strike the bullseye.

Most hunting rifle scopes are mounted about an inch and a half above the barrel bore. So if you now move to 100yds after zeroing at 25yds your bullet strike will be about 4in high. Adjust accordingly. 4 clicks per inch with a .25moa scope at 100yds.

I think the biggest problem with zeroing is guys with guns sometimes don't do math much better than the kids at McDonalds.

 

[Salty RI]

On a bolt action I used to clamp the gun in a rest, take out the bolt and look down the barrel at a target that was 9 ft away adjust the scope, shoot one shot at a target 50 yds away adjust the scope again and move the target to 100 yds and shoot again, it rarely took me more than three shots.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

I have an Tasco bore sighter kit that I got from Gander Mountain's mail order catalog back in the '90's. I like it and use it all the time. Saves a lot of time. From 0.177 cal air rifles, to 12 gauge shotguns.

First I do like ChattanoogaPhil and mechanically center the reticle. Very important first step. Then I mount the scope, play around with the base, the rings, swap them front to rear, left to right, and so on, all to get the reticle centered in the bore sighter. Sometimes I use shims.

Now I have the scope mechanically centered in the middle of it's adjustment range, AND optically centered on the "target". Double centered. Then I go shooting and fine tune.

 

[rockquarry]

I've used the Bushnell beginning years ago and more recently the Leupold. Neither can be depended on, though the Leupold is a much better unit than the Bushnell. As others have mentioned, if you have a bolt action or single shot rifle that allows actual "eyeball" bore sighting, that remains the simplest and most reliable method that I'm aware of.

 

[fordson]

I've used the Bushnell and several different types of laser bore sights. The Bushnell was a big disappointment for me. Never really worked. The laser bore sights all seem to work the same, so price is not an indicator for the initial sighting in of your scope. I have a low price and the high end/high price laser bore sight and they both give the same results. Using the laser sight, do your bore sighting at home at 25' - this will get you on the paper and ( in my experience) about 8-10 inches off your aim point at 100 yards. Leave your bore sight at home and finish sight in at the range. DO NOT TAKE THE LASER SIGHT WITH YOU TO THE RANGE. You'll be tempted to use it and it will end up costing you lots of money. I know, believe me......