Scope Alignment and Bullet Impact - Help!

[PeteG]

Pete,

I have this kit from Wheeler:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/816462/wheeler-engineering-scope-mounting-combo-kit-1-and-30mm

It's perhaps a bit over the top, but thus it goes for someone like me who can't be helped in respect to tools and gadgets. The magnets that are included in the kit will help you level the scope.

One magnet goes on top of the top scope turret and the other sits on the feed rails. With the bubble on the feed rail magnet centered, rotate your scope as necessary to center the bubble on the scope magnet. When both bubbles are centered, you're pretty much there. Characterizing your rifle at distance after that, may lead you to just "tweek" the scope rotation. But at hunting distances you're probably good to go from my experience. I mean if you're group a 1/2" to one side or another at 200 yards, is there much point in continuing to chase the problem for a hunting rifle?

This can be a bit of a maddening process. You want the rings on your scope to be snug when you're doing this so that you don't bump the scope and inadvertently rotate it after getting it centered. Trust me, it's easy to do that when the rings are loose. But obviously you want them loose enough that you can still rotate the scope. Also if they're too snug as you try to rotate the scope you'll be rotating the rifle too and you'll rotate the scope in little jumps. And back and forth you'll go until you get to the point of considering throwing the whole operation out the window.

But in the end you'll end up with your scope mounted much better than what you'll typically get from the guys manning the counter at the outdoor shop. They'll "mount" the scope and boresight it for you, but that mounting job is somewhat sloppy.

The kit I put the link to includes bars for ensuring your rings are in alignment. For rings like the Warne's that I use that come together horizontally this isn't necessary. But if you use Leupold rings or the kind that have a top/bottom half and you rotate into place, these bars are very useful for ensuring you've got a nice flush fit at both rings.

It also contains a bar and the compound for lapping your rings. Is lapping your rings necessary? Not likely, but depending on your level of OCD when it comes to mounting a rifle scope, it may make you feel better that you've taken this to another level. But in the end up to 300 yards this is likely not that important.

Thanks Phil,
I will check this out and see if i can get one of these... cant have too many gadgets and goodies!!