Hey fellas,

I've decided to give it a try. I've never installed my own scope before. Does anyone have some recommendations

Use Blue locktite on the threads for the bases and rings. DO NOT use the Red.

Go slow. It's not rocket science, but patience is in order.

A broomhandle or dowel rod will be very handy for twisting in the rings depending on the configuration you are using.

Also, don't forget to line up the scope to insure it's level.

LWD

David,

There's really nothing to it.

It just takes alittle patience and time to get them just right. Be sure to tighten all screws well and the removable locktite is a good idea.

On standar rings I use my caliper to get them perfectly lined. You can place a piece of flat steel against the base and get the front turn in ring square. Then, mount the rear ring square with the front.

Good Luck

Reloader

I like to wind the scope reticule to the centre, to start off with. Make sure the scope looks like lying straight in the rings, or they may need to be lapped.

Level the cross hairs with the rings just loose enough for adjustments, including eye relief.

I for one have never got the cross-hairs straight first go, so don't tighten the ring screws without checking as you go.
Each screw a little at a time to keep 'em even.

Alignments systems are sold, or setups made, but people will look through your scope and tell you it's on crooked. Then bore sight if possible to see how it lines up.

Be very careful with screw head or allen key slots.

Hey David

First you start by checking to see if the reticle is in the middle. You can do this by:

1. Clicking all the way to one side then count the clicks to the other side, divide by 2 and click back to the middle
2. Cut V-notches in a shoe box and roll the scope in the notches while watching the reticles to see if they wobble around
3. Set the objective against a mirror while leaving enough light to see the reticle and see if there is a double image

Then you set the bases. Use your torque wrench, the Wheeler Fat Wrench


is the one I use. Screw the base screws to the recommended torque.

Unwrap the rings being careful to keep them in the same orientation that they came in the package (rings are solid then split so they are a matched pair). Set the bottom rings into the bases in the manner they are supposed to be attached (twisted in, screwed in, etc.). Place the top rings in place and just start the screws.

Take the bars from the alignment kit and make sure the rings are aligned. A Wheeler alignment kit


works well. It is especially useful with the Leupold or Redfield type bases and rings with the rear windage screw. You can lap the rings if you want or if you have a problem just make sure you don't overdo it.

Take the top rings off and set your scope in the bottom rings. Move the scope forward and back until you get a clear picture with no black ring when at high power. If you can not get a clear picture then you might have to rethink your bases and rings to use an offset front or rear ring. Those are most often offered in a dual dovetail type mount.

Set the top rings back on and tighten the screws till they are just shy of snug. Now take your EXD device



which you have checked to make sure is level with a larger level


and place it so it's V-notches rest on the gun barrel and the scope objective


Have your gun in a vise and placed so you can aim the rifle out a door or window or some way to sight for at least 20 yards. Now rotate the rifle in the vise until the EXD device shows level. What you have done is take all the cant out of your rifle position and the barrel and the scope are aligned, very important.

Now sight out the door to something perfectly horizontal or perfectly vertical. I use a 4' level setting on a fence 20 yards out. You could use a rope with a weight on the end hung from a branch or the edge of a building if you have checked it with a level. Rotate the scope so that the reticles are level making sure the EXD device is still showing level.

When everything is level, start locking the top ring screws down. You will notice that the scope will rotate if you screw just on one side and it is precise work, usually a little trial and error.

This is a good time to attach your anti-cant bubble


If you ever shoot at long distance it will do no good to level everything and then hold your rifle canted in the field. As little as 12 degree cant (2 minutes on the clock face) can throw trajectory off by 18" at 500 yards. Plus the anti cant device can stay on the scope if you ever move it and make it easy to relevel the scope in the new mounts.

It doesn't look too bad either


Do not use loc-tite, the modern bases and rings with the torx screws hold plenty tight and you will regret it later if you have to drill a screw out or pay a gunsmith to do it.

Piece of cake.

I'm in agreement with the above but for some small details. The Wheeler kit with the rods is overkill. You're not going to buy a lapping kit to NOT use it, and you can tell when the rings are aligned by the pattern you grind on them from the lapping so who needs the rods?

Russ Haydon markets a superior lapping too that has two handles. I tried one that a friend bought and it is much easier and faster than my single handle lapping tool. Also, reticles and anti-cant levels can be quickly and easily checked and adjusted using the Segway reticle leveler (mark 2 not, mark 1) Haydon also had those when I had to order one to replace my lost one. It's very inexpensive, but very accurate. I did not see it on Russ's site just now, but it might be worth making a call. He had it when no one else did a couple years ago.

http://www.shooters-supply.com/precision_shooting_accessories.html

I like the offset anti-cant level that Sinclair sells. Using one of those you can check your cant without losing your cheek weld. if they're not the same price as the centered ones, they're right in the same range.

http://www.sinclairintl.com/

Hey amamnn

It says here on Midway that the Segway


has been discontinued.

But let me ask, it looks like you would loop a rubber band around the hooks on either side, how do you make sure that it is level? Seems like you could rotate it a little to one side or the other, that would make you rotate your scope reticle to line the bars up and then you could just adjust the turrets back to the centerl. Sorta like using a bore scope to level the reticle, doesn't work.

Of course if you hold your reticle level when shooting it doesn't matter if the reticle axis is aligned with the bore axis.

I've used the anti-cant bubbles that stick out to the side and they tend to catch on brush and are hard to put in a gun case. Sinclair has these for sale. I though about the fold up kind


but they seemed less sturdy. Perhaps they are better.

I also have one of these Micro Levels


but they are not cheap but do an excellent job. You can remove all cant and level your crosshairs while aiming at the target with one of those. They don't look too bad


but don't put them on a hard kicker cause they do reduce eye relief.

Thanks fellas that was really helpful...is there any way i can get my reticle level without buying one of those contraptions?

quote:

Originally posted by David Antonucci:
Thanks fellas that was really helpful...is there any way i can get my reticle level without buying one of those contraptions?

Hey David

You can get your reticle level by just shouldering the rifle in your natural shooting position and aiming at a 4' level or a rope with a weight on it hanging from a tree. Rotate the scope till it looks right and lock it down.

The only way I know of to level your reticle and uncant your rifle at the same time is with the EXD device. There are other options like the level-level-level that will come close if you have a flat place on your rifle to put the levels. I went through a set of those first before I found the EXD device


they are minimally useful but not reliable.

I didn't mean to scare you off from mounting your scope. I mounted mine for years with no leveling devices. Then it is just a trial and error to get the reticle rotated till it looks right. As long as you are not shooting at long distances it is not important.

Woods has said pretty much all of it....but...if you're mounting on a "kicker", I like to put a VERY LIGHT coating of rubber cement on the INSIDE of the rings. LET IT DRY COMPLETELY. Then follow the advice given by woods....good stuff.


Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I'm glad I got a new one when I did, then. The nice thing about it is that the mark 2 has a spirit level on it, which allows you to be sure the rifle is level before you level the reticle and also allows you to level your anti-cant level on the scope. The one pictured on Midway is the mark 1. Both index on the scope mount. Wheeler makes one that you stick in the ejection port of a bolt rifle and compare it with the one they give you to put on top of the top scope turret. Turrets are not necessarily level with the reticle of the scope, even in high dollar scopes.

Apparently Brownell's still has some Segway mark 2s. http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=13069
On closer examination it appears Brownell's does not have it after all. It's a shame; they work great.
I always assume that on this forum we are talking about how to get the best accuracy, so I would think eyeballing is out.

As much as I appreciate above tips and gadgets, there is one thing you guys are forgetting.

The human eye is the ultimate tester when it comes to judging whether things are square or not. All of the alignment work described above you can acutally do without any of the instruments mentioned.

Also rifle barrels are not measured for straightness by a machine but by a human's eye.

To align the scope , place the butt on the ground and look at the scope from the muzzle, even minor alignment errors show up this way. If the rings aren’t tight at this stage its easy to gently twist the scope.