All right guys, what exactly does it take to mount a scope on a rifle? Other than the parts I mean. Like what do I use to get the reticle level and how do I set it for the eye relief?

The only mounting I have done of a scope was the one on my No. 3 and it had came off the same gun earlier so I just used the ring marks to line it up and then eyeballed the leveling of the reticle and it came out good.

Thanks a lot.

Red

I just install the scope in the rings without tightening them. You can then shoulder the rifle and determine the correct eye relief. When assuming a comfortable shooting stance you should have a full, round sight picture. Eye relief is most critical with the scope on its highest magnification, so use that when determining eye relief. On a heavy recoiling rifle make sure the scope isn't dangerously close to your head.

I then place the rifle in a steady rest, make sure it is level, and level the reticle by looking through the scope. For a hunting rifle this is perfectly adequate.

Eye relief varies when position changes, when standing it is longer, when shooting off the bench it's shorter because the eye naturally moves closer to the ocular. So determine how the rifle is going to be shot and choose the proper distance. Required eye relief also changes when zoom power changes on a variable power scope : Eye relief that is proper at 24X might be too short at 6X. Again, determine the range of power that is going to be used and choose the relief for those magnifications.

When determining the "squareness" of the reticle, it must be square with the imaginative line drawn bewteen center of bore and center of scope. Doing so will allow accuracy even if the scope is offset to the receiver, in that case the rifle will be shot canted.