hi guys. I'm pretty new to doing really anything other than cleaning to my rifles, and i want to expand my skillset... we'll start with correctly installing my new scope on my encore rifle.

as somewhat of a perfectionist, i want my vertical crosshair bar to cut the center of my bore as close as humanly possible. i've read a couple different ways to do this, but a lot of people just 'eyeball' it. i'd rather not do that.

I have a level-level-level, but there is no flat surface on top of the encore to use to level the rifle.

i turned the rifle on its side, and leveled off the side of the frame and the windage turret, but i'm not sure if the side of the frame is parallel with the vertical crosshair.

is there a better way to guarantee that i get this right? maybe using feeler guages underneath the bottom of the scope to keep it parallel with the scope base?

any help would be appreciated. and the reason i'm being picky is its a mil dot recticle that i'd like to use for holdover shooting, so i'd like the crosshair to be as close to perfect as possible.

If there is a scope base on the rifle, level the gun across the base- that is, perpendicular to the bore axis. If you have vertically split rings, add the rings with the scope loosely inserted, find your eye relief, mark it on the scope so you can return to it if necessary.

You can plumb the crosshairs using the level across the top turret, with the cap or without, whichever lends itself easiest. Buy a decent, small level, like a Starrett test level.

I find it much easier to plumb the scope using horizontally split rings. You can level the rifle across the lower half of the ring after it is installed, and control the other steps stated above better as opposed to using vertically split rings.

Buy a torque wrench, like a Wheeler, to tighten the screws.

You can't trust the turrets for being square. Try leveling the barrel using the bottom lug.