I’m a bit puzzled

Baroque Brass

Senior Member
I finally got my old Model 70 30.06 put back together and went to the range to zero. Used a laser bore sighter at 25 yards and got it pretty close to the red dot. Got set up at 50 yds, removed the bolt and looked through the bore. Centered the target in the bore and adjusted the scope to the center of the target. Fired two rounds, both were about two feet low and two feet right. I didn’t expect it to be dead on but I sure didn’t expect it to be off that far. What am I missing?
 

280 Man

Banned
I finally got my old Model 70 30.06 put back together and went to the range to zero. Used a laser bore sighter at 25 yards and got it pretty close to the red dot. Got set up at 50 yds, removed the bolt and looked through the bore. Centered the target in the bore and adjusted the scope to the center of the target. Fired two rounds, both were about two feet low and two feet right. I didn’t expect it to be dead on but I sure didn’t expect it to be off that far. What am I missing?

Ive never used those laser sight in gadgets. I just bore sight. Just adjust the windage and elevation turrets until it's where you want it.
 

Buckstop

Senior Member
If bore sighted, it should be on paper at 50 yrds, or at least 25. Not sure on looking down the bore at the target with the bolt out, I can’t imagine that’d be better than bore sighting. I use a simple laser that inserts in the bore with different caliber ends. If I get the crosshairs 2” high on the wall 15 yrds down the hall, it will be on paper at the range. I usually shoot dead center near top first and will be on paper somewhere below. From there its 8 clicks to the inch to dead on at 50, and on to 100 to fine tune to 1.5” high before heading to 200 to zero.
 
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buckpasser

Senior Member
I too use the look through the bore technique on bolt guns, AR uppers, etc. Works good, usually to within 10” or so at 100. Never used a laser but I have a friend that thinks he’s good to 400 since he dialed that little thing in on his dining room wall the night before hunting.
 

The Original Rooster

Mayor of Spring Hill
I'm old fashioned. I like the old collimator to get it close to bore sighted. It's never done me wrong and it's been dead on quite a few times. They're not very expensive and worth picking up.
 

trial&error

Senior Member
I have done it both ways. Currently I use a laser in the bore to align the scope on the dot. Then test fire at bullseye and reinsert laser in the bore and aim at bullseye and adjust the scope to point of impact. This gets me within inches and laser lets me know if I'm still close to on target with the bullseye.

They actually sell a laser tool that clamps onto your scope that does the same thing for one shot zero they claim. I say it gets you close.
 

Stevie Ray

Senior Member
Ive used a 308/243 size laser and its inconsistent at best. After that Ive used a small black paster from a shoot n c target on a white door about 20 ft away. Line the dot up looking thru the bore, then look at the scope you will be very close to knowing where you are at. If you are math inclined you can figure in the clicks at the short distance you are measuring from. If not I guess you can twist until it looks right. Ive found this be incredibly close. If all works properly takes 3 shots or less to be dialed in.

Yep, I use the exact same method ... the rifle gets set up on our kitchen island and I'll put a black Shoot N C dot on the white pool enclosure frame and with the French doors open I have a 18 yard unobstructed view looking through the bore to the black dot and I align the scope with the dot. Then it's off to the range to verify and unless I screwed up along the way, nine times out of ten I'll be within 2-3 shots of having the rifle and scope dialed in. As far as hunting and shooting distance, I never shoot a shot in the field that hasn't been shot first at the range.
 

Baroque Brass

Senior Member
At 50 did you use the laser use your eyeball thru the bore?
At 50 yds I was looking through the bore with the bolt out. I could see the target through the bore and adjusted the scope until it was also on the target. Fired two rounds, both were about two feet low and two feet right.

FWIW, the laser gadget is magnetic and sticks on the muzzle. Of course it won’t be exact, but it should be close enough to get on paper.
 

Thunder Head

Gone but not forgotten
Like others,
I put gun on bags. Look thru bore at 20 - 30 feet. It usually within a few inches. Maybe its the 50 yards.
 

Nimrod71

Senior Member
If you site the 30 cal. at 25 yds. it will be on a sheet of paper at 100. I always start by sighting my rifles at 25 yds. I shoot at 25 until I hit just above the dot, then move to 100 yds. Usually it only takes 3 to 4 shots at 100 to have it right where I want it.
 

JustUs4All

Slow Mod
Staff member
You haven't missed anything except the rest of the zeroing process. Assuming that your scope mounting is tight and there is nothing wrong with the scope itself.

From where you left off:
1. Place the crosshairs where you aimed the two shots.
2. Holding the rifle perfectly still, adjust your crosshairs to the spot where the shots actually hit.
3. Fire one shot to confirm a 50 yard zero or just go on out to 100.
4. Repeat the process at 100. (At this point I like to be about 2 inches high with my setup. See a discussion about point blank zeroing.)
5. For precision work repeat the process at 200, 250, 300, etc. keeping track of the number of clicks up that are required to zero at each range so that you can make those adjustments for those ranges.
 

Jester896

Senior Clown
Sometimes gadgets are just that...with the exceptions of a collimator and even they have downfalls at times.

The last one I did for someone that was having issues getting a rifle on paper was pretty straightforward. When you looked at the 100 yard target at the 8.5X11" piece of paper it was on it looked to me like, from looking through the barrel and then the scope it wasn't even on the backing board. I used the windage screws on the base to correct the windage, since he told me the scope was pretty much centered. I moved it to where I thought it needed to be from what I saw. then made a small adjustment down from what I saw. I fired a shot at the bottom of the paper and the round impacted about .5 minutes left of my aim point. The rifle owner then got on the rifle and asked where to aim and I told him the bull. He fired one shot and the impact was about 1 MOA left of the bull...he called it good for him on his .25-06. Up until that point my best was 1" high and 1" right using that method. It isn't hard to do with some practice...doesn't require batteries...and it is always in your kit.

most of the time if you are about .5-1." low at 27 yds you will be very close at 100 too for your final adjustments.
 

mrfudd

Senior Member
You haven't missed anything except the rest of the zeroing process. Assuming that your scope mounting is tight and there is nothing wrong with the scope itself.

From where you left off:
1. Place the crosshairs where you aimed the two shots.
2. Holding the rifle perfectly still, adjust your crosshairs to the spot where the shots actually hit.
3. Fire one shot to confirm a 50 yard zero or just go on out to 100.
4. Repeat the process at 100. (At this point I like to be about 2 inches high with my setup. See a discussion about point blank zeroing.)
5. For precision work repeat the process at 200, 250, 300, etc. keeping track of the number of clicks up that are required to zero at each range so that you can make those adjustments for those ranges.

I doubt that would work in his case. Two feet down and right would require 192 clicks up and 192 left. I would be surprised if he had that much adjustment.
 

Baroque Brass

Senior Member
You haven't missed anything except the rest of the zeroing process. Assuming that your scope mounting is tight and there is nothing wrong with the scope itself.

From where you left off:
1. Place the crosshairs where you aimed the two shots.
2. Holding the rifle perfectly still, adjust your crosshairs to the spot where the shots actually hit.
3. Fire one shot to confirm a 50 yard zero or just go on out to 100.
4. Repeat the process at 100. (At this point I like to be about 2 inches high with my setup. See a discussion about point blank zeroing.)
5. For precision work repeat the process at 200, 250, 300, etc. keeping track of the number of clicks up that are required to zero at each range so that you can make those adjustments for those ranges.
I got it zeroed, it just took more rounds than it should have. I’d forgotten the techinque of holding the rifle on the aim point and adjusting the scope to POI. That would have saved some rounds. I’ve zeroed many scopes, the point of my post wasn’t for advice, I was just puzzled as to why it was so far off when the picture through the bore and the scope crosshairs seems to be at the same point.

Thanks for the replies.
 

rosewood

Senior Member
Larger diameter bores are harder to bore site than smaller bores. A .30 caliber is harder to center by eyeballing than say a .22 bore. Lot more room for error.

I like to use a security light at distance after dark. I center the light the best I can in the bore then move crosshairs to match. Usually pretty close at the range.

Rosewood
 

killerv

Senior Member
I finally got my old Model 70 30.06 put back together and went to the range to zero. Used a laser bore sighter at 25 yards and got it pretty close to the red dot. Got set up at 50 yds, removed the bolt and looked through the bore. Centered the target in the bore and adjusted the scope to the center of the target. Fired two rounds, both were about two feet low and two feet right. I didn’t expect it to be dead on but I sure didn’t expect it to be off that far. What am I missing?

why did you adjust the scope again without shooting if you had just bore sighted it at 25? Trust the bore sighter. Shoot at 25 and see where it hits. I then adjust to about 1in low at 25, then move out to 100.

The holding the rifle and adjusting to impact can be tricky, almost need an extra set of hands. I like to shoot a 3 shot group at 100 and then do my clicks based on group center.
 

Rich M

Senior Member
I use a large sheet of cardboard, put target in center - start at 50 feet and shoot for dead center - adjust by moving scope windage screw before I move the crosshair adjustments. That way the scope is aligned perfect, then will be less clicks to change stuff.

Then I shoot 100 yards and is usually real close, get centered.

Then 200, then 250 and I'm out of distance at the place I go to shoot.

3 shot groups, sometimes 2 if they are right next to each other. Adjust the groups and not try to do single bullets. Waste a lot of ammo trying to adjust at every shot...
 

Stroker

Senior Member
why did you adjust the scope again without shooting if you had just bore sighted it at 25? Trust the bore sighter. Shoot at 25 and see where it hits. I then adjust to about 1in low at 25, then move out to 100.

The holding the rifle and adjusting to impact can be tricky, almost need an extra set of hands. I like to shoot a 3 shot group at 100 and then do my clicks based on group center.
Same here. I use the 2 inch stick on dots and pizza boxes. Bore sight with collimator, shoot three shots, make adjustments, three more shots and fine tune from there. I usually allow at least 15 minutes between the three shot groups for the barrel to cool by shooting other rifles or hand guns. Normally I can get one sighted in and fine tuned with 12 to 15 rounds.
 

rayjay

Senior Member
The hole down the "center" of a factory bbl is not going to be straight. Depending on how much the tooling wandered you can have quite a lot of curve which will make the bullet go somewhere other than where you eyeball or bore sighter says it should. Even high dollar custom bbls have some curve in the bore.
 
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