How To Level Your Scope?

Level the Rifle and Scope Base

• level rifle side to side and front to back. i use my bipod and rear bag on my bench, and use top of receiver or rail for a reference.
• install level on barrel for reference
• i use a bench vise and level the rifle. then, level the scope in the rings. tighten rings and confirm level while tightening rings.
• level on scope base level on barrel, aligned with scope base
• i level the picatinny rail, then i level the scope based off it that.
• when i say "scope base" i'm meaning the rail/receiver/gun itself. something that should always be square to the vertical centerline of the gun

Use a Laser Level or Plumb Line

1. place level on scope base
2. put laser level on wall
3. dial scope to min magnification
4. shine flashlight through objective, project image of reticle on wall.
5. align reticle with laser, tighten rings.

if you don't have a laser level or can't borrow one (which would give you both axis). you can just hang a plumb line. level off the vertical reticle projection.

actually two laser levels is cool because you can look at horizontal and vertical reticle features at the same time

plumb bob to confirm scope level after confirming rifle level.

hang plum line shine light through scope and adjust until vertical crosshair is aligned with plum line torque rings confirm scope didn't shift install scope bubble level

Mount Rings and Set Eye Relief

1. mount rings and set scope, set eye relief as needed
2. use bottom flat on scope for reference to level.
3. press ring cap into place, making sure to keep scope level and even gap on each side of the ring cap.
4. loosely install screws, stop just as they make contact.
5. tighten screws in x pattern, and here’s the key: only move them as little as possible. excruciatingly tiny amounts (like <1/16th of a turn at a time). this should keep the scope level and gap even.
6. repeat for other ring.

install scope level, ensuring the reticle matches a plumb bob. this is the only step that really matters.

as long as the reticle is plumb when you pull the trigger, slight rifle to scope misalignment is nearly irrelevant.

Feeler Gauges and Flat References

• i use feeler gauges as a poor mans levelling kit to level it off the rail.
• super easy, cheap and accurate enough to get me out to 1000m.
• i also found that some metal rulers work well too if you lack feeler gauges.
• i've also used a deck of cards once in a pinch, but it's kind of a pain in the ass.
• easy answer is a feeler gauge.
• use that between the scope rail and the flat bottom part of your scope to get it tight and leveled to eachother.

if you’re using rings and not a mount, and you’re confident the rail is machined perfectly flat, then you can be confident the scope is more or less perfectly level.

only real issue is that you’re leveling the scope to the mount. if the rail/mount is out if spec, it could be an issue.

Reticle Alignment

Verify the reticle

i verify that the reticle is level compared to the scope body and the rest of the gun (imo critical and you can’t always trust mfg on this) with a string and plumb bob or a laser level to wrap it up

Bubble reference

well, my opinion is that whatever the bubble reference that you use while shooting said rifle platform needs to be in-sync with the reticle.

Rifle cant

also be aware that you may naturally cant the rifle when addressing it. to remedy this you can either adjust your butt pad, or just become used to the position the rifle needs to be in to be level when shooting.

Badger Dead Level Method

badger dead level, plumb bob, and a flash light

1. set your scope in rings and establish eye relief on your rig…
2. remove scope/rings & put onto the badger dead level on a table 5-6ft from wall…
3. have the plumb bob on the wall…
4. shine light through the objective end and cast a shadow of the reticle onto the wall…
5. line up reticle with the plumb bob shadow…

bam!!! dead level

watch paramount tacticals video on scope leaving on youtube. i think he covers this best, especially if you have any moa in your mount.

Confirm the Installation

• most important step is to then go and do a tall target test.
• this will allow you to not only comfirm that your scope is absolutely level, but will also allow you to validate what your turret clicks actually are.
• if you're dialling a lot of elevation (long range cf or nrl22) you will miss if you don't know what your turret clicks are.
• tighten rings and confirm level while tightening rings.
• torque rings confirm scope didn't shift install scope bubble level

there are more variables than you think.

eventually, you stop worrying about it so much and do the quick/easy thing. or go mad.

granted i don’t shoot prs or long range to the point where a canted weapon/reticle would make a big difference, but for mounting lpvo’s on my ar’s, the arisaka scope leveling kit has been a godsend.

is it 100% perfectly level? maybe, maybe not. my eyes can’t tell the difference, and for my purposes, it’s fine.