Scope Cant

[CK_32]

My 2 main distance rifles with the bubble levels on them. I think they are vortex and reccomended as the cheapest quality options.

[50BMGBOB]

Consistent is the key. If your scope is square to the world your elevation and windage is square. If your natural hold of your rifle is not square but is consistent then you can mount your scope so it is square with your hold.

[killshot44]

New shooters note what JMP is doing; he's not only adding weight over the front end to resist recoil and twist but he can easily see if the water level in those bottles is even. Genius.

[JMP]

Killshot, Ideally, for this, I'd get a very heavy long piece of metal with 50/50 balance that's contoured to a pivot in the middle and drill a hole in the middle over the pivot point to balance on the frame. Then it would be 50lbs and act as a balance for the gun. I'd have holes drilled along the piece of metal so I could hang a small weight to calibrate the balance.

[killshot44]

That'll be hard to accomplish with steel. I'd recommend tungsten. The length should be short enough not to protrude out of your firing lane.

It's this kind of out-of-the-box thinking that really moves the sport forward.

[pacrat]

New shooters note what JMP is doing; he's not only adding weight over the front end to resist recoil and twist but he can easily see if the water level in those bottles is even. Genius.

And who doesn't get a bit parched after a long day at the range?

[JTROKS]

I was planning to get the Vortex level, but I had some scope rings laying around and some time so.

[calshipbuilder]

I think Shipbuilder is talking about installing his scope in the rings with a cant in the reticle. This is not good obviously....

I keep a bubble level on my scope base. The front rest is leveled, the rear bag is leveled and at a glance I know the stock is level. (I did buy the $13 model, not springing $50 on air in a bubble)

Now, if someone can explain using a cosine degree indicator in regular range shooting....?

Its not the install, I have that squared - its my perception that the properly installed/leveled scope is off, when its not. Bubble levels clear up perception vs. reality.

I've set my rifles up so that I see the level with my left eye and scope with right - no change in shooting position required.

All of these work for me in this setup:

https://flatlineops.com/products/levels/mark4-leupold

http://www.usoptics.com/accessories-gear/accessories/anti-cant-devices/rail-mounted-swivel-acd.html

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1227482391/hollands-signature-series-anti-cant-device-matte

A cosine indicator is needed when shooting in mountains and canyons, not at a flat range. It tells you the adjustment to knock off your distance to compensate for the angle you are shooting at. Its a fun subject, one that I understand from a practical perspective but can't explain well. Thunder Ranch offers a course on it that I'd like to attend some day.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5304261/Re_Review_Thunder_Ranch_High_A

If you have AB mobile or shooter app on your iphone, it includes a cosine indicator.

[ar15barrels]

I was planning to get the Vortex level, but I had some scope rings laying around and some time so.

The most important thing is being able to check the bubble without breaking your cheekweld so make sure you install the level in such a place that you can do that.

[Spyder]

I use a silly bubble level - wish I did not have to, but after second guessing myself too many times at a match, I had a machinist check to see if the reticle was canted inside the scope - it wasn't, not in the slightest.

For whatever reason, I naturally cant my scope clockwise a couple degrees. This becomes a problem at longer ranges. The bubble level is a quick fix for my broken internal cant indicator.

I do this too. Off hand, I want to cant the rifle clockwise a few degrees. My natural position when I bring it up to shoot, it will be a few degrees off, and it feels comfortable. I don't use a bubble level, I think I just miss a lot.

[Shakey]

The water also acts as a heat sink for long strings of fire.

New shooters note what JMP is doing; he's not only adding weight over the front end to resist recoil and twist but he can easily see if the water level in those bottles is even. Genius.

[JTROKS]

The most important thing is being able to check the bubble without breaking your cheekweld so make sure you install the level in such a place that you can do that.

I did that prior to machining the housings for the bubble. I'm farsighted so I'll be putting them as far forwar the scope as possible. The turret on my Sightron SIII is low enough to allow the straight vertical mounting. My Burris 1" Signature scope requires the left offset.

[LynnJr]

Randall and Bob
Consistency is the answer. I have always used a small right rake in my scopes according to others that I don't see.
Luckily my forends are 6 inches to 23 inches wide so it is completely free of any inconsistency.
I have a 788 were the scope is rolled over 90 degrees so the target turrets clear the bolt.

[Mute]

As you say consistency is the answer. While canting can become a problem I think some shooters overthink and make too much out of it. I've never had any issue with it myself except once when I had a scope that had a canted reticle and it didn't track properly over longer distances because of the canting.

[postal]

Lynn....

I think the root issue you're asking about, is when using a bipod that swivels. And, the torque on the barrel from the round going through - or recoil bounce, or how your shoulder moves the gun, can make the entire rifle angle/cant compared to the previous shot. This is a common problem with a harris swivel bipod.

The bubble levels are for people that cant figure out what level looks like.

Makes me wonder what the pictures in there house look like all angled every which way....