Magnetic Bore Site Review

[Sparks57]

As a newbie to scopes, I understand how to bore site a scope, but I've seen the SightMark magnetic bore site. Since time on range is limited, and ammunition is expensive and hard to come by, I was thinking this would be a good starting point.

I apologize if there is already a thread, I couldn't find it, but I am slowly learning to use the site.

Thanks for your input

[Merc1138]

If you understand how to bore sight a scope without an extra tool, why buy a tool for something that takes 2 minutes to do? Put a dot on the wall at one end of a hallway, go down to the other and bore sight it. You'll be dead on with the windage, and your elevation will be off by a couple inches, big deal.

If you can't actually bore sight your rifle, spend the money on a rest instead and start at a shorter range doing a 1 shot zero.

[Sparks57]

My Grandad had taught me how to bore site a scope years ago. You're right on Mer1138, I think I was excited about getting a new toy lol.

[sholling]

I haven't used theirs but a lot depends on what you're trying to boresight. An AR15 is easy because you can just remove the upper, hold it in place with sandbags and look down the barrel at a target 10-25 yards away, then look through the scope and set the crosshairs 2" higher than the centerline of the view from the barrel. You can do the same with a bolt action hunting rifle by just removing the bolt. That should at least get you on paper at 25yds.

If you're boresighting a hunting rifle and you plan to boresight more in the future then it might be worth investing in a SiteLite which seems better than most laser boresights I've used, but like most muzzle mounted boresights they don't play well with flash hiders. Just be sure to follow the instructions and grease the o-rings before using it. If that's too much money then just pick a cheapie and consider it disposable because few cheapies hold up over time.

Once you get on paper at 25yrd it should take no more than 2-3 shots to zero the scope at 25yrds then 2 more at 100.

[OpticsPlanet]

I really like the magnetic bore sights, specifically the green laser models. Same as before, learned how to actually "bore sight" and still do it. However, there are times when its just easier to get to the range, throw it on the muzzle, look thru the scope, and adjust the turrets. Really makes it easy when I can just shoulder it quickly, give it a look thru, then adjust quickly. Dont need to pull a bolt out or break down my AR's, just pop it on the muzzle and ready to rock. Always gets me within a few inches and only a few shots are needed to tweak it to perfection. Especially nice when you're bumping from a 12 gauge slug gun, to a 22 lr rifle, then to a bolt gun, AR, etc... range time is valuable so I bring a few platforms out when they are all ready and bore sighting is much quicker with a laser bore sighter.

Bottom line from me, learn the traditional way, but it never hurts to use some new technology. Green laser sighters are especially nice because I can get a bore sight in at 50-100 yards with the laser alone.

http://www.opticsplanet.com/opmod-g-u-m-b-1-0-limited-edition-green-universal-boresight.html

Trevor B.

[Kestryll]

If you understand how to bore sight a scope without an extra tool, why buy a tool for something that takes 2 minutes to do? Put a dot on the wall at one end of a hallway, go down to the other and bore sight it. You'll be dead on with the windage, and your elevation will be off by a couple inches, big deal.

If you can't actually bore sight your rifle, spend the money on a rest instead and start at a shorter range doing a 1 shot zero.

True, but how do I do that with my Mini-14, 10/22s, 795, Hi-Point Carbine and a few others that do not have a line of sight through the bore?

In those cases I think we're pretty much left with a boresighter as the only option.

[Merc1138]

True, but how do I do that with my Mini-14, 10/22s, 795, Hi-Point Carbine and a few others that do not have a line of sight through the bore?

In those cases I think we're pretty much left with a boresighter as the only option.

If you can't actually bore sight your rifle, spend the money on a rest instead and start at a shorter range doing a 1 shot zero.

If your sights or scope are so far off at 25 yards that you can't hit a fairly good size target(say.. an 18"x24" backer, or even simply a large bullseye target on an already shot up backer), I think there's some serious work to do with getting your sights/scope/mount fixed. If you can see where the shot landed, assuming it was held steady enough it's a simple thing to just follow the video sholling posted.

I didn't say to try some 1000 yard 1 shot zero like CSACANNONEER, or to buy a $300 rest. Works just fine with 10/22's, garands, 795, etc. that can't be sighted down the bore just by removing the bolt.

Additionally, you can also still bore sight those rifles with a small mirror as well(but you'd need a mirror that would fit). I wonder if I can find a video pointing that one out.

edit: Nope, couldn't find a video about the mirror method. If you can find a sliver of a mirror that will fit into the breech, you can sit next to the rifle backwards looking at the mirror and seeing the bore in the reflection. Of course you need to be in a well lit area and have some sort of stand to stabilize the rifle. Then do the 1 shot zero to finalize it. BTW, I wouldn't do this with something you can't reliably keep the bolt to the rear with. It should be obvious, but the bolt snapping shut on a mirror you're trying to closely look at would be a little problematic.

Yet another method for at least getting the windage down, would be to sit facing a large mirror(like a dressing mirror or something) and line up the sights/scope with the bore since you should be able to see back down the bore from the muzzle end(by looking at the reflection in the mirror) and that should get you close as well. And again 1 shot zero afterwards to get you right on.

So yeah, no need to spend money on a bore sighter.

[Kestryll]

I use the bore sighter in my backyard at about 25 yards to get pretty close Then I go to the range, pick a piece of paper, broken piece of a target stand or dirt clod at 25 yards, fire one shot and check the dust cloud. If I'm on or close to it I move to paper and the basic process of fine tuning. If not then I adjust to 'minute of trash' and then to paper.

The bore sighter almost always get me to 'minute of trash' so I don't end up spending more of my limited range time getting on to paper.

Some use them, some don't, some don't like them, some do.
I use one and like it.

[Merc1138]

I use the bore sighter in my backyard at about 25 yards to get pretty close Then I go to the range, pick a piece of paper, broken piece of a target stand or dirt clod at 25 yards, fire one shot and check the dust cloud. If I'm on or close to it I move to paper and the basic process of fine tuning. If not then I adjust to 'minute of trash' and then to paper.

The bore sighter almost always get me to 'minute of trash' so I don't end up spending more of my limited range time getting on to paper.

Some use them, some don't, some don't like them, some do.
I use one and like it.

Sure, if you really want to, then go on ahead. It's not my money. My beef is just with people insisting it can't possibly be done without buying a boresighting tool of some sort.

[fmunk]

As a newbie to scopes, I understand how to bore site a scope, but I've seen the SightMark magnetic bore site. Since time on range is limited, and ammunition is expensive and hard to come by, I was thinking this would be a good starting point.

I apologize if there is already a thread, I couldn't find it, but I am slowly learning to use the site.

Thanks for your input

Sight.

[Sparks57]

Lol - thanks fmunk, you are correct, sight!