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Laser boresighter...best brand?

9K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  Eli Chaps 
#1 ·
Howdy, I'm in the market for a laser boresighter that'll fit my 30-30, but I'm finding all kinds of different types and makes out there and they have mixed reviews. I'm wondering what types of laser boresighters you folks have used, and which ones you've had the best results with. Thanks for your advice.
 
#2 ·
I've never used one. What i do is pop out the bolt and sight down the barrel with the rifle locked in a wood vice work table and set the sights, or scope to an object sighted looking through the barrel. saves time and money. that should get you on paper. but if i were to get one i woud get one of those lazers that fits in the chamber. cabellas has them as well as all the other on line stores. cost about 50dollars. good luck.
 
#3 ·
My experience is with the cheap Bushnell with the various arbors that fits in the end of the barrel. Works well enough when you can get the (really) cheap on off switch to work. :(

I wouldn't have bothered with one except it was dirt cheap and there wasn't much to lose.
 
#4 ·
I would save my money and use it towards something else, unless you just want another toy to mess with. When I mount scopes If I have time I will sight through the barrel and adjust the scope to get on paper. Most of the time I don't even do that. I mount the scope and put up a target at 100 yards and shoot. If I don't have a bullet hole on the target I will walk to to about 10 feet away from the target and shoot, then adjust the scope from there and back up and shoot. I can usually have a scope sighted in in 5 rounds or less. It's more fun to pull the trigger :)
 
#5 ·
big medicine said:
I would save my money and use it towards something else, unless you just want another toy to mess with. When I mount scopes If I have time I will sight through the barrel and adjust the scope to get on paper. Most of the time I don't even do that. I mount the scope and put up a target at 100 yards and shoot. If I don't have a bullet hole on the target I will walk to to about 10 feet away from the target and shoot, then adjust the scope from there and back up and shoot. I can usually have a scope sighted in in 5 rounds or less. It's more fun to pull the trigger :)
Maybe I should spend the money on a vice grip then...I don't have any way of securing the rifle to a surface strong enough that the rifle wouldn't move when I fire it so I can zero the scope. I've just got a field. Maybe I could drag a table out in the field and screw a vice grip to it...but the table will still move when I fire the gun at a target. The gun ranges around here that can do this sort of thing cost $25-30 bucks just to enter. Maybe I should do that instead, but I'd really prefer being able to do this on my own without spending so much damn money on it.

Any suggestions?
 
#6 ·
You don't need to secure the rifle. Just use a sand bag off the hood of your vehicle or a table ect. All You have to do is hold the cross hair on the target and pull the trigger.

Example. You hold the cross hair on the center of the target fire a shot. If your bullet strikes 4 inches high and 6 inches right. Adjust your scope, then hold the cross hair in the center of the target again and fire another shot, adjust as needed until it is where you want it.

Even if you bore sight it with a laser sight, it will still only get you on paper, you still have to shoot the rifle and fine tune it.
 
#7 ·
Okay...yeah I already knew about this method, my concern was the recoil. I wasn't sure how much the recoil would affect the effectiveness of that method. I'll take your word on it though since I've never done this before.
 
#8 ·
Harland said:
Okay...yeah I already knew about this method, my concern was the recoil. I wasn't sure how much the recoil would affect the effectiveness of that method. I'll take your word on it though since I've never done this before.
Just saved yourself a few bucks ;)
 
#10 ·
I've noticed that every tutorial I read about using that method says to fire from 100 yards away. Is that a standard for scope adjustments?
 
#11 ·
Harland said:
I've noticed that every tutorial I read about using that method says to fire from 100 yards away. Is that a standard for scope adjustments?
Yes, the scope adjustments are generally 1/4" for each click at 100 yards. So 4 clicks move the impact 1" If you move back to 50 yards, it takes twice as many clicks, 8 to move one inch, and at 25 yards, it takes 4 times as many clicks, 16, to move 1 inch. This is where some people think the scope isn't working. They shoot at 25 yards, and move the adjustment 4 clicks, and can't see the impact move. it's 16 clicks at 25 yards, so if you were 4" low, you would have to bring it up 64 clicks to get it zeroed.

Verstehen Sie?
 
#12 ·
Alrighty...well I've got my tape measure, my printable targets, a few towels i'll use to prop the gun with (can't afford a beanbag), a table, and my ammo. I'll be hittin the field tomorrow and I'll post my results just for anyone that cares
 
#13 ·
Welp, did my boresighting and my target shooting today, I did damn good. I was only able to shoot at 50 yards because of some houses nearby, so I did twice as many clicks to make up for the short distance. It took a good number of shots since this was my first time doing this, but I got it to the point where I could hit just inside the center dot if I didn't jerk the rifle when I fired. That's my problem right now, is I anticipate the gunshot too much and jerk the trigger and it throws my aim off. I have to concentrate hard to avoid doing it, but I reckon it just takes practice. The times I was able to avoid it, I was hitting the edge of the center dot at 50 yards, so I think I'm set for now.

Ain't no way I'm payin 35 bucks to go to a damn indoor gun range to do this stuff, I'll find some land somewhere where I can practice at 100 yards.
 
#14 ·
Good for you on sorting this out.

My rule when it comes to sighting in any gun or sight system is to start close. I start at 25yrds but if that don't produce decent results (which it usually does) I'll move into 15 or even 10. Personally, I think trying to sight a rifle from scratch at anything over 25yrds can be frustrating and wastes ammo. Don't make any adjustments until you get a decent three shot group. If you can't get in the 2" or less (preferably less) area then either you, the gun, or the setup have issues and trying to adjust for it will be futile. Once you have a consistent group then let the gun cool down, make your adjustments, and do another three shot group. If the group stays about the same size and moves on the target consistent with your adjustments then you are on to something.

Windage should be the primary focus here. Elevation you want to get close but since we're still at short range we'll need to adjust it to our personal preferences as we move out in yardage. Get the elevation close to center but I usually leave it a touch high. From there I move out in yardage and just keep dialing.

If you do to this enough times with enough guns you will gain enough confidence to make adjustments off of single shots (after a few groups) and be able to walk your rounds right in.
 
#15 ·
Maybe that's why it seemed so frustrating...I started fresh at 50 yards and I just couldn't seem to get it right without blowing nearly a box of rounds. I think next time I do this I'll start at 25 or less yards and work my way back a little at a time.
 
#17 ·
My B.I.L. bought a new Browning A-Bolt Stalker, had a decent scope mounted on it at the shop where he purchased it, they did the bore-sighting for him for free...

He thought he was good to go. He never took it out and tweaked or fine-tuned it. The guy at the shop told him he was dead nut on at 250 yards with the bore-sight, and my B.I.L. believed him. I tried for four weeks or so to convince him otherwise - no such luck. He still doesn't understand why he missed all those shots that year... ::) At least, now he goes out the week before deer season, puts three into a pie plate and 100 yards, and calls it good. After shooting two boxes during the season the first year he had that rifle, and no harvest he sort of learned the lesson. A single box of 20 rounds still lasts about three or four years for him, but at least he double checks his zero. Unfortunately, after putting three into a paper plate, from a bench, at 100 yards, he proudly proclaims he is the "Deer Sniper King Incarnate" or some such BravoSierra. If only he knew... :-X

The bore sighting method described earlier is the best bet, followed by verification at 25 yards, tweaking at 50 yards, then fine tuning at 100 yards. You will be reasonably well sighted within four or five shots as described earlier, you will get some more trigger time with your little darling, and by the end of twenty or so rounds, you will have a keen understanding of what your trigger feels like. Did I mention you will get more trigger time? ;D
 
#18 ·
I've got a cheap laser bore sighter. Wish I would have just skipped it as it's really hard to see the dot during bright daylight as far as boresighting goes. However it does help me with a smooth, steady squeeze on the trigger. I'll setup in my hallway or bedroom (dark) with the boresighter on and practice dry firing. If the laser jumps around, you can tell instantly that you're jerking on the trigger. I usually sight in on an electrical socket or light switch and if my point of aim moved after I pulled the trigger, I screwed up!

Harland - I'm not familiar with what rifle you're shooting and if it is ok to dry fire without a snap cap or something similar in there. You might want to check if you need one, but I think it could help your flinching. I also triple check that my rifle is unloaded, no ammo around, etc etc. You also don't need the laser, your sight work fine. If they move off target as you squeeze the trigger, something isn't right!
 
#19 ·
marlin_james said:
I've got a cheap laser bore sighter. Wish I would have just skipped it as it's really hard to see the dot during bright daylight as far as boresighting goes. However it does help me with a smooth, steady squeeze on the trigger. I'll setup in my hallway or bedroom (dark) with the boresighter on and practice dry firing. If the laser jumps around, you can tell instantly that you're jerking on the trigger. I usually sight in on an electrical socket or light switch and if my point of aim moved after I pulled the trigger, I screwed up!

Harland - I'm not familiar with what rifle you're shooting and if it is ok to dry fire without a snap cap or something similar in there. You might want to check if you need one, but I think it could help your flinching. I also triple check that my rifle is unloaded, no ammo around, etc etc. You also don't need the laser, your sight work fine. If they move off target as you squeeze the trigger, something isn't right!
My big problem is jerking the rifle when I pull the trigger, I anticipate the boom and throw my own aim off. That's the thing I've gotta work on...my aim is good until I pull the trigger. It'll just take me practice. Oh and the rifle I'm shooting is a 336CS, 1985.
 
#20 ·
Harland said:
My big problem is jerking the rifle when I pull the trigger, I anticipate the boom and throw my own aim off. That's the thing I've gotta work on...my aim is good until I pull the trigger. It'll just take me practice. Oh and the rifle I'm shooting is a 336CS, 1985.
Relax. :)

Breathe and squeeze. Don't force it or anticipate it. Just let it come when it comes. Look at the pad of your finger, find the spot where all the loops (prints) sort of center, that is the part of your finger you want on the trigger.

Be sure the rifle is seated firmly and comfortably in the pocket of your shoulder. Breathe, relax, let it come. Tell yourself it's no big deal. No one is shooting back and you aren't going to starve if you miss the shot. ;)

Close your eyes if you have to. Don't matter a wit if you're all lined up on target if you're jerking the trigger.

I'd recommend getting some snap caps and using them to practice as well.
 
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