I hadn't put a scope on a rifle in about 15 months and had forgotten how much I hate my laser boresighter.

Last time, I only laser boresighted one rifle because on the other rifle I sheared off a bolt on the one piece scope rings due to forgetting to change the FAT wrench from torquing the action to torquing the scope rings. Since I had to have a gunsmith fix the broken bolt, I had him mount and boresight the second rifle's scope. His boresighting was barely off and I had it zeroed by the 4th shot at 100 yards. My boresight was barely on paper at 100 yards and it took a dozen shots to zero. It's what I expected to occur today.

Last night, I mounted scopes on two rifles and laser boresighted both at 25 yards. Today, I went to the range and couldn't hit paper with either at 100 yards. Once the range went cold, I moved my target to 25 yards and neither rifle was on paper at 25 yards. The bolt action rifle, I pulled the bolt and visually aligned the bore with the scope, and was on paper first shot and zeroed within 4 shots. For the AR, I didn't line up behind the scope and watched the impact which was 6 damn feet away. It took a few shots shooting without being behind the scope to get on paper and then had it zeroed quickly.

The best boresighting of the three rifles was the 5.56 AR from 15 months ago, and the two today were 6.5 grendel AR and 6.5 Creedmoor (bolt-action). Previously I had used it on .22 LR, 5.56, and .338 win mag without being off very much at 100 yards. Not sure what's changed as it's the same laser boresighter, and same gun vise holding the rifle.

In the end, it was a fun day shooting and both rifles were more accurate than me. The highlight was the 6.5 Creedmoor shooting two 3-shot 1" groups at 200 yards. There was less than 30 seconds between shots so this was done with a warm/hot barrel. Next weekend, I'm visiting a buddy who belongs to a members only range that has a 1200 yard rifle bay so I'm definitely taking my 6.5 Creedmoor.

Have you read the instructions lately?

My laser bore sighter is used much closer than 25 yards.

I find I must fiddle with the boresighter fit, especially with my cheap, bottom-of-the-line model. I usually refit it several times until I get a sense of reproducibility.

Having mounted many an optic, never using a laser bore sighter, and never having issues with zeroing, I fail to see the merit of these. Seems like it would have a high probability of being installed and used incorrectly/imprecisely, thereby doing more harm than good. What am I missing here? Why does anyone use these?

quote:

Originally posted by JoshNC:
Having mounted many an optic, never using a laser bore sighter, and never having issues with zeroing, I fail to see the merit of these. Seems like it would have a high probability of being installed and used incorrectly/imprecisely, thereby doing more harm than good. What am I missing here? Why does anyone use these?

I only use them on semi-autos like Mini-14s where you can't directly see down the bore, and then only to get a ballpark adjustment for the optic. Saves me some ammunition when I'm doing final calibration at the range. Probably the same answer for gunsmiths who can't actually test-shoot a customer's rifle after working on it.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
I find I must fiddle with the boresighter fit, especially with my cheap, bottom-of-the-line model. I usually refit it several times until I get a sense of reproducibility.

Mine is definitely cheap bottom of the line.

15 months ago, I remember looking at replacements and determined that I don't mount enough scopes to justify purchasing a $150 to $200 one.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Have you read the instructions lately?

My laser bore sighter is used much closer than 25 yards.

Just last night I reread the directions.

I moved here a little over 2 years ago and it's the first home I've had 25 yards unobstructed. The reflective laser target has been taped to front door for 15 months and some visitors have found it disconcerting.

I’ve always been able to get on paper at 25 just by mounting it. I shoot one time on a 1” grid target and adjusting it to 2” below the bull on my ars, 1” on my bolts. That gets me on paper at 100. I sometimes go to the 50 to check it.

Don't be this guy.

270 fired with boresighter still in muzzle

quote:

Originally posted by Hamden106:
Don't be this guy.

270 fired with boresighter still in muzzle

That picture is mislabeled. That is an early 1990's Remington wide dispersal 766 270. Meant for contact range grizzly and polar bear hunting.



Now on to scopes and sighting in. I used to use the laser bore sighters. My issue is that outside in daylight at 25yds, i can't often see the damn dot on the paper even through the scope.


I go the tried and true, pull the bolt, look down the barrel set a distinguishing target and known distance into the center of the barrel. Lock the gun down. Recheck, move the scope to that target, reassemble. shoot get on paper. make fine adjustments. usually 3-9 rounds, sometimes twelve.


I had one instance where i was helping a buddy. He was trying to sight in his new rifle. he could not get it to stay on the paper. We took the scope off the base retightened the base screws down, put the scope back on.

At that point and 40 rounds of ammo, he was pretty fed up. So i get to it. I had completed the usual process listed above. I had to go grab ammo for him. He got down and thought the scope needed more adjustment and moved it while i was back at his car.
I got back thinking everything was where i left it. NOWHERE NEAR the paper. WTF. Take the damn scope off go through the same process.

Put around on paper, then 2, and finally 3. I adjust the scope to the target. Now he is excited. Let me finish the rest he says. He gets on there and promptly adjusts the scope again. I was on the phone behind the line and thought he must have already fired a shot. Well he adjusted the scope back the way it was. On top of that, he doubled the number of clicks.

Back off the fricken paper. He is getting pissed. Doesn't want help. I stand back let him at it. I can see he is adjusting it the wrong direction, back to the left.

I grab more ammo for him. He is done. wants to sell the damn rifle. He lets me back at it and goes for a smoke and a walk.

I pull the bolt, readjust the scope. Something like 40 clicks. Get it back on paper. decent 3 shot group. I figure out how far off target we are. Figure out click amount. Make my adjustment.
my next 3 are 1/2-3/4 inch to the left. One final adjustment and bam, right on target.

He comes back. sits down and proceeds to make one hole groups.. He is tickled pink.

Long story short. If you are frustrated. walk away. do it another day. sight it in, when you have plenty of time. if you sight it in under a time crunch you will over think things and make stupid mistakes.