How To Mount A Scope On Your Rifle

Every hunter needs optics to be successful. You may prefer riflescopes, binoculars, monoculars, or spotting scopes. You need the help of scopes to clearly see your target and take a good shot. Mounting a scope on your rifle is very important and it is a skill you will have to learn and master. In this article, we discuss the step-by-step process of how to mount a scope on your rifle.

1. User Manual

Read the user manual for information and diagrams.

2. Remove The Bolt

Remove the bolt or action from the rifle to see how the mount will be fitted onto the rifle. How it is fitted on the rifle varies based on the make and model.

3. Choose Scope Mounting Hardware

There are two main types of scope mounts. They are the scope ring/base and the rail/scope ring set. The scope/ring setup consists of a "base" and a scope ring that screws into the base. This is the most common setup of scope mounts.

The rail/scope ring setup features a single rail that is mounted into the barrel of the gun. With the rail/scope ring setup, the scope rings are mounted on the same plane as the rail. This ensures that the scope rings are aligned and not torquing the scope at different angles.

4. Set The Scope

The next step in mounting a scope on your rifle is to place the scope in the mounting rings. Carefully lower the score into position. Use a wrench to tighten the screws on the rings.

5. Level The Rifle

You will have to level the rifle. Leveling the rifle ensures that the rifle scope is on the same horizontal plane as the action of the gun. If the scope is not level, the gun barrel will be canted right or left and you will be aiming slightly left or right thereby missing your target. If you want to learn more about how to mount a scope on your rifle, then click the link.

6. Align The Reticle

When the bottom half of the rings are in place, position the scope and tighten the top halves of the rings so the scope rotates and moves back and forth. When the rifle is level, rotate the scope until the reticle is perfectly vertical and horizontal.

7. Adjust Eye Relief

The next step is to adjust the eye relief. Eye relief is the distance between your eye and the scope. Position the riflescope forward to protect your eye from the recoil of the gun. The rule of thumb is that you move the scope about an inch farther forward than you what you think it should be. After finding the right position, then tighten the mounting screws.

8. Bore Sight

After inserting a bore sight, adjust the vertical and horizontal axis to your desired point of aim. The aim is to get your rifle to print on paper at 100 yards. You could also fire test groups at a shooting range to properly sight in your rifle.

Conclusion

There are a few steps that have to be followed to mount a scope onto a rifle. It is not a difficult process. In this article, we discuss the steps to mount a scope onto a rifle. If you want to read about hunting, then visit TheHuntingTerrain.com.