How to Properly Mount a Rifle Scope

There are no mysteries to shooting accurately andof the screws with a cleaner or degreaser
precisely. Other than choosing the right equipments4. Clean the top of the receiver and the bottom of
and the right ammunition, mounting the scope thethe base to leave proper contact between the
right way is part of it.receiver and the base
If you prefer to mount a scope yourself, you will5. Tighten the base screws down
need a sound and steady vise in a well lit area. There6. Attach the scope rings and tighten them down
are many ways to mount a scope and everyone willwith a scope ring tool to make sure the rings are
formulate his own way after a few attempts.adjusted and lined up
However, improperly mounting the scope could be7. Test the scope for any shifting with the crosshair.
costly and makes it hard to shoot a target precisely.Position the scope between two V-blocks and spin
- Mounting a scope excessively close to the barrelthe scope. Look at the crosshairs for wobble and
may cause it to ward off the scope's modificationsadjust the scope until there is no visible shifting. This
since one end can be contacting the barrel.is important for your accuracy
- Mounting the scope excessively low may cause8. Lay the scope into the rings and tighten snugly the
some insufficient distance headroom within your headrings to leave room for adjustments. Make sure the
and the cheek piece in order to see the target'sgap between the ring base and top strap is even on
image.both sides to maintain the pressure level uniform all
- Conversely, if the scope is mounted too high, youaround the body of the scope
may find hovering over the cheek piece, and your9. Take out the rifle from the vise. Set the scope to
head would not be touching the stock that can causethe widest field of view while maintaining the rifle flat
some imbalance when seeing the target.on your shoulder. Align the vertical post in the scope
In any case, it could cause unsteadiness while seeingwith a level line on a wall and spin the scope until the
the target through the scope.cross hairs are aligned. Make sure is plumb vertically
Mounting the scope the right way will lead to achieveand horizontally
its best accuracy.10. Once the scope is lined up, position the rifle back
in the vise and fasten the rings screws fully
1. First and foremost, make sure the rifle is unloaded.With your scope properly mounted, you must check
Fasten the rifle firmly in a padded gun viseif the rifle is operating with no interference from the
2. Even out the rifle by placing a level on the basemount. The scope should be at its true and exact
horizontal to the rifle boremechanical focus point and it's geared up for target
3. Take out the plug screws and degrease the baseshooting.