Best budget scope leveling kit.

[Felonious]

I'm looking to buy a reasonably priced bubble to level my scope. There's so many choices it's hard to pick.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a bubble level kit for $50 or less? I would prefer to order from Amazon, I have prime so it's free shipping. It doesn't need to be absolutely perfect, but I'm having trouble leveling it out otherwise.

I was looking at the circular ones that level in all directions, as well as ones that mount to the gun. The reviews are mixed on all the products. Does anyone have a scope level that works well (doesn't have to be dead on, most of my shots are within 200 yards) and is willing to share the brand?

 

[bronko220002]

The cheapest is a string tied to a nail on the wall with a weight on the other end. Perfectly vertical.

 

[ENCORE50A]

You really don't need much, but level the scope AFTER you level the rail.
I use a level that's about the size of a pencil, which will fit on the rail under the center of the scope. I level the rail, lock it down, then set the level on the scope turret and adjust the scope.
You can use something like below to level the rail/mounts, then use the string method that bronko mentioned.
Leveling with the rail should be first.

https://www.amazon.com/precision-bu...8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Edit: Things get much harder at really long range.......

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I use the same little levels.
But i just got this for Christmas. A Wheeler kit. And i have a nice little pocket level because the tiny ones get lost under stuff all the time.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I use the same little levels.
But i just got this for Christmas. A Wheeler kit. And i have a nice little pocket level because the tiny ones get lost under stuff all the time.

That's a really nice kit and right at his price point too.
https://www.wheelertools.com/scope-mounting/mounting-tools/

 

[bronko220002]

Edit: Things get much harder at really long range.......

I was watching a video where a guy said to level the reticle to the string where the rifle feels most comfortable and not necessarily level! That may be fine for 100 or even 200 yards ( where you'll be off) but at extended ranges that's terrible advice. The rifle must be level to properly level the reticle.

 

[Hausser1]

The cheapest is a string tied to a nail on the wall with a weight on the other end. Perfectly vertical.

if this ever stops working as well as it does, we all have a whole lot more to worry about..

 

[ENCORE50A]

I was watching a video where a guy said to level the reticle to the string where the rifle feels most comfortable and not necessarily level! That may be fine for 100 or even 200 yards ( where you'll be off) but at extended ranges that's terrible advice. The rifle must be level to properly level the reticle.

Yup, and when you start shooting extended long range, "level" becomes much more important, not how it feels. The slightest cant can make a huge POI difference at distance.
I've been using a level. When just the green light shows.......... Send iT



View attachment level.MOV

 

[DavidAR10T]

This is the way I roll. It makes picking the left or right pupil at 300 meters easier than a plume line makes for between the eyes at 100.

I would pay the double profit price for a CNC'd unit with precision levels from Geier & Bluhm, Inc. included.

F-Class John corrected/2nd vid explains it to Lucy.

 

[bronko220002]

I never saw anything like that. Pretty cool. Looking at the product on line it looks like it attaches to the rail. In your pic it looks like its on the scope tube.
David your system looks pretty complicated.
I've been blessed with a really good eye for level. Part of that is because I spent many years working on a survey crew and much of my younger years remodeling houses. That being said I can see that the most important aspect of leveling a reticle is to be certain it is perfectly level in relation to the bore. In other words the horizontal axis of the reticle must be perpendicular to the vertical axis of the CL of the scope and the CL of the bore

 

[DavidAR10T]

bronko220002, it gets a scope on in half a heartbeat without the complication of leveling the rail, mount, rifle yada.

It is fast, sir. Almost this fast.

My torque drivers are WIHA +/- 3%.

I'm mostly an AR [Large & Small Frame] rifle Dapper Dan man. So, I have the FF hand guard removed to get access to the barrel for the scope's Objective Bell to Barrel Contact part of the procedure.

 

[ENCORE50A]

David your system looks pretty complicated. .............

Way over complicated for me.
Scope tube in alignment with the bore? You can fix that with a piece of plastic?
Top quality rail and rings properly installed. I'll level my rail first, then move on.
Works well at 1K

 

[michiganmuzzy]

This is the way I roll. It makes picking the left or right pupil at 300 meters easier than a plume line makes for between the eyes at 100.

I would pay the double profit price for a CNC'd unit with precision levels from Geier & Bluhm, Inc. included.

F-Class John corrected/2nd vid explains it to Lucy.

I like it. Im kind of surprised that it’s not more expensive. Not much more than the Wheeler.

 

[ElDiablo]

I use the Wheeler kit. Works great. And this guy does a good job of explaining the right process.

 

[DavidAR10T]

I use the Wheeler kit. Works great. And this guy does a good job of explaining the right process.

That shows how to Stack Tolerances. Good Kit stacks less error, I agree. I like how Real Avid gaffs off the stacking. It really doesn't take the integral f(x) by separation of part to see the difference of the two methods and which one has a greater data offset log as distance is farther. The Real Avid gives you the algebraic solution without having to crank out Straight Math Degree calculus proofs or technical college 6 step method DiffEq Solution Sets. Really.

Best to all.

Real Avid still should have used alloy over polymer, CNC, and Geier & Bluhm levels.

 

[johnedd2]

I'm looking to buy a reasonably priced bubble to level my scope. There's so many choices it's hard to pick.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a bubble level kit for $50 or less? I would prefer to order from Amazon, I have prime so it's free shipping. It doesn't need to be absolutely perfect, but I'm having trouble leveling it out otherwise.

I was looking at the circular ones that level in all directions, as well as ones that mount to the gun. The reviews are mixed on all the products. Does anyone have a scope level that works well (doesn't have to be dead on, most of my shots are within 200 yards) and is willing to share the brand?

I bought this kit from Amazon, I've used it on all my scoped rifles

 

[rangerod]

I also use the Wheeler. Works great however a little tedious.The level light Pro looks awesome.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Padded vise, a few cheap bubble levels with bubbles removed (trailer section of walmart has stick-on ones cheap). Hard part can be finding a true level-to-the-bore flat spot that is in an easy to get to place etc.

Rifle in padded vise, get it level and "tight" in place. Add mount, confirm level. Add rings (bottom half only) confirm level on both. Scope into rings, get it level and tighten rings down. Will work for most of us.

Y'all crazy super long range bench shooters also need to worry about actually holding the rifle un-canted while shooting, so that is where the attach to scope, rail or stock bubbles come in. Or fancier as this thread shows.

 

[Felonious]

Thank you guys for all the advice, I think I'm going to try the Wheeler and see how that goes.

 

[bronko220002]

I use the same little levels.
But i just got this for Christmas. A Wheeler kit. And i have a nice little pocket level because the tiny ones get lost under stuff all the time.
View attachment 40051

I bought the same kit a few days ago. Since the I remounted all my rifle scopes. I removed the scopes from the bases, leveled the rifle and then installed the barrel level and reattached the scope. Each and every scope was off just ever so slightly except one which I must have been drunk (but I don't drink) when I installed it. Boy was that cocked!