Bore Sighting... I don't get it?!

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kmd1984

Member
Feb 20, 2016
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Utah, United States
Ok, so you take a bore sighter, install it to your rifle, line up the crosshairs to where the dot is, and then what? Last time I checked, a pellet does not fly straight, so what is the point of using a "straight line" to Zero your scope? Doing it the other way around where you "line up" your crosshairs with your point of impact, that makes sense to me. 

Anyhow, I am not ever able to put my thought into words. This bore sighting thing makes no sense...

Thanks,

Kmd
 
"kmd1984"Ok, so you take a bore sighter, install it to your rifle, line up the crosshairs to where the dot is, and then what? Last time I checked, a pellet does not fly straight, so what is the point of using a "straight line" to Zero your scope? Doing it the other way around where you "line up" your crosshairs with your point of impact, that makes sense to me. 

Anyhow, I am not ever able to put my thought into words. This bore sighting thing makes no sense...

Thanks,

Kmd
Click to expand...
The purpose of bore sighting is to get the scope as closely aligned with the barrel as possible. It is part of the process of installing mounts, shimming scopes, and generally preparing a sighting system to be zeroed. 
 
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The laser is light, won't be affected by gravity, yes. A pellet falls yes. Slap a new scope on a new rifle, it will be NO where near the POI of the pellet. It is a visual aid to show you (before taking a shot) where the muzzle's straight plane is extending out into space. You turn turrents into the direction of the laser on the paper until they are one (may be 5 turns or 25, dont know Depends on range and scope height). Remove the laser device, chamber a pellet and now you will be close. Fine tune as needed and note the day, temp, pellet used, range zero distance, power of scope.
 
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"kmd1984""... as closely aligned with the barrel as possible..." but how does that work!? The laser is projecting a straight line, but a pellet doesn't fly straight, so how exactly do they "align".

Thanks,

Kmd
Click to expand...
The purpose of bore sighting is to get the scope as closely aligned with the barrel as possible. It is part of the process of installing mounts, shimming scopes, and generally preparing a sighting system to be zeroed. 
 
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oldspook
"kmd1984""... as closely aligned with the barrel as possible..." but how does that work!? The laser is projecting a straight line, but a pellet doesn't fly straight, so how exactly do they "align".

Thanks,

Kmd
Click to expand...
The purpose of bore sighting is to get the scope as closely aligned with the barrel as possible. It is part of the process of installing mounts, shimming scopes, and generally preparing a sighting system to be zeroed. 
Click to expand...



???
 
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To avoid confusion:

Laser 'Bore Sighters' are rather limited in effectiveness but often used by 'powderburners' to cut the cost of acheiving a rough zero.

A proper Bore / Scope Collimator IS a very useful object indeed and can provide a mass of information about scopes and mounts (+ barrels!). I use a collimator every time I mount a scope and keep record of the results. Unfortunately scope collimators are usually based on 100 yard zeros (again, they are part of the powderburners' world) and have the disadvantage of rarely having correct .177" mandrels ( .17" is not the same). apart from that a good collimator kit will cost around $60.00 but be worthwhile IF you change scopes frequently.
 
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The Bore sighter is just to get you on the target, that's all. I've sighted guns without them but they are a nice convenience. It does speed the process.

Last bore sighter I used was a proper collimator kit. My son bought it long ago. It got me on the paper, but that's about it. Perhaps I need to learn how to use it better.

I like the laser kits because they speed the process, and the new kits can be had from eBay for under $15, with .177 mandrels. Just make sure you get one with a .177 mandrel as most start at .22.

Is it mandatory? no. Is it a convenience? Yes. I'll continue to use them, though I've done without. Your call, after all, the gun really doesn't care.
 
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This doesn't help with airrifles but with bolt action rifles you can simply remove the the bolt and look down the bore to something in the distance. 
You will need a way to keep the rifle still and then adjust the crosshairs to the same point. 
Again just to get you close and you don't need to buy anything. 
Might be something you do at home if you can't shoot at home before going to the range. 
At least you know your in the ball park and not going 
to have to start guessing where the shots are going if there not on paper. 
 
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"BRS"To avoid confusion:

Laser 'Bore Sighters' are rather limited in effectiveness but often used by 'powderburners' to cut the cost of acheiving a rough zero.

A proper Bore / Scope Collimator IS a very useful object indeed and can provide a mass of information about scopes and mounts (+ barrels!). I use a collimator every time I mount a scope and keep record of the results. Unfortunately scope collimators are usually based on 100 yard zeros (again, they are part of the powderburners' world) and have the disadvantage of rarely having correct .177" mandrels ( .17" is not the same). apart from that a good collimator kit will cost around $60.00 but be worthwhile IF you change scopes frequently.
Click to expand...
Never even heard of a Scope Collimator!? But hey, I am a noob, so what do you expect, ha ha.

Thanks for the input,

Kmd
 
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"Saltlake58"The Bore sighter is just to get you on the target, that's all. I've sighted guns without them but they are a nice convenience. It does speed the process.

Last bore sighter I used was a proper collimator kit. My son bought it long ago. It got me on the paper, but that's about it. Perhaps I need to learn how to use it better.

I like the laser kits because they speed the process, and the new kits can be had from eBay for under $15, with .177 mandrels. Just make sure you get one with a .177 mandrel as most start at .22.

Is it mandatory? no. Is it a convenience? Yes. I'll continue to use them, though I've done without. Your call, after all, the gun really doesn't care.
Click to expand...
Copy that... thanks.
 
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"AirSupply"This doesn't help with airrifles but with bolt action rifles you can simply remove the the bolt and look down the bore to something in the distance. 
You will need a way to keep the rifle still and then adjust the crosshairs to the same point. 
Again just to get you close and you don't need to buy anything. 
Might be something you do at home if you can't shoot at home before going to the range. 
At least you know your in the ball park and not going 
to have to start guessing where the shots are going if there not on paper.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input...

Kmd
 
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