Want your rifle in its top order for hunting or shooting range? Wondering how to get the best out of our rifle? Well, you have ended up in the best spot. You are about to learn how to sight your rifle scope in the best way. Now, missing a target is not a thing anymore.
You must be investing quite a lot in your rifle and scopes for your favorite hobby. But, right after this article, your hobby becomes your passion. This guide will help you with every inch of information required to sight a riflescope. So, let’s dive in!
Get your scope installed and set properly
While installing the scope on your rifle, make sure that it is tightly mounted on the base without any wiggles. Modern rifles come with pre-drilled and tapped holes mounting systems. You may also come across a rifle with grooved rail systems such as Weaver and Picatinny.
You need to ensure the rings and scope mount are the proper fit for your rifle right while buying. Checking the eye relief for one last time can assure whether the scope is mounted properly or not.
Additionally, you can also check whether the reticle is in focus or looking blurry. You can correct this just by twisting the dioptre adjustment on the scope.
Boresighting (Levelling the rifle and scope)
It is best to bore sight your rifle scope before taking-on your target. This will ensure you are in a comfortable position and can deliver an accurate shot to the target. The best way to boresight a rifle is to unload it and obstruct the barrel. Once you are done, mount the rifle on a secure range and look through the bore of the scope.
If you are not getting good outcomes, you can adjust the scope using the turret present on the scope. You can correct the errors using adjustments for elevation and Windage. The use of a paper of a laser bore sight can provide proper reticle alignment.
Aligning the bore and scope
Now that you are on a proper shooting rest, start looking through the bore to the target. The ultimate goal of this alignment is to bring the target to the center point by making sight adjustments. You can also move your rifle carefully to some extent to get comfortable with your position.
Once you are fine with the rifle position on the shooting rest, lock the position there and don’t move it anymore. Now, all you need is good scope adjustments to take a perfect shot. If you are feeling the right placement, start tightening up.
Reticle focusing
Once you are done with tightening the scope, mag, and barrel, you need to focus on the reticle or crosshair. Make sure to focus on the crosshair while you are looking at the target through your scope. You may need a solid background to test the reticle focus.
Experts suggest pointing the scope towards the sky and then bringing the scope back near our eyes. This process ensures the reticles are focussing right on the target without any misleading factors.
Set your MOA
Minute of Angle is an angular measurement used to set your scope to zero. Modern riflescopes are available with ¼ MOA increment to adjust the crosshairs. This resembles 1/4th of the movement per click when shooting at 100 yards. Furthermore, every 1/4th increment moves the rifle to increase 100-yard in distance.
Take the shot and keep on tweaking
Now that you have set your scope with proper focus and alignment, it’s time to take a shot. You can also go for three-shot groups to see whether MOA is working well or not. Target placement depends on how well you know MOA. You can change from 100 yards to 200 yards depending on the applications and results.
Keep on trying different distances until you get your shot right on the point and consistently deliver it. You can also increase the distance farther or closer to check whether the setting suits all your requirements.
If you are not using a shooting rest, then you may need to rectify your holding position from time to time. Once you have mastered the holdover and adjustment techniques, you will feel more comfortable than a shooting rest.
Lock your settings and move onto the real field
Once you are good at your practice point, now you can move to the real field whether it is hunting or shooting range. The same sighting procedure is applicable for thermal scopes and night vision scopes. But, you must adjust the reticles and align the scope using the turret adjustments.
Whether you are a beginner or a sharpshooter, you must start with sighting your rifle scope to get the expected output. Make sure to follow all those steps in an itinerary way so that your rifle points only at the target. Holding position and sustenance of recoiling feedback may take some time if you are up for group-shots.