If scope is level shouldn't reticle be straight?

I had my new Zeiss Conquest professionally mounted just before deer season and found that the Reticle was a little off. I figured the gunsmith was just overwhelmed right before deer season. It shot sporadically but got the job done on a hog and Turkey. I am mounting on another rifle now myself. Using a level I can see the reticle is not straight vertically even though the level says it should be.

Is this something wrong with the scope or the installer?

I always thought the reticle should line up with the scope housing, myself. If the level is across the top, the horizontal one should be level. And vice versa with the vertical one too IMO. Wait for someone smart to say something before you listen to me

Hang a weight on a string. Then with your rifle level, turn the scope until the verticle recticle is in line with the string. Tighten the scope, and recheck with the string. It's simple and the very best way to level the scope...

I vise the rifle then level with the receiver. I then use a clamp that I glued a bubble level on and line them both up. Once it squared I will install the scope and use the top turret to level to the action. Has worked 100% of the time over the past 30 years. If you see a big difference from the recital and the turret then send the scope back...

If your rifle doesn't lay flat I guess the only way to keep it level is with a gun vice of some sort? I took off my sling and tried laying it on a table, but it does not stay steady. Used a Lead Sled and still it moves easily. What do you use to keep it in place?

It is possible that the scope is truly level with the rifle, and you are slightly canted upon shouldering the rifle.

Sometimes a slip-up in quality control can result in a scope's reticle being out-of-square with the scope's body. To verify this, procure a short cardboard box, one shorter than the scope tube's length. Cut two notches in both ends of the box so the scope will lay still, supported by the notched box. Using a short level across the top of the turret, carefully level the scope body. Now hang a plumb bob on a string from the ceiling, so that when you look through the scope lying in its notches, you can see the vertical string through the eyepiece. The string should be in line with the reticle's vertical wire. If your scope is level in the notched box, and the reticle IS NOT square with the plumb, the scope should be repaired by Zeiss (they will).

Now, if everything is square after this test, the problem is on your end. Get someone to help you mount your scope.

Bipod

Wouldn't a bipod pose a risk of scratching the stock?

Harris bipods contact the stock with rubber, so no, it won't scratch a wooden stock.

With a non swivel model bipod you can shim under the legs to get the scope base level, then instal the scope in the rings. Set eye relief first (that's moving the scope toward the butt or toward the muzzle). Place a strip of tape parallel to to the ring, just touching. Check base level, replace scope make the reticle line up with a known horizontal or vertical LEVEL line. Tourqe the ring screws as prescribed. Now you have a level scope. Very, very important for those of us that dial elevation. You can't have a scope that trails off to the left or right several degrees. That makes for lots of misses.

What are you using to get the scope and rifle level? If you are using the top of the turrets, often times the turret caps are not 100% level to the scope or reticle.

I know you are the one to answer this so what are you using to level the scope? That's how I've been doing it, putting a level across the top.

Go back a page and look at my post.

I will check the flat bottom part of the scope to the turrets before I mount the scope in the rings. If the turret and bottom line up, then I use the turrets (since it's the easiest to use). If they are not level and different, I note where the bubble is in the level to get the top level. I do the same for the rifle. I mount my bases and get a reference point on the rifle when the base is level. I often use the bottom of the mag well for reference to the base, once I know if there is any difference. Often times the mag well and base is slightly canted to each other. I note where the bubble is in the level also, and come to that point. On a good scope, the reticle will be straight with the scope tube. (If not, get a better scope!!). The main thing is getting the scope body level. If the scope body is canted, then any adjustment up or down will also be pulling the cross hairs slightly to the right or left. You can also use a plum line on the wall to line up the reticle, but you also have to make sure the rifle is level at the same time. I use 2- 6" levels for all of this. I've seen guys use the bubble levels that mount inside the action, but they are not always 100%.

This is the prob I encounter the most with people.

I do this also.

I'd say most everyone cants the rifle toward their cheek. I did it and added an anti-cant level to the scope base, and began having more hits outside 600 yards almost immediately.

You cannot always depend on the elevation adjustment cap to level the scope with because canted reticles are not uncommon in scopes. I've seen and owned quite a few scopes that had canted reticles.

The best way I've found to level a scope reticle is as was previously mentioned... level the rifle, then hang a weight off the end of a string in the distance, look through the scope and, without moving the rifle, rotate the vertical crosshair until it's aligned with the string.

Sometimes it can be difficult to know when the rifle is level, sometimes there is a flat surface on the receiver, or maybe a rear iron sight base you can put a small bubble level on. If none of these things exist, I've found this tool works well at leveling the rifle, based on the principle of v-blocks finding the center of round surfaces: http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-...t-prod6097.aspx

I have one, and it works very well, but it's kinda expensive if you don't do a lot of scope mounting.

Hope none of my old neighbors ever read this...for too many years to mention I have used a leveled with a 4' Carpenters Level work bench, kitchen table, back of a sofa ...some for sure flat level hard or at least solid surface to start with and put a rifle on it with sand bags, hard pillows, rolled towels etc...any thing I could find so to stabilize the rifle enough that I could fool with adjusting the scope and tighten the screws enough to get some tension on the scope....and I could look out a window or glass door or across an alley or street and use the neighbors house's ridge line, top edge of large window yadda yadda to line up my horizontal crosshair with...and still do. I did discover looking thru a scope several surrounding homes with foundation problems though couple places I've lived.

Where I live now, I can sit in an office chair in my storage bldg at the relaoding bench and look at a neighbors ridge line about 50+ yards away...it works for me. Just Sayin' whatever works using a long bubble level, and a 4' Carpenters Level is the best thing I've found and is GTG.
Ron

I use a cheaper version of what Rifledude mentioned. There are excellent instructions on how to get your turrets/scope vertically aligned with your bore on the websight too IIRC.

www.highpoweroptics.com/tools-c-732_733.html


I get my gun as level as possible in a level vise then follow the instructions and viola it works. I checked my .308 at 100 yards after using this tool by hanging a 6 ft length of string with a rail road spike dangling( all I could scrounge). I had this in front of a large target. I put a sticky dot at the bottom end of the string next to the string.I fired a shot and clipped the edge of the sticky dot. I then dialed 10mils elevation held again on the sticky dot and fired another shot.
From a 100 yards away thru the spotting scope it looked like my shot was directly behind the string. When we walked down and looked the right edge of the string had a burn mark where the bullet touched the edge of the string.... close enough for government work.