Bore Sighting Instructions

No matter what kind of marksman you are, a competition shooter, gun enthusiast or avid hunter, you want to shoot straight and not waste a lot of time on the gun range trying to sight in your rifle. Bore sighting is an easy way to get your rifle and scope aligned so that you can zero in on your target in as little time as possible. Bore sighting is not exact, but modern technology has evolved that it will get weapons closer to zero than ever before.

  1. Traditional

    • The basic and most traditional way of bore sighting a rifle is to place it on a gun rest so that it is stationary. The scope should be attached to the weapon before you begin to bore sight. Remove the bolt so that you have a clear view down the barrel of the weapon. Looking down the barrel, choose a target out in front of you approximately 100 yards away. If you are on a range, focus on the center of a bull's-eye; if you are at home, use an object that is easily targetable, such as knot on a tree or street sign. Once you have lined up a target, look through your scope and adjust the sight so that the cross hairs exactly match your aiming point. Now that your views are the same, reassemble your weapon. The weapon is now bore sighted and is ready to be taken to the range and sighted in to an exact zero.

    Laser

    • Advancements in laser technology have taken a lot of the guess work out of bore sighting. There are two basic types of laser bore sights. The first consists of a long rod that can be inserted into the barrel and has a laser-pointing device attached to the end. The other type is a laser device shaped like the ammunition that fits your weapon. Place this into the barrel and close the chamber. Focus the laser at the center of your target and align your scope or sights on the laser dot. When the sights are lined up, remove the laser and reassemble your rifle.

    Cautions

    • When handling firearms, every weapon should be treated as though it were loaded at all times. Practice gun safety and be cautious when handling weapons around other people; never point a weapon loaded or otherwise at any person or animal. OpticsPlanet.net strongly recommends that caution be used when handling lasers. Be sure not to direct the laser beam directly into the eyes of any person or animal due to the risk of eye injury. To avoid damage to your weapon, do not dry fire it with the laser in the barrel. Check that all weapons are fully unloaded before attempting to bore sight.