Laser Bore Sighters Anyone use them ?

2

219don

Guest
Has anyone used a laser boresighter to bore sight their rifle ? If so, do they work well, ie how far off at 50 or 100 yds ? What brands have been tried and which are/is the best ? There seem to be quite a few on the market today. I have tried a Bushnell mechanical boresighter, with bore spud and target square that slips into the bore but it was terrible, ended up throwing it out. That was many years ago. Hopefully the stuff on the market today would do a better job. Anyone, chime in.
Thanks.
 
Unless I was bore sighting a lever action, pump, or semiautomatic, I would have no need. I just pull the bolt and make what I am seeing through the bore, exactly match what I am seeing through the scope. If I am working with a factory barrel (greater chance of being crooked) I do this at 25 yd., and do my first firing and scope adjustment at that distance. If it is a match grade barrel, I have had good luck starting at 100 yd. In any case, I really don't like putting things in rifles' muzzles. Leupold has addressed this issue with a collimator that is magnetic. If I needed one, that is what I would use. Another issue with the lasers is that they do not stick up like a traditional collimator, being coaxial with the bore. I have heard of at least one case where a shooter forgot to remove one before firing his rifle, and split the barrel.
 
Hi Shinny,

I bought one of Cabala's that uses plastic expanders to keep it centered in the bore. I think it is a POS and don't use it. The only way I could see to get any advantage would be if the laser would be visible down range, which the one I bough is not. As discribed above, boresighting is pretty dern good and with practice, one can get very close, even out to 300.
 
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It's too bad that the link from Boyd didn't show the injuries to the shooter. This woud make much more impact and help one remember to remove the device before sending the first round down range.
 
I use a Laserlyte, I got it from Midway, IRRC. I have a space in my shop that allows me to check it at 75' which will get you on the paper. I don't remember how far off it was at 100 yards, but it was certainly close enough. I use it most of the time for setting up my chronograph at the range. I've seen the photos of split barrels caused by firing a rifle with one in the bore so I made a type of flag that blocks my scope when it's in the bore.
 
I use Boyds method as well as a Lazer to reattach a scope to rifle. I use a small black and white target on my work room door, center the scope on the bulls eye and walk over and mark the Lazer dot on the target. I can change scopes or recheck a scope I have removed for any reason and be within 1/4" @ 100 yards. I have all my rifles marked on the target for reference if I need to remove or replace a scope, I just click into the mark and go. I have done this for 4 to 36 power scopes at 20'. Thats the distance to the kitchen counter were I set my rest.. My wife needs not to know that ok .. Adjustable objectives are best to focus on the target. But this works on all of my rifles very well and repeatable. I will update the target at times if load or stock changes are made to keep it within my 1/4" @ 100 yards . I guess the long red thing hanging out of my barrel would keep me from shooting my rifle before removing it. I would suggest never using a bore sighter at the bench.
Andy B
 
That pertickler blowout occurred about 10mi down the road from my house. Far as I know there were no injuries but the pic gets floated around some of our Hunter Ed classes.

One advantage of the old school collimator bore sighters is that they stick up and kinda' block the scope.

al
 
219,
I got a laser sighter for a birthday a while ago. My best advise is to only use them at home & never take them to the range. I have a tree out the back door that makes a good target for the laser, so there's really no need to run the risk. One concern is damaging the crown with anything that's stuck in the bore.

I also have a magnetic one that seems to work OK. I think the main use of these would be to see if the scope has shifted in travel, rather than an initial sighting. Neither of these beats the "look through the bore" method". JMHO
Regards, Ron
 
I don't realy care to stick something down the bore either. I was hopeing to get some feedback about those systems that enter the chamber. The feedback on Cabella's sight from customers is mostly mixed but universal in complaining about battery life. Some complain they barely had enough battery to sight in one time, ie look,adjust,look,adjust,looking,adjusting, etc. Also about the laser spot being different if you removed and rechambered the device. I spent a while yesterday boresighting three rifles on which I had changed scope and my eyes just don't see that well anymore through the bore, hence my interest in the laser devices.
 
i frequently remove the bolt and use one of the cheap boresighters made to be stuck in the muzzle to line up the chrono or shine it on the side of the barn to get a scope on paper. it will shine right down the bore just fine. i dont think it can be awful far off, lol.
works at night to line up your flags too.
 
I use mine for semi auto rifles and pistols, it also makes a great long range cat toy you can drive your nieghbors cat crazy after dark.
Leroy Johnson
 
I've been using a Bushnell bore sighter for decades on all types and calibers of rifles. It is very convenient and saves ammo and time to bore sight at home before going to the range. I am always on the paper at 50yds to tidy up the sighting for longer ranges. All of my gunsmith friends also use Bushnell bore sighters.
 
A friend of mine loaned me his bore sighter recently. It was from Dr Optics and looked like a cartridge you actually inserted into the breech. The accuracy was within an inch of where it was indicating. However only bright enough to see the spot at 50yds. No chance of firing the rifle with that still inserted.
Andy.
 
My Father loves the laser bore sights. I on the other hand, no so much. Then again he is the one that tends to take care of the scopes.

Jason Lumetta
ExtremeGunCare
 
i see what a bore sighter left in barrle and then shot not a pretty sight
 
You guys do know that if the Earth is passing anywhere near a black hole (1000 megaparsecs or so) the laser beam will be bent and introduce at least 1/2" variation in POI once we scoot by the black hole :eek:

ps: thought we might see you and Butch at Damarariscotta today. Great day of rimfire at 100 yds.

Andy B said:
I use Boyds method as well as a Lazer to reattach a scope to rifle. I use a small black and white target on my work room door, center the scope on the bulls eye and walk over and mark the Lazer dot on the target. I can change scopes or recheck a scope I have removed for any reason and be within 1/4" @ 100 yards. I have all my rifles marked on the target for reference if I need to remove or replace a scope, I just click into the mark and go. I have done this for 4 to 36 power scopes at 20'. Thats the distance to the kitchen counter were I set my rest.. My wife needs not to know that ok .. Adjustable objectives are best to focus on the target. But this works on all of my rifles very well and repeatable. I will update the target at times if load or stock changes are made to keep it within my 1/4" @ 100 yards . I guess the long red thing hanging out of my barrel would keep me from shooting my rifle before removing it. I would suggest never using a bore sighter at the bench.
Andy B
Click to expand...
 
greg said:
You guys do know that if the Earth is passing anywhere near a black hole (1000 megaparsecs or so) the laser beam will be bent and introduce at least 1/2" variation in POI once we scoot by the black hole :eek:

.
Click to expand...

only if the shot passes by the black hole....... and of course if it grazes the event horizon too closely it'll just snail up into an orbit and NEVER get to the target, the flag NOR the beer belly eh!! (((( ref thread http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?73370-Laser-for-setting-flags ))))

speakin' of which, The Law Of Universal Gravitation dictates that given a massive enough beer belly....

hmmmm

al
 
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