Boresighting your firearm is a crucial step in ensuring accurate shooting. It's a preliminary sighting process that aligns your firearm's sights with the barrel's bore, allowing you to get on target quickly and efficiently before heading to the range for fine-tuning. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to boresight a gun safely and effectively.
What is Boresighting?
Boresighting involves visually aligning your firearm's sights (iron sights or the reticle in a scope) with the barrel's bore. The bore is the inside of the barrel through which the projectile travels. By aligning the sights with the bore, you drastically reduce the time spent adjusting your sights at the range, saving ammunition and time. It's important to understand that boresighting is not a replacement for proper zeroing at the range; it’s a preliminary step.
Tools and Equipment Needed
The tools you need for boresighting will depend on the type of firearm you own. Generally, you'll need:
- Boresighting Tool: This is the most important tool. These tools are available for various calibers and come in different styles, some using a laser, others using a visual alignment system. Choosing the right boresighting tool for your specific firearm is crucial.
- Firearm: Obviously, you'll need the firearm you intend to boresight.
- Safety Glasses: Always protect your eyes when handling firearms.
- Stable Surface/Rest: A solid, stable rest for your firearm is vital for accurate boresighting. A shooting bench or sandbags are ideal.
Steps to Boresight Your Firearm
The exact steps may vary slightly depending on your specific boresighting tool, but the general process remains consistent:
1. Safety First! Always treat every firearm as if it were loaded. Ensure the firearm is unloaded, the action is open, and the magazine is removed. Double-check to confirm it's completely unloaded.
2. Securely Mount the Boresighting Tool: Carefully insert the boresighting tool into the barrel of your firearm. Ensure it's firmly seated and centered to avoid inaccurate readings.
3. Find a Safe and Suitable Backstop: You need a safe area to aim your boresighted firearm at. This area should be a stable structure, such as a solid wall or backstop designed for firearm practice. Never point the firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot.
4. Position Yourself and Your Firearm: Use your stable rest to support your firearm. Aim the boresighted firearm at your backstop, maintaining a safe and stable position.
5. Adjust Your Sights: Using the boresighting tool's alignment mechanism (laser or visual), adjust your firearm's sights until they are precisely aligned with the bore. This typically involves adjusting the windage (left and right) and elevation (up and down) of your sights or scope.
6. Verify Alignment: Once you've made adjustments, re-check the alignment to confirm accuracy. Minor adjustments may be needed for optimal alignment.
Boresighting Different Types of Firearms
The boresighting process remains similar across various firearm types, however, specific considerations might apply:
- Handguns: Boresighting handguns can be more challenging due to their smaller size and often shorter sight radius. A stable rest is crucial.
- Rifles: Rifles are generally easier to boresight due to their longer barrels and clearer sight pictures.
- Shotguns: Shotguns require special boresighting tools designed for their gauge and often need a different approach due to the spread pattern of their shot.
Moving to the Range: Zeroing Your Firearm
Boresighting significantly speeds up the zeroing process at the range, but it doesn't eliminate the need for it. At the range, you'll fire several shots at various distances and make fine adjustments to your sights to achieve perfect zero.
Conclusion
Boresighting is a valuable technique that can save you significant time and ammunition at the shooting range. By following these steps and prioritizing safety, you can effectively align your firearm's sights with its bore, leading to quicker and more accurate shooting. Remember, boresighting is only the first step; always follow up with proper zeroing at a safe and controlled shooting environment. Consult your firearm's manual for specific guidance and always practice safe gun handling procedures.
