That's exactly the point made by the book I read. Looks like it is one of those nice-to-have things. Not quite necessary.
Thanks guys.
-TL
Collimator, is it necessary?
- Thread starter tangolima
- Start date
Thanks guys.
-TL
This is what the collimator does best compared to other "plain" bore sighter gadgets. For some precision fanatic (i.e. bench-resters) the use is like this:JT-AR-MG42 said:
1) Mount bases, rings, scope normally without loctite.
2) Shoot the gun & precisely zero the scope with your intended load.
3) Mark location of rings on scope with proper eye-relief & vertical alignment.
4) Use the collimator to carefully record the scope/bore zero.
5) Cradle the rifle. Tape the collimator in place & do not disturb.
6) Remove scope, rings & mount.
7) Epoxy bed the base then mount with loctite.
8) Attach bottom halves of rings to base with the proper torque.
9) Optically center scope reticle. (All elevation clicks divide by 2; Windage same.)
10) Place scope in ring halves & shim in place until reticle matches original zero of collimator.
11) Epoxy bed bottom of scope to rings. Let dry.
12) Epoxy bed tops. Let dry.
13) Add screws & Loctite rings.
The collimator is essential for this type of work, which is of little or no use to regular varmint or hunting rifles.
Just thought I'd add a FWIW here.
If there's a good chance you won't be able to take a test shot after travelling, you can use a collimator as a sanity check. But it does take some preparation to get good results.
Get the gun sighted in exactly the way you want it to be.
Now get a large blank target with a clear aiming point. Set up your rifle in a rest (can be bags, just something that will keep it from shifting). It will be useful to have someone to help out. Set up your target, being very careful to get the target level and being sure that you're not aiming significantly upward or downward. You want the target square to level and you want the aiming point to be as close to level with the muzzle of the rifle as you can get it.
At a chosen distance (at LEAST 25 yards), aim at the aiming point on the target and then have your assistant carefully mark the spot where the collimator points on the paper. Also mark the distance at which you created the target. If you don't have an assistant, cut a piece of a sticky-note so that it has adhesive on it and use that to mark the collimator aimpoint. You can move it around until you get it right and then mark the spot permanently.
Now, with the target, you can rapidly check your zero at your destination. Set up the target at the range you wrote down on it, again being very careful to get the target level and insuring that you're not aiming the rifle significantly upward or downward. Aim at the aiming point and if the collimator is lined up on the collimator aimpoint you marked in the first part of the setup, you can be confident that the zero hasn't shifted.
Hmmm... Guess I should have read through the responses more carefully. Looks like JT-AR-MG42 already provided this information.
Get the gun sighted in exactly the way you want it to be.
Now get a large blank target with a clear aiming point. Set up your rifle in a rest (can be bags, just something that will keep it from shifting). It will be useful to have someone to help out. Set up your target, being very careful to get the target level and being sure that you're not aiming significantly upward or downward. You want the target square to level and you want the aiming point to be as close to level with the muzzle of the rifle as you can get it.
At a chosen distance (at LEAST 25 yards), aim at the aiming point on the target and then have your assistant carefully mark the spot where the collimator points on the paper. Also mark the distance at which you created the target. If you don't have an assistant, cut a piece of a sticky-note so that it has adhesive on it and use that to mark the collimator aimpoint. You can move it around until you get it right and then mark the spot permanently.
Now, with the target, you can rapidly check your zero at your destination. Set up the target at the range you wrote down on it, again being very careful to get the target level and insuring that you're not aiming the rifle significantly upward or downward. Aim at the aiming point and if the collimator is lined up on the collimator aimpoint you marked in the first part of the setup, you can be confident that the zero hasn't shifted.
Hmmm... Guess I should have read through the responses more carefully. Looks like JT-AR-MG42 already provided this information.
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I made an 11 second video demonstrating a Leupold zero point colminator with a Leupold Mark IV 8.5x25x50 scope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJXO8kaXfJI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJXO8kaXfJI