Why You Should Mount Your Own Riflescope

Some shooters prefer to have a qualified gunsmith mount a new sight, but you can do it yourself without worrying that you'll compromise your rifle's accuracy. By mounting your own scope, you can precisely adjust its dimensions so that it fits your shoulder.
 
You may be thinking: " "Why should I do my own scope mounting? I can either get it done there for free or pay the guys at my local gun shop a few bucks to do it."
The straightforward response is that someone else most certainly mounted your scope incorrectly. Many gun experts will advise you that the best thing you can do to increase the performance of your rifle is to mount the sight properly. There are certainly many excellent gun shop employees that do a terrific job installing rifle scopes, but a lot of rifle scopes aren't installed precisely, which can lead to a variety of issues when you're shooting.
 
Here are the steps to mount your scope:
 
Match bases and rings.
The first step is to ensure that the mounting system you choose is the right fit for your rifle and that the rings are of the right diameter and height for correctly positioning your scope. Almost all modern rifles are either pre-drilled and tapped for scope bases or grooved for the appropriate mounting attachments. Make sure the components are compatible because specific types of scope ring only fit specific types of scope bases. Additionally, the height of the scope rings varies, which could be confusing.
 
Mounting the Bases
The objective bell should never touch the barrel when mounting a scope on a rifle, and there should always be room at the eyepiece for the bolt to freely operate. Ask an experienced gun store owner for suggestions. Most bases and rings are connected together with screws.
 
Wipe the attachment surfaces dry and clean before adding a light layer of oil or rust preventive to start assembling the bases. Verify the bases' alignment and that you are not attaching them in reverse.
 
Apply a tiny drop of a thread-freezing substance, such as Loctite, for the highest level of security (the semi-permanent Blue is best for scope mounting). By alternately tightening the screws, you can ensure an even fit. Avoid using the scope as a lever to pivot the ring into position if you use rings that attach to the front base using a revolving socket mechanism. Instead, use a wooden dowel or object with a similar diameter.
 
Adjust Reticle
After installing the bottom half of the rings, position the scope and only loosely (enough to allow the scope to rotate and move back and forth) tighten the top halves of the rings. Rotate the scope until the reticle is precisely vertical and horizontal while holding the weapon level.
 
Eye Relief
Place the scope far enough forward so that your eye is protected from recoil. As a general guideline, advance the scope by about an inch from where you initially thought it should be.
 
Tighten Screws
Verify the scope's placement once more, then tighten the ring screws. To ensure a consistent space between the ring halves, alternately tighten the screws.
 
Bore Sight
Use the correct insertion pin for your calibre when installing a bore sight, and then adjust the vertical and horizontal axes to point of aim. You must fire test groups at the range in order to correctly sight your rifle.