Laser Bore sighter

[Cemetery-man]

I have 3 rifles with red dots that need zeroed/co-witnessed and I was wondering if I would be better off getting a laser bore sighter to save some time? I saw one from Laserlite that can be used from .22 thru .50 cal and I think Bushnell also has a similar one. Just trying to decide whether it would be $50 well spent or a waste of money. Any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[EvilElmo]

I think that depends on how much you'll need it. I have one like you're talking about (fits into the muzzle) and it's good enough to get you on paper right away - definitely a time saver. But if you have the ability to shoot at a variety of distances starting at, say, 25 yards I don't know if it's worth it. If you can start close with a large target you can probably get on paper anyway, and then you can just make adjustments as you back up.

If you have the opportunity to borrow one that'd be your best bet. Otherwise it'd be worth it if you know you'll use it again in the future.

 

[yepthatsme]

Considering the cost of ammo, I think the laser bore sighter is well worth the cost just to get you on the target without wasting the ammo.

 

[churchmouse]

I have 3 of them. Each one I bought was progresively better than the last.
I have a daylight laser target that I put up on the fence about 40 yds. out. This will get me on paper out beyond that distance if you adjust the optic properly.

I also use these as a tool to show nooby's trigger discipline. Valuable tool. Worth the money.

 

[david890]

Some of the "in-the-muzzle" types can be very far off-center if not properly adjusted at the factory. Mine wasn't adjusted properly, so I use the following procedure: I'll rotate the laser in 30-degree increments, plotting the dot on a piece of paper placed at 25 yds. I then sight in on the center of the circle I've drawn.

 

[Mark 1911]

The laser bore sighters are nice tools. But if your talking about a bolt action rifle that you can see down the bore with the bolt removed, here's a tip - you don't need a bore sighter.

Honestly, for a bolt action, all you need to do is steady the rifle on a lead sled, or any other stable platform and look down the bore (with bolt removed of course) with your bare eyeball. Without touching or moving the rifle, compare what you see looking down the bore to where the sight is hitting the target and adjust accordingly until you get the sight to match the point on the target that you see through the bore. This will get you not only on the paper, but surprisingly close to being sighted in without ever firing a shot. Sounds too simple to be true but I've done it on several bolt action rifles and it works like a charm. You will actually get closer to center faster using this method than with a laser boresighter. Sometimes simple is just better, not to mention MUCH cheaper.

Semi-autos are a different animal. For those the laser sighters are a very nice tool. I bought the Site-lite SL-500 with the green laser. The problem with laser boresighters is that the laser dot can be hard to see on a sunny day. The green lasers are brighter and easier to spot on the target than the red.
Site-Lite Mag Laser Bore Sight SRL-100 Rifle Scope Reticle Leveler

 

[SteveM4A1]

I also use these as a tool to show nooby's trigger discipline. Valuable tool. Worth the money.

I use mine to show myself how bad my trigger discipline is! Guess I'm a Nub!

 

[throttletony]

I think that depends on how much you'll need it. I have one like you're talking about (fits into the muzzle) and it's good enough to get you on paper right away - definitely a time saver. But if you have the ability to shoot at a variety of distances starting at, say, 25 yards I don't know if it's worth it. If you can start close with a large target you can probably get on paper anyway, and then you can just make adjustments as you back up.

If you have the opportunity to borrow one that'd be your best bet. Otherwise it'd be worth it if you know you'll use it again in the future.

Considering the cost of ammo, I think the laser bore sighter is well worth the cost just to get you on the target without wasting the ammo.

Some of the "in-the-muzzle" types can be very far off-center if not properly adjusted at the factory. Mine wasn't adjusted properly, so I use the following procedure: I'll rotate the laser in 30-degree increments, plotting the dot on a piece of paper placed at 25 yds. I then sight in on the center of the circle I've drawn.

I have one of these as well, Bushnell I think. They are good, not great. Mine is slightly off center also, but it only seems to be off by about 3 MOA as I adjust/rotate it around. For a first shot on a freshly mounted scope, I'll take 3 MOA any day!!!! Then, I fine tune it in at 100 yds or more.

The other type, the bore/chamber type also seem great. My brother in law got a new 30-06 and a laser bore sighter (the kind that looks like a 30-06 case, that activates when inserted in the chamber) and sighted it in. Didn't shoot it for months.... fast forward about 7 months, we take his gun out and he warns me it might only be close. I shot an Idaho gopher (ground squirrel) at 80 yds with that thing, cold bore.
This may not be a shot-worth-writing-home-about, but it shows that the laser bore sighter certainly gets you fairly close, or right on in this case!

 

[Hop]

Waste of money. Yellow House Jake taught me how to zero a rifle in 4-6 shots. No bore sighters, no lead sleds, no bipods. Inches, minutes, clicks. Rifle, sling, ground.

 

[churchmouse]

I use mine to show myself how bad my trigger discipline is! Guess I'm a Nub!

I do the same thing to practice dry fire. It is a good indicator where one might need to work on their skill sets.

 

[churchmouse]

Waste of money. Yellow House Jake taught me how to zero a rifle in 4-6 shots. No bore sighters, no lead sleds, no bipods. Inches, minutes, clicks. Rifle, sling, ground.

If you do any work that includes removing sites from a pistol they are not a waste. It all depends on what your needs are.

 

[Informed Decision]

Ok, I'm confused. How is a laser bore sight used to show trigger discipline, or anything other than getting on paper? All the ones I've seen go in the muzzle or load into the chamber like a round. I need some education,please?

 

[churchmouse]

Ok, I'm confused. How is a laser bore sight used to show trigger discipline, or anything other than getting on paper? All the ones I've seen go in the muzzle or load into the chamber like a round. I need some education,please?

Verify the gun is unloaded.
If you put the laser (either style) in the barrel. Lite it up and find a point of reference. Hold the laser on the point and with the gun cocked (did I mention the gun should be verified unloaded)
pull the trigger and watch the laser.
My sister was hitting low right at the range. Using this method she could see she was pulling the nose around and down as she pulled the trigger. Sat in her living room doing the drill, worked on grip and trigger work and she became pretty deadly. She still does this when she is bored.
This works.

 

[SteveM4A1]

Verify the gun is unloaded.
If you put the laser (either style) in the barrel. Lite it up and find a point of reference. Hold the laser on the point and with the gun cocked (did I mention the gun should be verified unloaded)
pull the trigger and watch the laser.
My sister was hitting low right at the range. Using this method she could see she was pulling the nose around and down as she pulled the trigger. Sat in her living room doing the drill, worked on grip and trigger work and she became pretty deadly. She still does this when she is bored.
This works.

I do this as well.

 

[Informed Decision]

Ok. I have the concept now. I've been dry firing & watching what happens. This accentuates what is going on. Thanks, CM!

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Agreed on several counts.
Watching the laser jump on trigger press can be beneficial when it comes to handguns (though I've never tried it with rifle).

On the other hand, with rifes, I agree with others... sight down the bore to get you on paper, and work from there. My experience on laser bore sighters with rifles is that they offer nothing a regular 'manual' bore sight can give you. Except in rare cases where true bore sighting may not be an option (such as a 10/22). Even then, if you start close enough to the paper, you can make due/adjust as you move further away.

 

[1861navy]

I've enjoyed my laser bore sighter as well as others. From setting up rifles, gun/trigger control, letting friends use it, and using it to torment my cat. Yeah they're worth $50 bucks.

 

[churchmouse]

Agreed on several counts.
Watching the laser jump on trigger press can be beneficial when it comes to handguns (though I've never tried it with rifle).

On the other hand, with rifes, I agree with others... sight down the bore to get you on paper, and work from there. My experience on laser bore sighters with rifles is that they offer nothing a regular 'manual' bore sight can give you. Except in rare cases where true bore sighting may not be an option (such as a 10/22). Even then, if you start close enough to the paper, you can make due/adjust as you move further away.

I bore site as well. I did a back to back in daylite. Used the laser and adjusted the optic. Took very little time. Checked the adjustments by looking down the bore. It was spot on and the bore sighting took much longer. Both work.
Pick your poison.

 

[Cemetery-man]

All the rifles are semi-autos so looking through the bore isn't an option.

 

[oldpink]

The laser bore sighters are nice tools. But if your talking about a bolt action rifle that you can see down the bore with the bolt removed, here's a tip - you don't need a bore sighter.

Honestly, for a bolt action, all you need to do is steady the rifle on a lead sled, or any other stable platform and look down the bore (with bolt removed of course) with your bare eyeball. Without touching or moving the rifle, compare what you see looking down the bore to where the sight is hitting the target and adjust accordingly until you get the sight to match the point on the target that you see through the bore. This will get you not only on the paper, but surprisingly close to being sighted in without ever firing a shot. Sounds too simple to be true but I've done it on several bolt action rifles and it works like a charm. You will actually get closer to center faster using this method than with a laser boresighter. Sometimes simple is just better, not to mention MUCH cheaper.

Semi-autos are a different animal. For those the laser sighters are a very nice tool. I bought the Site-lite SL-500 with the green laser. The problem with laser boresighters is that the laser dot can be hard to see on a sunny day. The green lasers are brighter and easier to spot on the target than the red.
Site-Lite Mag Laser Bore Sight SRL-100 Rifle Scope Reticle Leveler

+1 on that
I would just add that you can increase the precision of using that technique with a bolt action by inserting a fired and deprimed case all the way into the chamber, then peering down the flash hole of the case.
I'd like to take credit for that idea, but someone in a gun magazine (Rick Jamison?) suggested that.
I would also add that you can use the same technique you mentioned with any break action or falling block single shot, and all modern Marlin lever actions, once you take out the bolt.
The first shot went right where I aimed with this technique, only requiring adjustment for POI at a given range after that.