Laser Bore Sighter - Any good?

[matelot]

I was thinking of getting a laser bore sighter for my brother's Christmas. Anyone ever use one? The reviews on amazon/ ebay are a bit mixed....

 

Before anyone asks it's a laser you put in a rifle barrel to check the scope is zeroed in.

[Lazurus]

Depends in my experience on the caliber and quality of the unit. Very useful when you first attach a scope, allows you to see if mounts need shimming to give a true center line on the scope before the final zeroing. Always good to have a gadget though. Boys Toys.......

[matelot]

Thanks Lazurus,

 

it's for a 223 Remington.

 

The last time we zeroed the gun together it was windy and the shots were going everywhere.... I cant help thinking a few minutes with a laser would be easier (and cheaper!!)

 

Is there a manufacturer you recommend?

[pycoed]

Surely a bore sighting laser would only be of use for the first rough zeroing? To get the shots on the paper, that is. You'd still have to fire a few groups to establish the actual zero?

[John Shutler]

Why not save your money, fire a group at 30yds then work back to your zero whatever the distance is

 

 

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[Stubby]

Surely a bore sighting laser would only be of use for the first rough zeroing? To get the shots on the paper, that is. You'd still have to fire a few groups to establish the actual zero?

 

It gives you a theoretical zero at what ever range you set your scope at . This is based on an endless flat trajectory , no windage or drop . So a good place to start . Of course you will have to work from there dependent on amo and ambient conditions etc .

[Python]

Used one on a few guns.... It's handy and saves a few quid on chucking ammo down a range trying to find the target in the first instance, it's not perfect as others have said but at 100 yards you'll be 2-3" of dead centre which is a nice place to start...... But remember to take it out before firing live

[Bob The Dog]

Laser bore sights are only any good as a rough guide for initial set up. To zero a weapon properly, you need to be firing in groups of 5 rounds and taking the mean point of impact as zero. You can disregard the odd flyer. The conditions need to be still, as zeroing in wind is impossible. You can then account for windage afterwards. The range over which you are firing should also be level. If you are using a metric scope, zero at 100m. If an imperial scope, then zero at 100 yards. And if you have mildots, you can then use those for your point of aim without having to adjust the drums. Depending how accurate you want to be will determine how much effort you put into setting up. The laser bore sight only has to be slightly out of line in the chamber to be several cm's out at the point of aim end.

[Commando]

"To zero a weapon properly, you need to be firing in groups of 5 rounds and taking the mean point of impact as zero"

 

I take it you mean adjust the MPI onto the correct zero position?

 

Also 3 round group is fine for zeroing, any more is a luxury with the price of ammo!!

 

As already said the laser bore sighter is great at getting you onto the target, the more expensive ones are pretty accurate too.

[Bob The Dog]

Ok, 5 rounds is a bit of a luxury, But it is better and more accurate than 3. Generally, as long as the rounds are tightly grouped, the mpi should be your zero point. Ideally, all 5 rounds would be touching each other, or very close, but that's really difficult on an outdoor shoot. The laser, as I said before, no matter how expensive or good it is, it cannot be trusted for proper zero, and the longer the range, the more inaccurate it becomes. The laser is dead straight - bullets aren't. They fly on an arc, both horizontally and veritaclly. They have a culminating point, which can change given the elevation of the muzzle. Any videos of tracer fire on YouTube will demo this. 3 round groups is a cheaper option. And the .223 round isn't the biggest, and can be affected by wind in all directions. So many variables. I presume the weapon is for hunting, so in order to effect a clean kill, and prevent suffering, it's gotta be zero'd accurately. Oh - always use the same ammo for hunting as you have for the zero. This can also make a big difference.