Boresight users: chamber boresight vs universal.

[scatman]

Alright, I've used quite a few different types of boresight over the past few years, and I want to know if anyone has any recommendations or thoughts? I for one used to love in chamber sights, where the boresight is mock cartridge you just throw in the chamber, vs a universal that goes into the barrel, but I've grown to hate them because after about 200 sightings and depending on what you're sighting, say an AR, the boresight essentially is no longer "true" because the force of the bolt, or if using a pistol, the slide, causes it to knock itself out of level, and you can't fix it, $30 isnt much at the time, but when you've gone through 3 or 4 bore sights, it gets kinda frustrating. Universal sights are great, but depending on how they "adjust" to fit the bore, I've had issues with them being level. 

[Darrell]

I have a universal bore site set, and I use it fairly often but am not totally sold on it. Sometimes the rod that fits down the bore can rotate a bit. If your rifle has a flash suppressor or muzzle brake the rod may not be quite long enough. 

With bolt action rifles I usually just use a true bore-sight; taking out the bolt, looking down the bore, and adjusting the scope.

[RED333]

This will get you on paper. Find a mirror that’s about 10 to 15 feet 20 feet is better away from you. Gun empty finger off the trigger look through the site into the mirror and adjust your site to fall on the end of the muzzle. Do this two or three times adjust as needed. This will get you on paper at about 50 yards.

[jpx2rk]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2130726870?pid=871160

This is what I use, mine is 3 yrs old, so I didn't pay that much.  Can't shoot the gun with this item on the muzzle, well, you shouldn't fire the gun with the item on the muzzle.

Works well, I use it when I change scopes, or remove the scope from a firearm.

[Jeb48]

7 hours ago, RED333 said:

This will get you on paper. Find a mirror that’s about 10 to 15 feet 20 feet is better away from you. Gun empty finger off the trigger look through the site into the mirror and adjust your site to fall on the end of the muzzle. Do this two or three times adjust as needed. This will get you on paper at about 50 yards.

Seems like you would have to have the mirror and the muzzle carefully aligned for this to work. Maybe I'm over thinking it.

[Garufa]

10 hours ago, Darrell said:

With bolt action rifles I usually just use a true bore-sight; taking out the bolt, looking down the bore, and adjusting the scope.

That exact same procedure works with an AR.  Just take the upper off and set it on a rest of some kind. It’s not all that difficult.

[scatman]

6 hours ago, jpx2rk said:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2130726870?pid=871160

This is what I use, mine is 3 yrs old, so I didn't pay that much.  Can't shoot the gun with this item on the muzzle, well, you shouldn't fire the gun with the item on the muzzle.

Works well, I use it when I change scopes, or remove the scope from a firearm.

I've looked into getting one of these just hadn't really heard any feedback on them.

[Erich]

I've got one of these: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1040332264?pid=810957

I've had it several years, it works well enough. The front portion has enough heft that you can see very minor repeatability shifts on re-eating in bore or if you thump it on accident. It claims to have a very strong magnet, could use a stronger one to prevent any shifting. 

That said, I only use it when I cant do a conventional boresighting like a couple others mentioned.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Erich

[xtriggerman]

I have 3 types of older bore sighters and I really like the mirror idea. Never thought of that! I used to sight in rifles ALOT for customers when I had a business and A bore sighter is not worth all the money they ask for some of these if you know how to sight in a scope properly. Its pretty simple really. Invest in a good sand bag set or better yet is a lead sled where you lock the gun into a target rest that fixes the rifle solidly in place on the table. 

Put one hit on the target,

set the rifle back in place to where it was on bulls eye before your shot.

Without moving the gun, look threw the scope and turn your scope adjustments un till the cross hair is now dead on that first bullet hole. 

The more fixed to the table the gun is while turning the adjustments, the fewer shots you will need. 

I could sight in a rifle with 3 shots and that was holding the gun just fixed into sand bag rests. 

 Trust me when I tell you, barrels are not perfect in being bore centered or being straight threw the center of the OD of a straight barrel. These "normal" inconsistencies is why any bore sighter is expected to be a paper hitter only. I still use a Bushnell sighter that has a single bore rod with spring on the end and it has put dead on target holes and on some, not even on the paper. Iv never used a lead sled but I,m thinking that would be the most fool proof way to zero on the fewest rounds fired. Bore sighter? .....not so much.

Edited June 14, 2022 by xtriggerman

[scatman]

On 6/14/2022 at 2:10 PM, xtriggerman said:

I have 3 types of older bore sighters and I really like the mirror idea. Never thought of that! I used to sight in rifles ALOT for customers when I had a business and A bore sighter is not worth all the money they ask for some of these if you know how to sight in a scope properly. Its pretty simple really. Invest in a good sand bag set or better yet is a lead sled where you lock the gun into a target rest that fixes the rifle solidly in place on the table. 

Put one hit on the target,

set the rifle back in place to where it was on bulls eye before your shot.

Without moving the gun, look threw the scope and turn your scope adjustments un till the cross hair is now dead on that first bullet hole. 

The more fixed to the table the gun is while turning the adjustments, the fewer shots you will need. 

I could sight in a rifle with 3 shots and that was holding the gun just fixed into sand bag rests. 

 Trust me when I tell you, barrels are not perfect in being bore centered or being straight threw the center of the OD of a straight barrel. These "normal" inconsistencies is why any bore sighter is expected to be a paper hitter only. I still use a Bushnell sighter that has a single bore rod with spring on the end and it has put dead on target holes and on some, not even on the paper. Iv never used a lead sled but I,m thinking that would be the most fool proof way to zero on the fewest rounds fired. Bore sighter? .....not so much.

I guess i probably should've specified, I use the bore sights just as a starting point, I use the sled method to get it "true." I just, like I said, was curious if there are any better products out there that don't have little parts that break so easily or consistently.

[Snaveba]

I have a universal laser boresight with different sized bushings for different calibers. I like it since I can use it in all my rifles/pistols (if the pistol barrel is long enough). But also it is to get the scope/red dot close on paper.

Depending upon the caliber and distance I want the zero, I have used ballistic charts to see where the bullet would strike the target at a distance I can easily see with the laser (say 20 yards) and I will mark the target with the offset.  then when sighting the scope, put the laser on one mark and set the scope to the offset. That gets me closer for the actual zero distance when I can get on a range. (If I explained that correctly)