Obviously, to ensure accurate and precise shooting, you must mount your rifle scope on your rifle properly. And by properly, we mean that it’s important to both find the correct position and secure your device reliably to avoid any incidents.
The good news is that you don’t need a professional gunsmith. You can quite easily do it yourself with care and attention. But, if you are unsure how to mount a rifle scope yourself, keep reading, and we will explain the process in detail.
Before we delve deeper into the topic, let us give a few disclaimers. Please note that this instruction on how to mount a scope on a rifle is general. The final process will depend on your rifle and selected mount.
For this article, we presume you already have a mount picked and ready to go. Most rifles will now have pre-drilled or grooved spots to make mounting fast and easy, but note that these drills and grooves differ, and you need to choose accordingly. If you find yourself lost in the jungle of mounts, we have a detailed guide here.
We also recommend choosing the highest quality mounts you can. This way, you will be sure of longevity and avoid the rifles cope changing its position.
Now, let’s finally see how to mount scope on rifle. Although we should note that there is not only the question of how to mount rifle scopes but also where to mount rifle scopes. As a general rule, it is recommended to mount the rifle scope as low as possible. At the same time, you must ensure it does not touch the barrel or receiver.
Also, always follow the designated eye relief. Failure to achieve it and having a shorter eye relief than recommended may result in injuries for the shooter from the rearward motion when the rifle recoils.
When hunters ask us how to mount a rifle scope, we always tell them to begin with cleaning. To ensure a perfect grip, you should wipe the attaching surfaces off any dust, dirt or grease.
Then, make sure you have all the required tools by your side – sometimes, they are provided with the mount, and in other cases, you will need to purchase them separately.
Once you’ve got that covered, you will start by installing the mount. Check the user manual to make sure everything is aligned as it should be – and to find more detailed instructions on how to mount. A scope on a rifle should feel comfortable and comply with the rules we mentioned above.
When installing the mount, only tighten the screws and do not use any sealant first. This way, you will be able to adjust the position of the rifle scope easily, should that be needed.
Once you have the position down, you can secure your mount. Untighten the screws, apply sealant, like Loctite, to improve reliability and longevity, and tighten them again. Before moving further (yes, there is more you should know about how to mount rifle scope), make sure you give the sealant enough time to dry, though.
While we promised to answer the question of how to mount a rifle scope, we should disclose that this is just the technical part. Once you know how to mount a scope on a rifle, you will also need to know how to zero it – or sight it in. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered – the detailed description of sighting in a rifle scope is here.
We hope you feel more knowledgeable about how to mount scope on rifle now. You can rest assured that, while super important, the process is fairly easy, and if you read the user manual of each component carefully, you should succeed in no time.