66% of gun stores I visited say these optics helps are absolutely worthless....

[jmr40]

IME they are a waste of money. I wouldn't save one minute of my time, nor one round of ammo getting a rifle zeroed using one.

The key is to use a large target backer that is impossible to miss for the 1st shot. All you need to do is get the 1st shot on paper. It doesn't matter if you hit 2" or 2' from the aiming point. The laser sighters will usually get you within 2-3". I can do that by looking through the barrel of a bolt action and even with an action that does not make that possible all I have to do is hit the paper. I just use a normal target when zeroing a bolt action. With a semi-auto or other similar rifle I make sure to use a large sheet of paper behind the actual target to ensure I get the 1st shot on paper.

Some start at 25 yards, but I always start at 50. Using a target with 1" grid squares makes it faster. I can quickly see exactly how far I need to adjust the sights and adjust accordingly. I only fire one shot at 50 yards then adjust my sights accordingly.

Shot #2 is at 100. It doesn't have to be perfect, just hit the paper. I can then make corrections. I've always found the 3rd shot is close enough for big game hunting out to 100 yards.

It is only then that I start shooting groups and if necessary, I may fine tune the zero, but with most rifles I wait until I move to 200 yards. Tiny errors in zero don't show up at 50 or 100 yards but do at 200. I make sure the windage is dead on at 200. Depending on the rifle I may not worry if I'm a few inches low.

 

[doubleh]

I bought one and not a cheapy to use in an AR. Totally worthless. I went back to my standard method of clamping the gun in a Black & Decker workmate, padded of course, and getting the bore on the target at 25 yards, Adjust the scope to match and go to the range to get it dead on. The rifle stays where you put it in the workmate. I setup the workmate on my carport and the target in my garage door That's 25 yards without measuring. Sometime I just sight in on a brick in the garage wall. It always works either way I do it.

 

[herrwalther]

They work to get you on paper. And that is pretty much it. Just because someone works in a gun store, doesn't make them an expert.

 

[Nature Boy]

I have been told by a majority of gun stores that using in-chamber cartridges with lasers for bore sighting is a worthless gesture.

The 66% are 100% correct. They’re a waste of time

 

[S.Crockett]

Checking gun stores around Gettysburg, PA I have been told by a majority of gun stores that using in-chamber cartridges with lasers for bore sighting is a worthless gesture. They sight unreliability factors such as poor machining, canted bullets, weakening batteries and etc. as reasons. What do you think?

That “66% of the gun stores around Gettysburg PA” have an opinion in one regard is not overwhelming statistically and so it’s hardly dissuasive of a contrary view.

 

[Chuck R.]

I have a laser trainer that has both 45acp and 9mm laser cartridges. Every time I use it I have to "sight it in". I.E. I have to keep rotating and reseating the laser cartridge until the laser beam lines up with my sight. For that reason I don't trust them. I have a friend that uses a laser bore sighter to sight in his rifle every year and if he can't hit the target he doesn't readjust his sights. He said he is such a bad shot that he trusts the bore sighter more than his shooting. He misses a lot of deer.

Mine work the same; 9mm .40 and .45ACP.

So I drew a witness line on each one and keep a 3x5 card by caliber:

HK P30L = 9 O'clock
CZ 75 Accu-Shadow 3:30
Etc.
Etc.

It works pretty well..

I've got a SiteLite 150 laser boresighter that actually works pretty well. Usually keeps me on paper at 100yds VS 50.

Amazon.com

The thru the bore method works well right up until you're dealing with a rifle like a Rem 760 or 7600.

 

[dh1633pm]

I use one that fits into the end of the barrel. It is what it is. Gets me on the paper which is all I am trying to do. Never tried one that fit into the bore.

 

[Hokkmike]

That “66% of the gun stores around Gettysburg PA” have an opinion in one regard is not overwhelming statistically and so it’s hardly dissuasive of a contrary view.

That is a subjective determination, of course.

 

[mavracer]

Waste of $$$

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

It's so simple a caveman could do it......I have done it the Lo-Tech way for my bolt action rifles and it has worked perfectly well to get me on paper fairly close enough to center without having to expend excessive ammo fine tuning the setting. I have taken a large cardboard box and cut a V in opposite sides and cradle the rifle in there. Manipulate the rifle until the bore is centered at the target then adjust the scope until it is the same, then head to the range for further adjustment fine tuning. As posters above have also suggested bracing the rifle on bags or something like the B&D Workmate can be even more precise, but I have not expended too much ammo with my old-skool way.

 

[zeke]

It's so simple a caveman could do it......I have done it the Lo-Tech way for my bolt action rifles and it has worked perfectly well to get me on paper fairly close enough to center without having to expend excessive ammo fine tuning the setting. I have taken a large cardboard box and cut a V in opposite sides and cradle the rifle in there. Manipulate the rifle until the bore is centered at the target then adjust the scope until it is the same, then head to the range for further adjustment fine tuning. As posters above have also suggested bracing the rifle on bags or something like the B&D Workmate can be even more precise, but I have not expended too much ammo with my old-skool way.

Am another fan of the cardboard box technique. Usually bore sight a rifle out a window in my living room through the cracked open blinds. Then to ranges 25 yd bench until sighted in slightly low, around 1.5 in. Then to 100 yd sight in. After doing this so many times, it usually doesn't waste many rounds.

 

[Captains1911]

66% correctness is actually quite good for gun store intel.

 

[S.Crockett]

66% correctness is actually quite good for gun store intel.

“66% correctness”? ….. Or is it more accurate to say, “66% hold an opinion one way”?

 

[Captains1911]

“66% correctness”? ….. Or is it more accurate to say, “66% hold an opinion one way”?

Laser bore sighers are useless, so 66% were correct.

 

[jdc1244]

In-chamber laser bore sighters have always worked well for me.

Quick and easy to get on paper; two or three live rounds to get on target.

 

[Crosshair]

They're worthless. Get a muzzle laser boresighter. I splurged and got one powered by a 123 battery years ago and couldn't be happier. Battery lasts a long time and are comparatively cheap to replace.

 

[derek45]

Spend the money on ammo instead

there is no shortcut to zero'ing a rifle

 

[Walkalong]

I bore sighted a rifle the old fashioned way Sun am, first shot was less than 2” off center of the 8x11 paper target

 

[mavracer]

I changed out several of my rifles from SFP scopes to FFP and in the process passed some of the SFP scopes to other rifles all told I zeroed about a dozen rifles.
The process was basically exactly the same.
At 25 yards look down barrel and center silhouette raise head and move reticle to silhouette, fire 1 shot, measure (I use the reticle) and adjust turrets, fire again to verify,

 

[EIB0879]

I have used them in the past with no problems.

 

[Beck]

I've used a cheapo 7.62x39 cartridge shape laser bore sighter with good succes. It gets me on the paper at 25 yards. I wasn't expecting much when I bought it and was pleasantly surprised. I'm sure these things are hit or miss. I was lucky to get a good one.

 

[CraigC]

Never in my life used a boresighter. I use 36" wide contractor paper as a target backer but I usually get on paper by aiming at a point on the backstop and looking for the impact. Shooting beats fiddle-farting with a boresighter. If that don't work, I'll hang it up.

 

[Nature Boy]

I assume most everyone knows this but stating the obvious is natural gift of mine.

Pull the bolt and sight through the bore. A three inch paster at 100 yards centers in the bore nicely. Keep the rifle steady and adjust the crosshairs to align with the target. You’ll hit it on the 1st shot nearly every time.

You can do the same with an AR, just remove the lowers and rest the upper on a bipod and bags.

For a lever rifle, roll off a 3 foot sheet of freezer paper and staple it to a target stand at 50 yards

 

[Walkalong]

Pull the bolt and sight through the bore. A three inch paster at 100 yards centers in the bore nicely. Keep the rifle steady and adjust the crosshairs to align with the target. You’ll hit it on the 1st shot nearly every time.

Can’t remember the last time I didn’t. The last time (with my Dasher). I was within two inches of the center of the paper.

 

[Nature Boy]

Can’t remember the last time I didn’t. The last time (with my Dasher). I was within two inches of the center of the paper.

I assume most folks know this technique. Am I wrong?

66% of the gun stores sampled by the OP were honest about a laser bore sighter being useless. How many showed him how to sight in his rifle? 0%?