Are laser bore sight tools accurate?
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GooseGestapo
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They’ll get you on the paper at 25yds.
Because of many variables, they’ll never substitute for actual firing.
I use the old standard of physically sighting through the bore to get a rough initial sighting. Only with some limiting actions (some semiauto actions) would the laser system be of a benefit. (ie: a BAR or Rem M742/760).
Also, some rifles with optics mounted high above axis of bore, will have a large divergence from line of sight.
Because of many variables, they’ll never substitute for actual firing.
I use the old standard of physically sighting through the bore to get a rough initial sighting. Only with some limiting actions (some semiauto actions) would the laser system be of a benefit. (ie: a BAR or Rem M742/760).
Also, some rifles with optics mounted high above axis of bore, will have a large divergence from line of sight.
You will never save a single round of ammo or 1 minute of your time using any type of tool vs zeroing the traditional way. All any of these tools do is get your 1st shot on paper at 25-50 yards. You still have to adjust things from there. With a bolt rifle I can look through the bore and adjust the scope so that my 1st shot is no more than 1-2" from a perfect zero at 50 yards. That is closer than any of these devices are capable of.
Even without being able to look through the bore I can still be within 5-6" of the bull at 50 yards. It doesn't matter how far your 1st shot is from the aiming point, you just need to hit paper with the 1st shot so you can calculate which direction to adjust the sights and how far.
I always fire the 1st shot at 50, then adjust the sights. Shot #2 is at 100 and I adjust again. Shot #3 will always be perfectly zeroed at 100 as long as you're using a scope that tracks properly. The whole process takes about 3-5 minutes.
Even without being able to look through the bore I can still be within 5-6" of the bull at 50 yards. It doesn't matter how far your 1st shot is from the aiming point, you just need to hit paper with the 1st shot so you can calculate which direction to adjust the sights and how far.
I always fire the 1st shot at 50, then adjust the sights. Shot #2 is at 100 and I adjust again. Shot #3 will always be perfectly zeroed at 100 as long as you're using a scope that tracks properly. The whole process takes about 3-5 minutes.
imashooter
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They're a convenience. Have used them on ARs, .22s, 1911s (.45acp). I've had them where very little adjustment of sights/optics was needed and where they got me on paper. Believe I have 3-4. All Sightmark. You'll need the target to be in the dark, shade, etc if outdoors during the bright of day. Handguns are simple enough but long guns are typically done at 25 meters then I take it from there less the bore sighter.
reflective tape...just not the faceted kind, can help there. I used to use little reflective glow dots (ok i had them to mess with poachers) with an early arbor style laser sighter that id lost the reflective sheet for.
I used the dots since i had them but eventually started stealing my dads reflective tape for his fishing poles...a 4" squares alot easier to hit with a laser than a 1/2" thumb tack.
This can work out to 100yds or more if your lucky.
cdb1
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I have the traditional arbor bore sighter and a green laser bore sighter. The laser bore sighter I have is very good but they aren’t cheap.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2130726870/wheeler-engineering-professional-laser-bore-sight
I also have a small scope mounting business. Neither of my bore sighters do a better job than the traditional way, but they do just as good of a job, are more convenient for me and save me a lot of time.
If you get a laser sighter green is more expensive than red but much easier to see in daylight.
Bore sighters can also be used to do a quick, down and dirty test of whether a scope is tracking okay. Not super precise but will give you an idea. In this area an arbor sighter shines but they don’t work on every firearm, hence the laser sight.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2130726870/wheeler-engineering-professional-laser-bore-sight
I also have a small scope mounting business. Neither of my bore sighters do a better job than the traditional way, but they do just as good of a job, are more convenient for me and save me a lot of time.
If you get a laser sighter green is more expensive than red but much easier to see in daylight.
Bore sighters can also be used to do a quick, down and dirty test of whether a scope is tracking okay. Not super precise but will give you an idea. In this area an arbor sighter shines but they don’t work on every firearm, hence the laser sight.
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GarySTL
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I use them on firearms where I can't sight through the bore conveniently. I use them on hand guns when mounting a red dot sight. It can save a shot or two at the range. And the house is air conditioned while the range is not, so there's that.
BilliamB.
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I've had great luck with a magnetic Sightmark red laser. Takes a few minutes indoors at ten feet and eliminates all that, "didja see where that one went?" puzzlement at the range.
AABEN
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I like the one that looks like the brass of the caliber of the rifle that I am shooting it loads like a round so it is coming out of thr barrel like a bullet it is called laser bore sight. Ph 770 387 2751 Natchez shoot sales the one that fits the gun
nettlle
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For anyone that uses a laser training cartridge the answer is probably going to be no. They'll be close but not close enough, for me anyway, for a humane kill.
IndianaBoy
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Waste of money. One round on a decent sized target at 25 yards will tell you more than a laser that may or may not align properly with the bore.
Nature Boy
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Buy a roll of freezer paper, or left over wrapping paper from christmas. Hang a large swath on your target stand and aim for the middle. Adjust from there.
Works every time
Works every time
cdb1
Member
I could certainly get by without a bore sighter but I like the convenience they offer.
Chuck R.
Member
I use an old Leupold Zero Point bore-sighter basically the same way. It's "OK" for bore-sighting (on paper at 100), but it excels for tracking tests and documenting zeros. I print off large grids and mark the aim point position by load. Really comes in handy on hunting trips as I can quickly verify a zero without firing a shot.
For some reason Leupold discontinued it, too bad as I'd like to find a spare.
I have tried 2 of the cheap bore sighting lasers. Both projected a point that was NOT in line with the bore. It is very easy to tell that these bore sighting lasers are not lined up with the bore.
Put your rifle on a stand. Put the bore sighting laser in the bore per instructions. Project the dot onto a wall 20' or so away. Rotate the bore sight laser 360 degrees. Both of the ones I tried will project a circle on the wall when rotated meaning they are not lined up with the bore. If they were lined up with the bore properly the dot should stay in one place when the laser is rotated 360 degrees instead of scribing a circle on the wall when rotated.
Maybe there are good bore sighting lasers but the ones I have tried were junk.
Put your rifle on a stand. Put the bore sighting laser in the bore per instructions. Project the dot onto a wall 20' or so away. Rotate the bore sight laser 360 degrees. Both of the ones I tried will project a circle on the wall when rotated meaning they are not lined up with the bore. If they were lined up with the bore properly the dot should stay in one place when the laser is rotated 360 degrees instead of scribing a circle on the wall when rotated.
Maybe there are good bore sighting lasers but the ones I have tried were junk.
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RetiredUSNChief
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Pardon me, as I haven't read through all the postings before this.
Bore sights are an aid, not the be-all of sighting in a gun.
They are designed to get you in the ball park, so you can do the final tweaking of your sights/scope more efficiently.
No more, no less.
Bore sights are an aid, not the be-all of sighting in a gun.
They are designed to get you in the ball park, so you can do the final tweaking of your sights/scope more efficiently.
No more, no less.
cdb1
Member
The cheap ones are worse than useless IMO. Mine costs over $100.00 and works very well. It also didn’t hurt that Wheeler gave me mine.
herrwalther
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I have a Lasermark (pretty sure that is the brand) boresighter I bought about 10 years ago. Shaped like a piece of .223 brass and I have used it to sight in roughly 2 dozen or so ARs and service rifles. On all those rifles it has only been completely accurate one time. A laser boresight will get you on paper. And if you luck out it will get you fairly close to where you are aiming so you do minimal adjustments to your sight(s). A pretty small investment to save some time and ammo.
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