want to know how to make homemade scope bubble level

[HEAVY METAL 1]

Somewhere I had come across an article of how a person used a small pill bottle, and a level vial that fit over a scope adjustment knob to help the user to avoid canting the scope when shooting. I did not have time to read the article and did not bookmark it. Does anyone have a lead on what I am searching for? Thanks in advance.

 

[LoonWulf]

Ive never seen instructions for something like that, but Id assume you just cut the pill container down till it sits on top of the turret cap and glue the level to the bottom of the pill container......

 

[Varminterror]

Scope levels are cheap.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

"Scope levels are cheap."

Yeah, but that's not the point. Never underestimate the amount of toil a skinflint will endure to save 50 cents. My scopes are mounted correctly. One I mounted in 1982 and the other in 1996 and they remain spot on. This is something I wanted to try to enhance target shooting just to see if it will make a difference. I do quite well as it is and I am not interested enough to justify spending the $50-100 for a real one hence the quest for a home crafted one.

 

[Varminterror]

I am not interested enough to justify spending the $50-100 for a real one

Good scope levels are on the market for $15-30… Cheap ones are $6-8...

Stepping over dollars to pick up dimes.

 

[Varminterror]

But...

In the interest of playing nice.

I've seen guys glue a spirit level vial to the cap of a pill bottle or bottle cap which fits tightly over their parallax knob. So if you didn't want to spend $8 for a rail or scope mounted level, you could spend $5 for a pack of spirit level vials, and up-cycle a handful of pill bottles/caps

I suppose if a guy really wanted to do so, you could even make your own spirit level by filling a pill bottle with liquid, injecting a bubble, then screw part of another pill bottle onto the other side of the cap, cut so it slips over the parallax knob... Hell, that'd even be free! You'd just have to calibrate level and make your own indicator lines on the bottle.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

So far I liberated a level from an inexpensive line level. I cut a piece of dowel that fits closely inside a small medicine bottle, drilled a 3/8 inch hole as close to dead center as I could get it with my drill press and glued it inside the medicine bottle. I drilled a corresponding hole in the center of the end of the pill bottle and glued the level inside the wood dowel piece leaving enough of the level to protrude to keep the indicator lines visible.

Here is what I have so far. I might need to trim the length of the pill bottle so it does not stick out too far to the right as this will be placed in a horizontal orientation. I will give it a quick shot of black spray paint so it does not look so crude. It might even work!

 

[doubleh]

The thing to worry about is your homemade level truly level. If I was using a level I would buy one and hope the maker got it right.

A level was a necessary piece of equipment in my occupation and I was surprised at the number that were a little "off". I used 5 different sizes and types, even one made to fit pipe and give a vertical reading both ways at once. Torpedo levels were the ones most often to be "off".

 

[Walkalong]

The thing to worry about is your homemade level truly level.

And as you noted, buying a premade one doesn't guarantee it's correct. Many don't read the same if you turn them around, those are useless.

I only have two I trust the level an action/barrel to mount a scope.

Here's the one I usually use.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

"The thing to worry about is your homemade level truly level."

In a word, yes. My reloading bench is almost perfectly level throughout with the central portion actually being perfectly level. I laid a level (the type one uses in home building) on the bench and my homemade device on the level itself. I was careful to position the bottle so the nubs around the end were not touching the level rendering the results invalid.

I went to my local Sportsmans Wharehouse and the only levels they had were $59.95. I am not paying that. I see on their website they have less expensive ones that could be ordered. This is a fun project anyway because I enjoy DIY.

 

[Lefty38-55]

We are lucky that there are some actions where we can place a level across the sides of the action, but not all are as forgiving. I do a few things, regardless of what level is on the arm.

I (1) level the crosshairs against a plumb bob string and (2) ... the most important ... verify any L/R drift on a windless day at a loooong distance. Then and only then do I put any faith in what my rifle-mounted level might be indicating.

 

[doubleh]

Many don't read the same if you turn them around, those are useles

I learned this trick with levels long ago and always checked one before I bought it. Welders use torpedo levels with magnets to hold them in place. The magnets retain metallic grit that is always present and have to be wiped off before each use or you get a false level. This has nothing to do with guns of course but just illustrates another way that levels can be out of whack.

 

[Varminterror]

I learned this trick with levels long ago and always checked one before I bought it. Welders use torpedo levels with magnets to hold them in place. The magnets retain metallic grit that is always present and have to be wiped off before each use or you get a false level. This has nothing to do with guns of course but just illustrates another way that levels can be out of whack.

Tramp iron is one of my least favorite things in the world.

Another trap which catches some folks - cheap, thin plastic bodies can warp in time or heat and make the bottom of levels no longer true. For example, the cheap Wheeler Level-Level-Level products. They have a magnet in the base of two different plastic housings, one meant to ride on the bolt guide rails of a R700 footprint action, the other meant to sit on top of a pic rail, flat base, or scope turret cap... But the plastic tends to warp over time and the port level ends up tilting up and the cap level ends up rocking around - with the magnets kind of locking them down and making them seem as if they're locked true. Wheeler does (or at least did) replace them when this happens, but it's just a matter of time before they warp out of true again. The Pro level kit with metallic bodies and leveling screws are pretty neat, and cheap. I have a couple Starrett pocket levels, the Wheeler Pro kit, and a few little torpedo and mini levels... Pretty easy to test them by spinning around, and ditch any of them which prove to be out of true.

 

[illinoisburt]

Shooting with a level is about repeated, consistent hold of the rifle. This is different than levels used while installing sights and checking cross hairs. It's not something that is going to be removed and replaced on a regular basis so concerns about whether the level itself is perfectly machined to get equal readings when you take the level on/off or reposition it really doesn't matter much. Rather you want an adjustable mounting system that locks into place and doesn't move under recoil. It needs to be easily viewed while you are aiming the gun, no lifting the head or other changing your hold to look at the bubble. Having the bubble centered in the same place with each shot will greatly improve long range shooting.