Zeroing your weapon with a laser bore sighter is a no-brainer. Laser bore sighters will save you both time and money. However, if you don’t zero your weapons correctly, you’re destined to struggle to hit your target consistently. Shooting accurately is hard enough, without a calibrated scope it becomes nearly impossible. Follow our simple steps to learn how to use a laser bore sight cartridge.
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Check Your Weapon: Ensure your weapon is empty, clean, and follow basic gun safety practices. Clear your workspace and provide enough room for adjustments. |
| 2 | Charge Your Bore Sight: Charge the laser bore sight if it requires charging or ensure batteries (CR2032 or CR123A) are installed properly for battery-powered devices. |
| 3 | Prepare Your Adapter: Choose the correct adapter and screws for your weapon’s caliber, securing the adapter to your weapon. |
| 4 | Set Up Your Gun Vice: For precision adjustments, use a gun vice to secure your weapon. If unavailable, manual adjustments can be made, but they may be less accurate. |
| 5 | Line Up Your Sight: Place your shooting target 25 yards downrange or at your preferred distance. Align your sight with the center of the target, ensuring it matches the laser. |
| 6 | Verify Zero: Make necessary attachments to align your sight. If using a scope, adjust windage and elevation settings to match the laser bore sight. |
| 7 | Detach Your Laser Bore Sighting Device: Remove the laser bore sighter, ensuring the laser is turned off to avoid accidentally pointing it into your eyes. |
Table of Contents
Laser Bore Sight Directions
If you want to know how to use a laser bore sight, follow these directions.
1) Check Your Weapon
Before doing anything, you need to adhere to basic gun safety practices. Check to make sure your weapon is empty & clean. Also, make sure your workspace is clean and you have plenty of room to make your adjustments.
2) Charge Your Bore Sight
Depending on the type of laser bore sight you choose, you will wither need to charge the device or ensure batteries are installed properly. Devices that require charging can normally be charged with a standard USB port from most charging devices. If your device is battery powered, chances are it takes CR2032 or CR123A batteries. These batteries should last for a very long time (~1 year).
3) Prepare Your Adapter
Grab your adapter & screws that match the caliber of your weapon. Adapters are usually NOT one-size-fits-all. So make sure you use the correct size for your weapon. Secure the adapter to your weapon.
4) Set Up Your Gun Vice
If you want to make precision adjustments, you need something to secure your weapon. I recommend using a gun vice to hold it in place. If you don’t have access to a gun mount or vice, don’t panic. You can use your hands to make manual adjustments. However, it won’t be as accurate.
5) Line Up Your Sight
For me personally, I place my shooting target 25 yards down range. You can choose the distance that works best for your needs, but 25 yards is recommended. Align your sight with the center of your target. Make sure your gun’s sight matches the laser.
6) Verify Zero
Make any attachments necessary to ensure your sight is aligned. If you are using a scope, modify your windage and elevation settings to align with the laser bore sight.
7) Detach Your Laser Bore Sighting Device
Remove your laser bore sighter and enjoy your calibrated weapon! Be sure to turn off the laser before removing to avoid accidentally pointing it into your eyes.
Where To Buy
If you are in the market for a laser bore sighter, shopping online is the way to go. If you are a pistol owner, check out the Best Laser for M&P Shield 9mm. If you prefer an AR, check out our list of the Best Lasers Bore Sights For An AR-15.
No matter which weapon you use, shopping online is the way to go. The amount of options and deals beats anything you will find in a single store.
How To Choose Your Laser
There are two main considerations when choosing a laser bore sighting device.
- Class – Class III is the most common
- Color – Green is preferred
Most laser bore sighters are class III lasers. This means that they are powerful enough to see from a distance, but are not super dangerous for the eye. The lower the laser class, the more powerful and visible the laser dot.
When it comes to laser colors, red & green lasers are the most popular. For most people, green lasers are the most visible in all light conditions. However, for purposes of zeroing your sight either color will work just fine.
And if you are specifically looking for instructions for your handgun, check out our article on How To Sight In A Laser On A Pistol.
Benefits of Laser Boresighting Process
There are a lot of benefits to using a laser bore sighting process.
- Improve the accuracy of your weapon
- Save money on ammunition
- Quick sighting process that saves time
Laser boresighting is a quick and efficient process, and it can save both ammo and time at the range. Because the laser is Sighted in before firing the gun, there is no need to waste ammunition on sighting in shots.
This can save hundreds of dollars in ammunition costs over the lifetime of a gun. Using laser dot can be a godsend for hunters who don’t have time to waste sighting in their guns every time they go out hunting.
Boresighting Without A Laser
Boresighting your weapon without a laser is also an option. Basically, you fire a round and see where you stand, then adjust your scope to compensate.
After taking a shot you can walk up to the target to measure the point of impact. Check how far off you were both horizontally and vertically. Next, translate your measurements to “clicks” on their scope’s windage and elevation dials.
Bore sighting without a laser is not the most accurate method, but it’s better than nothing. If you’re really serious about getting the best possible sight picture, you’ll invest in a laser bore sight.
Bore Sight To Zero A Red Dot Sight
Laser bore sighting a weapon with a red dot sight is a simple process. In fact, if you do it right, you can get your sight dialed in without firing any rounds on target.
- Attach your laser to the barrel of your gun
- Align the laser with the target’s center
- Use windage and elevation settings to alight the red dot with the laser bore sight
- Fire a few rounds & make further adjustments to elevation & windage settings
Sighting in your red dot sight or reflex sight works best with distances of 50 yards or less. I prefer to alight my red dot sight at 25 yards. Keep in mind that bore sighting is only a rough approximation, so be patient and do some fine-tuning at your preferred range.
Best Distance For Laser Bore Sighting Devices
For most shooters, the best distance for zeroing your weapon with a laser bore sight device is 25 yards down range. This is because the further down range you go, the more the weapon will be affected by factors such as wind and gravity. Additionally, 25 yards is close enough that you can still see the laser beam clearly.
You may hear some stories of people zeroing their sights up to 100 yards. This can be an effective strategy if you plan on doing some long-range shooting. If you plan to shoot from further distances, you should probably go with a 3 MOA dot sight. The difference between 3 MOA and 6 MOA can be significant at longer distances.
FAQs- Laser Bore Sights
How accurate is a laser bore sighter?
How does a laser bore sight work?
Does laser bore sighting work?
Can you laser bore sight at 100 yards?
The Bottom
Now you know everything there is to know about laser bore sighting your weapon. Using a laser sight to zero in your rifle scope or handgun can significantly improve your shooting accuracy. Using a laser bore sighter is not a complicated process, but you need to follow these instructions to avoid making any silly mistakes. Let us know how you make out with your laser bore sight!
Leave a Comment