Fix It Sticks is best known to gun guys for their incredibly handy torque-adjustable rifle and scope mounting tools. Keeping one of these kits in your range bag can save the day if you run into problems in the field. Now they’re out with a new gizmo to help you level your rifle scope when you mount it.
Here’s their press release:
Fix It Sticks, the industry innovator of modular firearms maintenance tools and torque limiters has introduced the Scope Jack. This clever new tool simplifies one of the most critical steps to properly mounting a riflescope, leveling the reticle.
The Scope Jack eliminates the need for plumb bobs, levels, lights and other tools while quickly and effectively leveling the scope to the rail in a matter of seconds. Made for rifles utilizing two-piece scope rings, a single-piece Picatinny rail and a scope with a flat bottom turret housing, the Scope Jack is portable and easily fits into most Fix It Sticks tool kits and cases.
Long range shooters know a level reticle is critical for accuracy particularly at extended ranges. Unfortunately leveling the reticle can be time consuming and inconvenient. Using the Scope Jack is quick and foolproof. There are no additional leveling aids necessary and the firearm does not even have to be level or on a level surface.
With the scope mounted in the scope rings but able to rotate, simply mount the Scope Jack to the Picatinny rail under the scope with the leveling bar under the flat-bottomed turret housing. Then with any ¼” drive rotate and lift the leveling bar until it engages and levels the scope in the rings. One feature that sets the Scope Jack apart from other methods is user can maintain pressure on the scope while applying proper torque to the fasteners. This keeps the optic level throughout the process.
Courtesy Fix It Stix
The new Scope Jack is lightweight and portable. When used with Fix It Stick torque limiters mounting a scope properly torqued and leveled is easy to do in a matter of minutes. Made from 6061 T-6 aluminum and hard coat anodized matted black, the Scope Jack weighs a mere 0.84 oz and is now available with an MSRP of $44.00.
Cool! All I’ve ever been able to do is hold the rifle up a bit forward of proper eye relief, where your picture only fills about half the lens, then attempt to adjust the scope so the vertical bar points directly to the center of the rifle. I’ve been happy enough with the results, but even the first time I did it, around 50 years ago, I would have sure loved to have this gadget for the 5 minutes it would take to do it *absolutely right*!
I confess I’ve only mounted a scope once. I used quick disconnect rings, did no leveling, and was hitting the center of the target at 200 yards on the first try. I have no idea if that was luck or good rings.
I have one and it works as advertised. Probably the best scope leveling device that I have used. No, it does not scratch the scope.
Understand though, the scope does NOT need to be level to the rifle. The ONLY important thing is that the reticle is level to the target, otherwise your scope adjustments will no longer be straight up and down, and directly sideways.
For the reticle to be level, a scope level needs to be mounted and leveled to the reticle and the shooter needs to use the level.
You could use a rifle level, is the scope is mounted to the rifle perfectly level, however, most shooters use a scope level.
Its a good idea… I have a similar tool by Arisaka Defense that operates on the same principle. The biggest issue I have with this is that most of them are completely useless if you want to mount the scope at any reasonable height over bore. My current rig is a 50mm objective Razor AMG run on a 20 MOA rail and Seekins Precision “low” rings… the Arisaka is the slimmest off all these leveling tools and it wont fit between the turret housing and the rail.
These tools also dont work if you are one of those “traditionalists that don’t insist on putting a picatiny rail on everything you shoot (hint… you dont need 2” tall 6 bolt rings with a 30MOA rail to mount your 40mm objective scope on your sport weight hunting rifle).
I’m quite fond of the ole bubble level in the ejection port and just using feeler gauges or a plumb bob to make sure everything is good.
I have the Arisaka tool also and it works well for almost all of my guns. My sporterized Spanish Mauser might be a different story, but I haven’t messed with that thing in a few years.
It’s certainly a handy tool. The one scope I leveled I did it a little different. Set rifle down on a stable surface and aimed it toward a door jamb. Used a small spirit level (aka torpedo level) and made sure the pic rail / receiver was level. Mounted scope somewhat loose and looked through it. Then rotated the scope to line up the vertical cross hair of the reticle with the door jamb (which is plumb). Snugged down the mounting screws and re-checked to be sure.
A deck of waxed playing cards is sure a lot cheaper and won’t scratch the scope or rail finish like feeler gauges will…
She-e-e-it!! I never thought of that!
That is brilliant!
This looks pretty awesome, but I wonder if it will work on all the higher scope rings.
Cool! All I’ve ever been able to do is hold the rifle up a bit forward of proper eye relief, where your picture only fills about half the lens, then attempt to adjust the scope so the vertical bar points directly to the center of the rifle. I’ve been happy enough with the results, but even the first time I did it, around 50 years ago, I would have sure loved to have this gadget for the 5 minutes it would take to do it *absolutely right*!
Interesting
I confess I’ve only mounted a scope once. I used quick disconnect rings, did no leveling, and was hitting the center of the target at 200 yards on the first try. I have no idea if that was luck or good rings.
Awfully bold to assume that the bottom of the turret is squared with the reticle.
I have one and it works as advertised. Probably the best scope leveling device that I have used. No, it does not scratch the scope.
Understand though, the scope does NOT need to be level to the rifle. The ONLY important thing is that the reticle is level to the target, otherwise your scope adjustments will no longer be straight up and down, and directly sideways.
For the reticle to be level, a scope level needs to be mounted and leveled to the reticle and the shooter needs to use the level.
You could use a rifle level, is the scope is mounted to the rifle perfectly level, however, most shooters use a scope level.
Its a good idea… I have a similar tool by Arisaka Defense that operates on the same principle. The biggest issue I have with this is that most of them are completely useless if you want to mount the scope at any reasonable height over bore. My current rig is a 50mm objective Razor AMG run on a 20 MOA rail and Seekins Precision “low” rings… the Arisaka is the slimmest off all these leveling tools and it wont fit between the turret housing and the rail.
These tools also dont work if you are one of those “traditionalists that don’t insist on putting a picatiny rail on everything you shoot (hint… you dont need 2” tall 6 bolt rings with a 30MOA rail to mount your 40mm objective scope on your sport weight hunting rifle).
I’m quite fond of the ole bubble level in the ejection port and just using feeler gauges or a plumb bob to make sure everything is good.
I have the Arisaka tool also and it works well for almost all of my guns. My sporterized Spanish Mauser might be a different story, but I haven’t messed with that thing in a few years.
It’s certainly a handy tool. The one scope I leveled I did it a little different. Set rifle down on a stable surface and aimed it toward a door jamb. Used a small spirit level (aka torpedo level) and made sure the pic rail / receiver was level. Mounted scope somewhat loose and looked through it. Then rotated the scope to line up the vertical cross hair of the reticle with the door jamb (which is plumb). Snugged down the mounting screws and re-checked to be sure.
Done.