Bubble level vs Electronic level

What level are you using for ELR shooting?

  • Bubble Level(vortex, us optics, etc.)

    Votes: 19 41.3%
  • Electronic Level(Sendit, others?)

    Votes: 19 41.3%
  • What is level?

    Votes: 8 17.4%

  • Total voters
    46
  • Poll closed .
"Sendit" and "Rianov"..
 

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I had send it on two of my rifles, but I sold them and went back to bubble levels. It is a neat gizmo, but it sticks out too far from the rail and if you forget to turn it off, it can burn through batteries pretty quickly unless the gun is perfectly stationary in a safe.

The final determining factor for me was to plug-in small degrees of cant into a ballistics calculator for shots at various ranges. When I discovered that bubble levels are accurate to well under 0.5°, and that that amount of cant doesn’t make very big of difference within 2000 yards, I decided that the electronic levels were not worth the hassle, space, and expense.

0.5 degrees of cant- the minimum amount TRASOL allows you to input - changes the windage by < 0.2 MRAD at 2000 yards with a 338LM. IIRC, when I checked my bubbles against a digital level, their resolution was on the order of 0.1 or 0.2 degrees, which has a negligible effect on wind dial
 
I agree about them sticking out and burning batteries if you don't turn them off, but the big advantage to me (and my aging eyes) is that I can see the green light without having to look at it directly or focus on it.

I don't use the Send it levels on my hunting rifles, but I do use them on my match guns.
 
I had send it on two of my rifles, but I sold them and went back to bubble levels. It is a neat gizmo, but it sticks out too far from the rail and if you forget to turn it off, it can burn through batteries pretty quickly unless the gun is perfectly stationary in a safe.

The final determining factor for me was to plug-in small degrees of cant into a ballistics calculator for shots at various ranges. When I discovered that bubble levels are accurate to well under 0.5°, and that that amount of cant doesn’t make very big of difference within 2000 yards, I decided that the electronic levels were not worth the hassle, space, and expense.

0.5 degrees of cant- the minimum amount TRASOL allows you to input - changes the windage by < 0.2 MRAD at 2000 yards with a 338LM. IIRC, when I checked my bubbles against a digital level, their resolution was on the order of 0.1 or 0.2 degrees, which has a negligible effect on wind dial
This.

But IF you must have a level, electronic. You don't have to see it directly to know if you're level or not. It works with your peripheral vision and is much easier to see than trying to center a bubble level.

But, I don't think they're needed unless your brain's internal level is out of whack. ;)
 
I had send it on two of my rifles, but I sold them and went back to bubble levels. It is a neat gizmo, but it sticks out too far from the rail and if you forget to turn it off, it can burn through batteries pretty quickly unless the gun is perfectly stationary in a safe.

The final determining factor for me was to plug-in small degrees of cant into a ballistics calculator for shots at various ranges. When I discovered that bubble levels are accurate to well under 0.5°, and that that amount of cant doesn’t make very big of difference within 2000 yards, I decided that the electronic levels were not worth the hassle, space, and expense.

0.5 degrees of cant- the minimum amount TRASOL allows you to input - changes the windage by < 0.2 MRAD at 2000 yards with a 338LM. IIRC, when I checked my bubbles against a digital level, their resolution was on the order of 0.1 or 0.2 degrees, which has a negligible effect on wind dial
Did you ever try hanging the Sendit vertically?

That’s how I mount mine as I agree that horizontally it sticks out a good ways.

And I agree that the level in my inner ear works pretty dang well.
 
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I can see the electronic ones being good if you can't see well. (and aren't colorblind) I just bought an Accuracy 1st one and man... I can't see it. It's just a blur. I will need to spend a little more time with it to determine whether it's a usable blur or not. The Flatline Ops one I was using, traditional bubble, I could see it well enough that I never noticed it was blurry. Ho-hum.


Inner ear if you shoot somewhere flat maybe? lol Hunting last month I thought I had smacked my level out of level, because there was no way it could be right comparing the terrain to my cross hairs. When I made it look "right", the bubble was WAY off. I was pissed, I'd knocked it out of whack.
Back at camp I threw a torpedo level on the scope and it matched the scope level perfect. Not out of whack at all, just crazy optical illusion of terrain.
 
Did someone say vertical? Sendit vertical is the way to go! Notice the Spuhr bubble is off? Verified w 2 Sendits and a bubble level on top of scope turret. View attachment 8025619
The turret caps are not a reliable measure of the crosshairs. If you check the crosshairs on a distant Plumb line, you square the scope, and then level the Spuhr out to correspond to the vertical crosshairs, as checked by a plumb line. After all, you had to zero that send it level. So you’ve just compensated in the way you set it up and the reference that you’re using, the top of the scope cap, could be off. If I were truly interested in perfect level, I would never do that. I would use a plumb line and make the levels correspond to the crosshairs as the ultimate reference with the plumb line
 
If I had the set up that you have pictured above, I would have first leveled the spur bubble and locked the bipod. I would have then rotated the scope in the mount until it was level on a plumb line, so that the Spuhr bubble corresponded to perfectly vertical crosshairs based on the plumb-line reference, and I would have ignored the top of the scope cap. Then I would’ve locked it down and checked it. Then I would’ve put on the send it, and re-leveled the send-it to correspond to the spur bubble AND the crosshairs on a plumb line. I think that you are building in errors based on assumptions. I would not do it that way if I were concerned with perfect level.
 
If I had the set up that you have pictured above, I would have first leveled the spur bubble and locked the bipod. I would have then rotated the scope in the mount until it was level on a plumb line, so that the Spuhr bubble corresponded to perfectly vertical crosshairs based on the plumb-line reference, and I would have ignored the top of the scope cap. Then I would’ve locked it down and checked it. Then I would’ve put on the send it, and re-leveled the send-it to correspond to the spur bubble AND the crosshairs on a plumb line. I think that you are building in errors based on assumptions. I would not do it that way if I were concerned with perfect level.
thats what i did with my method, doesn’t matter if gun isn’t 100% level, all that matters is crosshairs tracks with direction of gravity
 
Did you ever try hanging the Sendit vertically?

That’s how I mount mine as I agree that horizontally it sticks out a good ways.

And I agree that the level in my inner ear works pretty dang well.
my inner ear must be off then, sometimes it works, then sometimes depending on terrain (research gravity hills) is way off. a bubble level is so cheap and easy to set up i wouldn’t ever be caught without one
 
That’s how both of these guns are set up. The spur level, the Hoptic USA bubble level, and the sendit level, all correspond
718A084A-E957-4053-94FC-AEBB531F53D5.jpeg
to a perfectly vertical cross hair based on a plum line at 50 yards. I have The forward bubble level so that I can lock the bipod when setting up for a long range shooting and look down and see it. It corresponds perfectly to the spur level which I can see from the shooting position. That made the send it level that you see on there superfluous, and just some thing to worry about in terms of battery life.
 
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The turret caps are not a reliable measure of the crosshairs. If you check the crosshairs on a distant Plumb line, you square the scope, and then level the Spuhr out to correspond to the vertical crosshairs, as checked by a plumb line. After all, you had to zero that send it level. So you’ve just compensated in the way you set it up and the reference that you’re using, the top of the scope cap, could be off. If I were truly interested in perfect level, I would never do that. I would use a plumb line and make the levels correspond to the crosshairs as the ultimate reference with the plumb line
I use 2 Sendit levels and a torpedo level on the rifle in a vise before I even mount scopes. I then mount my scope, cking the crosshairs against a plumb line w the use of level then verifying it w a tracking test. 2 out 3 Spuhr bubble have been slightly off. I mainly run EraTac adjustable mounts now on my LR rifles and use the same mounting process.
 
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I had send it on two of my rifles, but I sold them and went back to bubble levels. It is a neat gizmo, but it sticks out too far from the rail and if you forget to turn it off, it can burn through batteries pretty quickly unless the gun is perfectly stationary in a safe.

The final determining factor for me was to plug-in small degrees of cant into a ballistics calculator for shots at various ranges. When I discovered that bubble levels are accurate to well under 0.5°, and that that amount of cant doesn’t make very big of difference within 2000 yards, I decided that the electronic levels were not worth the hassle, space, and expense.

0.5 degrees of cant- the minimum amount TRASOL allows you to input - changes the windage by < 0.2 MRAD at 2000 yards with a 338LM. IIRC, when I checked my bubbles against a digital level, their resolution was on the order of 0.1 or 0.2 degrees, which has a negligible effect on wind dial
^^^^^^^^
Why they’re damn near useless unless you are shooting off a boulder field or a severe slope to a severe slope that creates an optical illusion. The human brain will level the reticle within .5 deg with nothing. Between vision, and the integrated vestibular system we have a better level than you can mount in a rifle.

It’s a not bad training aid to check your level, but once you’ve checked it a dozen times and you’re on every time it looses its usefulness.
 
I've said it before, I bought my first level out of curiosity, not because I'm shooting long range.
What I learned was I'm HORRIBLE at knowing if the gun is level or not, shockingly so.

(which I guess shouldn't have come as any surprise after a lifetime of "scope looked level, now it looks crooked" or "looked level at home, looks crooked here")
 
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Once I bought a level, I realized how unlevel the world was. 😀
I have the perverse impulse to rebuild the arduino compass/level I made and add audio output to it. Make it do Morty's "oooh's" and "ahhh's" close to level then "Lambs to the cosmic slaughter" and "Reality is poison" for Left and Right tilt.
 
I have a natural cant when shooting so I pay attention to the bubble. It shows me how wrong I am.

Would like to try the electronic one, but man, that price tag is steep.
 
shine light through scope backwards, turn your diopter way out, lowest magnification, match crosshairs shadow to plumb line, make sure bubble is center, done.

100% perfect every time

View attachment 8025663
This is the way.
I used a plumb bob to snap and then draw a line on the shop wall.
I use a 4' Sands level THIS ONE balanced on the pic rail to get the receiver level in the vise first. Tape a flashlight to the front of the rifle shining backwards, dim the lights a little.
I just trust that by using quality pieces that the scope sits directly above the bore and everything has same vertical centerline.
 
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The erector and elevation/windage is parallel to the body of the scope regardless if the reticle is canted inside the scope.

This picture is canted but the elevation acts the same as when you scroll the this picture up or down.

shutterstock_1815386699-2-e1604026010486.jpg
 
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^complete horse shit.

Scrolling up moves both the crosshairs and the reference point. For this simple minded and incorrect analogy to be correct, you would need to hold the screen constant and move the erector parallel to the vertical crosshair. Which would move it north west and off plane in relation to the center of the screen
 
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How does the average Joe obtain similar results when mounting a new scope?
@Jefe's Dope
So...as in previous posts, I use a 4' level THIS ONE placed on the quality pic rail I have previously mounted properly with either blue loctite or some lacquer (nail polish) and level the rifle from left to right in my pattern makers vice THIS ONE.
Then I use quality rings and place the scope on the pic rail. Rings just loose enough to rotate the scope. I shine a flashlight into the scope from the objective end (the end closest to the bore). It will project an image of the reticle through the ocular lens. I tape that flashlight to the barrel shining back at me, basically.
At this point, you can do a couple of different things but all rely on the use of a true plumb (true vertical) line. The only truly reliable vertical is found with a plumb bob. What I did was use a plumb bob and marked a vertical line on the shop wall near where my pattern makers vice is. This saves me from having to rig up the plumb bob every time I want to set up a scope for me or someone else.
I shine that reticle at that plumb line, but just barely off it and rotate the scope until I have parallel lines, the vertical reticle line and the plumb line on my shop wall. If I try to shine it right on the plumb line, I can be off a little and not realize it. By shooting the line just off, I can easily eyeball parallel, or I can OCD that shit and use a scale (ruler).
I'm sure ScoreHi has the more accurate method but I think my method gives results that I can't out shoot. I think the real key here is that I use quality stuff but also that I have a receiver that is good to mount that pic rail to. I am sure there are receivers with the scope mounting holes drilled fucked up and that might be an issue but I bet I could not shoot the difference, even then. They'd have to be real fucked up.

EDIT: I recently bought the ARISAKA wedges and those are the shit. My own OCD still makes me check shit with the plumb line. I think the wedges are the way to go if you for some reason have to mount out in the field. If you are real careful, I think you can get an excellent "parallel or level" scope mount with those wedges.

EDIT EDIT: I did just a few weeks ago mount new scope for a friend on a nice custom rifle he's had for a few barrels. The scope rings were too short for the wedges. I was planning to "rough" the mount and then double check with my plumb line but ended up just having to use the line like I use to do before I discovered the wedges. It's damned near idiot proof.
 
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I also mount my scopes to true level using a plumb bob, and don’t feel “off” In my shooting position, BUT, not everyone agrees with this. A small amount of cant that gives you a comfortable and natural shooting position (with the butt in an ergonomic pocket on your shoulder) is SOP for a lot of shooters and instructors, especially on high recoil rifles where you are loading the bipod. @lowlight has explained this several times. I mostly shoot competitions, so I am mostly shooting a modified free recoil.

I looked and looked on the internet, and I can’t find any study or information on how well the human brain can visually determine level, but I KNOW it’s not two degrees. This is stupid. If you hang a picture that isn’t level anyone can easily see if it’s off by two degrees. If your balance was off by two degrees it would seriously effect your ability to participate in sports. Part of determining visual level is your brain comparing your sight picture with your body’s natural balance. There was a YouTube with a European comparing his eye’s level to a digital one, and he was less than half a degree off every time. This tracks with my experience. For me it’s a training aid, and the only reason I would stop to check it would be shooting off a slope to another slope where it could create a optical illusion.
 
I looked and looked on the internet, and I can’t find any study or information on how well the human brain can visually determine level, but I KNOW it’s not two degrees. This is stupid. If you hang a picture that isn’t level anyone can easily see if it’s off by two degrees. If your balance was off by two degrees it would seriously effect your ability to participate in sports. Part of determining visual level is your brain comparing your sight picture with your body’s natural balance. There was a YouTube with a European comparing his eye’s level to a digital one, and he was less than half a degree off every time. This tracks with my experience. For me it’s a training aid, and the only reason I would stop to check it would be shooting off a slope to another slope where it could create a optical illusion.
There can definitely be that aspect of optical illusion.
A few decades ago I was replacing a window in a building that is on the historic register. I got it in leveled and plumbed only to step back and look at it and "see" that it wasn't level nor plumb. I checked my work, definitely plumb and level according to my instruments but it still looked off. I should have known from the uneven amount of shims used. I finally figured out that the room had settled some and the entire thing was a little off but it made the new window look off instead. I took the window back out and installed it using what I call reveal. I installed it out of level to match the rest of the room. I stepped back after and all looked good.
The same thing can and does happen with a shooter.
As for the cant fitting into your shoulder better, etc, my preference would be to use adjustable stocks to fit the shooter, keeping the centerline of the bore and scope vertical to gravity.
However, when I'm out hunting deer, I generally don't have time to check the level...and I generally do not miss the shot. I also usually do not have time to check the distance, look at a DOPE card, dial and such. Of course, if I am hunting a known area, I have a pretty good idea of the ranges involved and if I am hunting from a blind or stand, there is usually more time to plan the shot. Coyotes, I try to get set up level but that realistically only lasts until I have to move to get on target and I am back to relying on my internal level.
The amount of rotation the scope is off in the rings would have to be pretty severe to make much difference at those ranges...usually inside of 250-300 yards.