Laser bore sighter for 9mm pistol

[Fordcragar]

I just received a bore sighter that I bought on Ebay, for about $9. After I put the batteries in, I placed it into the chamber and tried sighting it. What I noticed was that the laser was pointing way off (about 6 inches) on a target that was about 15 feet away. The pistol that I tried it in, is one that I shoot with and yields good results. I played with bore sighter for a while turning the sight in the barrel to see if the dot moved or changed direction. Then checked the diameter of the bore sight and compared it to a 9mm cartridge, they were within about .005" of each other in diameter. Then I thought maybe if I put it into the magazine and rack it, it might fit better; which is what did it. I then tried it is several other pistols, using the magazine to load it with similar results.

The reason for buying this in the first place was to see if the sights on a Glock 43 were even close. We go out shooting every week and neither of us shoot very well with that gun. Using the laser bore sighter, it seems like the sights are fairly accurate; which means that there is another problem. Maybe operator error, probably not that either. <lol>

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[edslhead]

The ones that go in the chamber aren't very accurate. You might try one a those magnetic ones that you stick on the end of the barrel. They seem to work pretty well. Easy to use too.

http://www.amazon.com/Firefield-Red..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=1NKH0X2PHNJV8TWAYMAD

 

[Certaindeaf]

The bullets are pretty laser like.. especially at fifteen feet.

 

[edslhead]

The bullets are pretty laser like.. especially at fifteen feet.

But there hell on the sheetrock

 

[Certaindeaf]

But there hell on the sheetrock

Ah.. so it's like a snap cap practice dealy and not a "bore sighter".. ok

 

[etrain16]

I just received a bore sighter that I bought on Ebay, for about $9. After I put the batteries in, I placed it into the chamber and tried sighting it. What I noticed was that the laser was pointing way off (about 6 inches) on a target that was about 15 feet away. The pistol that I tried it in, is one that I shoot with and yields good results. I played with bore sighter for a while turning the sight in the barrel to see if the dot moved or changed direction. Then checked the diameter of the bore sight and compared it to a 9mm cartridge, they were within about .005" of each other in diameter. Then I thought maybe if I put it into the magazine and rack it, it might fit better; which is what did it. I then tried it is several other pistols, using the magazine to load it with similar results.

The reason for buying this in the first place was to see if the sights on a Glock 43 were even close. We go out shooting every week and neither of us shoot very well with that gun. Using the laser bore sighter, it seems like the sights are fairly accurate; which means that there is another problem. Maybe operator error, probably not that either. <lol>

Does your bore sighter have adjustment screws to "zero" the laser? Some do, some don't. On one of mine, there are screws at 90 degree angles to each other that allow small adjustments to zero the laser. I heard one guy suggest if you want to check for zero, place the laser on a flat surface and roll it on that surface and see if the laser moves around or sticks close to the same point. Just one thing to consider.

 

[twa2471]

Myself I use the ones that slide down the bore with different size col-lets for different calibers, a Bushnell I think it is?? But anyways I get great results with that one. The chamber/bullet type ones I haven't had very good results with.

Are you allowing for the difference between the bore and sight height BTW?

Like on my AR's as an example, you'll have to allow approximately 1 1/2 " depending on the difference between the actual bore and the optics/ sight mounting height ,but 1 1/2" seems to be about average on AR's ,so don't forget allow for that amount when sighting in or checking something with a laser bore sighter.

Don't adjust your sights to the actual dot your bore sighter puts out, adjust to a point equaling the actual difference between the optics /sight height and bore.

Your dot will always be lower than your actual sight picture will be by that amount.
Put 2 different spots of tape on your backstop equaling that difference and set your dot on the lower one and adjust your sights to the upper one. And you'll be real close.

That's a VERY common mistake I see people making quite often and that may be what's throwing things off for you?

 

[Fordcragar]

.....................Are you allowing for the difference between the bore and sight height BTW?.....................That's a VERY common mistake I see people making quite often and that may be what's throwing things off for you?

I didn't think about that. Initially, when I placed the bore sighter in the chamber, on a target about 15 feet away, the dot was off about 6 inches up and to the right of where the sights would put it. When I let the pistol chamber the site, it was just a little lower than what the sight saw; which makes sense, being the difference between barrel and the sights.

 

[twa2471]

They need to be fully chambered and the action locked as it would be when actually shooting. That may have been your whole issue. Sounds it??

 

[Fordcragar]

How I got it to chamber correctly, was to place the bore sighter into the magazine and rack it to have the gun chamber it; which seemed to work fine.

 

[twa2471]

I too have noticed some handguns won't chamber a round correctly unless striped from a mag,,pretty much like a Mauser rifles doesn't like to chamber a round unless stripped from a magazine.

Even if done that way with the "bullet type " lasers I still prefer the ones that slip down the bore instead ,,there's no question then and I've used both ,but much prefer the "down the bore " ones myself. I just get better results with those it seems and just my personal preference for a bore sighter.

 

[Joe13]

Bi mart will bore sight any gun for free

 

[Larrytpdx]

Bi mart will bore sight any gun for free

Really! That's good to know.

 

[Joe13]

I'm not that old but bore sighting Lazers are fairly new.

Back on the old days, I was taught to get up close to a target and get it on paper and then back up a little at a time as you make your adjustments until your at your desired range.

Unless you have a nice big dirt backstop at which point you can see the impacts and adjust accordingly.


I think it's a bit sad we all need Lazers to figure out how to dial in a firearm now a days...

(That wasn't aimed at the OP, just a general observation on today's new toys).

Went to a rang with a new sight on a rifle and they acted as if it was the dumbest thing I'd ever done, the gall to show up with a new sight that hadn't been bore sighted. May as well have shown up with a loaded, chambered and unholstered gun and pointed it at everyone I walked by lol.

 

[twa2471]

I'm an "old fart" and grew up before laser bore sighters too and other methods I'd used was the following. Shoot 3 rounds at the bullseye, take how far off you are from your desired POI and adjust that many clicks, continue till zeroed.

Or clamp into a bench vise and look down the bore and allow for you sight height and adjust to that point with out moving the fire arm. And you'll be real real close with either method.

A laser just allows you to shoot less rounds to O, but the second method is almost identical to sighting with a laser other than you don't have the laser, your just visually sighting down the bore for you initial point which would otherwise = your laser dot.

Don't forget to allow for your sight height over your bore!!!