Ok, we have a Red Dot Laser Sight on the top of our Smith & Wesson 9mm sd9ve and have a Laser Pointer underneath the barrel of our Sig Sauer Mosquito .22. Have a scope on both our Ruger 10/22 and our Henry Lever-Action .22. What we are now looking at, on Amazon, is a Red Laser Boresight for adjusting the Red Dot Laser Sight on our 9mm. It just seems so much easier using this Boresight than just using eyes to adjust the aiming of these four. Have you bought/used a Boresight before and, if you have, how did it work for you?
I considered a bore sighting tool once, but for some reason never pulled the trigger on it. I think I was gonna buy one for Point-and-Aim drills in my house more so than as a sighting tool. The only laser sight I've installed was an internal one for my Glock. The laser assembly replaces the spring recoil guide, and turns on & off with the take-down levers. My gun still fits standard holsters, and the laser cannot get knocked out of alignment. Current price is $300. I forget what I paid for it.
The laser sight we have slides on to two rails under the barrel in front. Had it on the 9mm, but after buying/installing the Red Dot Sight, we took it off and had the Red Dot Sight put on. The laser sight is now on our .22 Sig Sauer. But, I just don't think that we can "sight" either handgun in by using the laser sight or the Red Dot Sight. If we do indeed buy the Red Laser Boresight, will let you know how it does.
I don't know that I've known anyone who's owned a bore sight. Have you read any reviews? Do they really work? Now that I think of it, my other reason for getting one was to rough-sight in my.30-.30, because it beats me up so bad that by the time I'm dialing it in, I flinch when I pull the trigger.
Yes, the reviews for this Boresight are 75% good-to-great. Some say, "wish I had bought this earlier, I wouldn't have gotten so frustrated trying to adjust my sights." Put the batteries in, which automatically turns it on, pull the handgun slide back/lock, insert the Boresight and release the slide. When done adjusting, pull slide back/lock and remove Boresight.
I have used the bore sights on a rifle but never a hand gun. I find them quite good for "roughing in" and for checking the scope after transport.
Have you looked into one of these? https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/1...2f4e7984a4aa9e44892&utm_term=4584894776053434
Actually, I've not. That's not a bad idea. I've never liked target shooting long guns for this very reason. At least skeet & trap use target loads.
Actually, Thomas, I'm talking about adjusting the aim of a handgun, not shoulder protection from a heavy-duty rifle. We have a pad for the end of the stock of our Henry rifle.
I'm going to call our local Sportsman's Warehouse today and see if they have the Boresight for a 9mm. If not, will order they one that looks the best, and gets the best reviews, on Amazon.
Sorry, ok. Then again, when we had our Winchester Lever-Action 30-30, I had the same problem with shoulder recoil. I did get one of those shoulder protectors like he suggested, along with the stock protector. Sold the 30-30 when we got back here to Colorado. Just too much rifle for either of us and, besides that, the 30-30 and our old Remington Express Shotgun could only be used outside. The outdoor ranges here cost way to much and are too far away from where we live. I like the indoor range we go to. It has electric target "out" and "in". Got tired of walking out and changing a target.
The thing is, the calibers that are required for hunting will hurt your shoulder. My dad had a double-12 with a plastic stock and the recoil pad on the end, and it still hurt. In the heat of the [hunting] moment, recoil from those necessarily large calibers won't be felt. But as you know, at some point you gotta sight it in. I was at the range once and a guy next to me was shooting a compact .454 Casull. Per Wiki, the .454 Casull generates almost 5 times the recoil of the .45 Colt and about 75% more recoil energy than the .44 Magnum. Every time the guy would fire a round, the recoil was so great it threw his arms back and the gun was pointed straight at the ceiling. I guess he had to absorb the recoil that way or risk breaking his wrists. "Pleasure shooting." Regarding outdoor ranges: I bought this place with 51 acres because I like to shoot and have room to comfortably install a 300+ yard range. After I moved in, I discovered that I'm surrounded by critters of all types literally at the steps of my deck, and I don't want to chase them off. I might set up some milk jugs every few years during hunting season when there's gunfire around me anyway, but for the most part I'm more Dr. Doolittle than I am Wyatt Earp. Go figger.
Since we have added recoil into the bore sight discussion, I think you guys should shoot something large, then you will be happy to go back to the .30-.30. With shotguns, an autoloader often has less recoil than a pump, since some of the recoil is used to load the next round. When I used to hunt and sight in rifles, I seldom used more than a few rounds. If you can bore sight first, as @Cody Fousnaugh mentioned, either with a laser or simply (on rifles) remove the bolt and sight through the barrel to match the scope picture. As far a large handguns go, shooting a .454 or .500 handgun is pure punishment. A normal person can't stand to shoot one enough to become familiar with them. The largest I go for a handgun is a .44 Mag. I never went out for brown/grizzly bears, but you do come across them once in a while in the field. Never had to shoot one, nor have my sons, but there is always the possibility and the rifle or shotgun is "back at the tent".
I've been surprised that the weight of a double 12 does not absorb more recoil than it does. But as you say, maybe if I shoot a couple of rounds of 8 gauge (or an elephant gun), I'll feel different about the 12.