• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • m243The M24: America’s Headhunter
        • skorpFull-Auto Fun — Shooting the full-Auto vz. 61 Škorpion
        • p320-full-leftSIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can’t Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
        • TISAS_10100520_1__98179Tisas 1911A1 U.S. Army Review: Best Budget .45 ACP WW2 1911 Clone?
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Hunting in TexasThese 5 ATV Dealers Will Get You Ready For Hunting Season in Texas
        • ac65a540-2ef3-4598-8d11-afdf53f46e94.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
        • Bluetti 2 handsfree power backpackBluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
        • The Gallagator 10 day pack on the shoreline next to a hiking trail.Day Pack – Mystery Ranch Gallagator 10 – The Best Yet?
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Tom and Blake Sell TeaHow Sasquatch Tea Is Revitalizing a Stagnant Tea Market With Veterans and Outdoorsmen in Mind
        • redcat-blackwidow-articleheaderWar of Words: In the Ultra-Competitive Defense Tech Industry, Storytelling is a Secret Weapon
        • Photoroom_20250525_074933Juggernaut Tactical Frame Review: The Best Upgrade for Your 365
        • craft holstersCraft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Report
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
  • Advertise

Sightmark Laser Boresight: Accuracy on a Budget

Purchasing a new optic for your rifle can be one of the most satisfying feelings you can have if you are a hunter or sportsman. However, trying to properly sight in that same optic can quickly become one of the most frustrating experiences you will ever have. What if there was an affordable and easy to use tool that can be used to quickly put you on paper and allow you to save time and ammunition? That’s where the Sightmark Laser Bore Sight Tool comes in handy, the tool which uses no special tools to install allows users to harness the power of a low powered laser to enhance shave time off any range session.

Sightmark made its debut to the firearms community at SHOT Show 2007 and since then the Mansfield, Texas-based company has seen a steady growth. They have been making steady and deliberate progress into the optics market across all price points, from the budget conscious to the outdoorsman that is willing to pay top dollar for top-notch equipment. Utilizing their 30,000+ square foot facility that was completed in 2011 the Sightmark team has seen their product line being sold at many of the nation’s top outdoor retailers like Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop, Academy Sports & Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Image:Rick Dembroski
Battery compartment shown

Laser boresight tools aren’t new to the firearms industry, but in 2017 they are smaller, easier to use and more affordable than ever. Take the Sightmark version that we are spotlighting in this article, it has no moving parts, buttons and is powered by two small batteries. There is however a catch with this particular style and brand of boresight tool. The catch is that this style is an universal type of kit, meaning that they are designed to only work with specific calibers of rifles. The company claims that by making a kit to a specific caliber it will allow for a higher degree of accuracy. It does this by shaping the Laser Boresight Tool to the dimensions of a specific case. In the instance of our test sample that is the .223/5.56mm cartridge. Lets look at the specifications of the Sightmark Laser Boresight and if it is available for your favorite calibers, partial list is located below.

Specifications 

Product: Sightmark Laser Boresight

Calibers Available: (More than 30 different including these most popular calibers)

  • .17 HMR
  • .22LR
  • .223 / 5.56 NATO (Tested Model)
  • .243, .308, 7.62x54R
  • .270 WSM
  • .30-06, .270, .25-06
  • .300 WSM
  • .300 AAC Blackout
  • .50 Caliber
  • .30-.30
  • 6.5mm,.22-250
  • And several varieties of 7mm Mauser

Material: Brass

Batteries: AG3 (3X) or AG5 (2X) Depending on caliber

LED Type: Visible red laser

Range for Sighting: 15-100 Yards

Battery Life: 1 hour

Dot Size: 2″ @ 100 Yards

Operation: On/Off End Cap

Operating Range Temperature: +14*F to 122*F

MSRP: Varies from $35.95 (Most calibers) to $99.95 for .50 Cal 

Image:Rick Dembroski

Does it Work ?

Does it work? It really is the bottom line question for any piece of gear or firearm component. In a single word, YES the Sightmark Laser Boresight tool works as advertised, but there is one thing that I found out the hard way. Before we dig into that let me just say that there are no surprises with this boresight tool, the bottom unscrews, you insert the batteries and it almost instantly turns on. Once I installed the two supplied batteries I took a few minutes to shine the light around and see how far it would cast its red LED light. I didn’t expect the clarity that the Sightmark had, nor the distance it projected. After a few minutes of examining the .223 shaped brass case and looking for any deformities or defects in the case I went about the business of trying to drop the boresight tool into my rifle. I loaded it like you would any snap cap or live round of ammunition and tried to release the bolt and chamber the tool, this is where the only spot of trouble raised its ugly little head.

The Sightmark Boresight Tool quickly failed to chamber properly and jammed into the locking lug recesses on my test AR-15. The small miscalculation caught me off guard and I quickly cleared the rifle and manually dropped the foresight tool into the chamber and released the bolt, problem rectified. When I shouldered my rifle I could see the clean and bright red laser easily at the 25 yard target and within a few clicks of my optic corrected the zero on my rifle to within tolerable accuracy. I pulled the charging handle and spit the Sightmark out of my rifle and inserted a magazine with live rounds. The boresight got my groups to within a few inches of where I wanted them to be and a few rounds later I was 100% satisfied with my shot placement.

It’s hard to ask for a small simple tool to do anything more than the Sightmark Laser Boresight Tool does. Sure there might be bigger, more expensive tools that do the same thing or can be used on multiple calibers, but those didn’t fit my budget or my needs. I chose to give an American based company a chance and used my own money to purchase and test this tool, so I can’t be accused of being a shill for the company. This was my first product review of a Sightmark product and I can say for right now, I’m impressed. Our intention is to use this tool to zero all of our AR-15 based rifles in the future as they go through several different optics configurations. This will let it spend time in the chambers of a few rifles bearing the names of Noveske, Smith & Wesson and Spikes Tactical so if have plans to give it a proper work out.

We want to know what everyone is using out there for bore sighting tools. Are you paying someone to mount and sight in your new optics or do you have a way that has always worked for you? I know we have readers out there that would love to hear your sure fire, fool proof way of sighting and zeroing your AR’s.

Image:Sightmark.Com

Above image and feature image courtesy:Sightmark.Com


Share This

About the Author

Rick Dembroski I spent 10 of the best years of my life as a USAF Civil Engineer, traveling the globe, drinking beer, and causing chaos. My superiors dubbed me "King of Useless Knowledge" a title that I still love to this day. I separated in 2002 as a SSgt (E5- in the USAF), and chose to stay in the frozen north of Alaska, currently I work as an Emergency Management Specialist where I combine my love of chaos and preparedness to ensure people know how to survive disasters.

See All Rick Dembroski Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

About Rick Dembroski

I spent 10 of the best years of my life as a USAF Civil Engineer, traveling the globe, drinking beer, and causing chaos. My superiors dubbed me "King of Useless Knowledge" a title that I still love to this day. I separated in 2002 as a SSgt (E5- in the USAF), and chose to stay in the frozen north of Alaska, currently I work as an Emergency Management Specialist where I combine my love of chaos and preparedness to ensure people know how to survive disasters.

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
    Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
    Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
  • Pyramyd AIR’s Springfield Hellcat Pro CO2 BB Pistol Is the Ultimate Dry-Fire Trainer
    Pyramyd AIR’s Springfield Hellcat Pro CO2 BB Pistol Is the Ultimate Dry-Fire Trainer
  • SIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can't Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
    SIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can't Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
  • Smith and Wesson Governor Range Review
    Smith and Wesson Governor Range Review

Find Us on Facebook

Recent Comments

  • Winston Smiths on Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • Jared Mize on The Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife: A Commando Blade That Changed Special Forces Forever
  • GomeznSA on MAC-10: The Wild History of America’s Most Iconic (and Overrated) Submachine Gun

Latest From SOFREP

News

Evening Brief: Renewed Clashes in Syria’s Sweida Province Displace 80,000 as Ceasefire Breaks Down

War Stories

Benjamin Reed: War Tourist

News

Three Die in Los Angeles Bomb Blast

Veteran Finances

Fifteen Transferable Military Skills that Land Jobs

Military Content Group

© Copyright 2025 Military Content Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers
 

Loading Comments...