I have a scope that I got from a buddy that I want to use on my deer rifle. He has told me that the windage and elevation knobs have been turned all over the place and are not zeroed. How will this affect me sighting in the gun and how can I proceed to sight in the scope. My scope mounts dont seam to have windage and elevation adjustments so I would only be able to adjust it on the scope itself. Please help!!!

Two approaches to this:
1- mount the scope, set up a target, and shoot from about 25 FEET. This will likely put you on paper and start adjusting the scope at that distance until it's reasonably close, then back up to about 100 ft. and repeat. Just keep backing away from the target after each shot and adjustment.
2- take the adjustments on the scope and turn the elevation knob all the way to one end of adjustment, then, turn to the other extreme while counting the clicks. Then move the adjustment knob back half the total clicks. Repeat this process with the windage knob. Now the scope is "centered" but you will still need to get it on paper and may still have to do some of the steps above.
Hope this helps, and good luck. Let us know how you do.

If your rifle is a bolt action, you can remove the bolt and look thru the barrel at a target, then look thru the scope (don't let the rifle move) and see where the crosshairs are.  Get them centered on the bull and then start shooting at close range as mentioned above.

For a lever, pump, or semi,  you can buy a bore sighting device or pay a gunshop or smith to bore sight it for you.  Bore sighting should put you on the paper even at 100 yds.

Money spent for the bore sight may pay off in ammo savings if the range rules don't allow setting targets close.

Dale

What dk said. Get it bore sighted it only cost about $5 most of the time. If you plan on having to sight in a bunch of guns then I would buy a bore sighter, but $5 for every year or so isn't a big deal and if you buy a scope from someone they usually bore sight it and set it up for free anyway.

NOTE: Bore sighting doesn't mean it is sighted in, you still have to zero in the gun it should just put you on paper, although I have had instances where it was only about 2" off you still need to shoot it first.

Yep, first of all I would do as was mentioned and take each knob to the max and back the other way to the max. Then come back halfway so that the scope has the same amount of adjustment in all four directions. Regardless of whether you can bore sight it or have it done, start out at 25 yards and shoot to get it as close as possible to zero. That is always the best way to start out with a new rig.  This should only take several shots and then you can back off and fine tune it to what you want at 100 yards.

A friend of mine is borrowing me a laser boresighter (cartridge style) to use after I zero the knobs on the scope. For using a laser boresighter such as the one I will be using (just a 30.06 shell with a lazer in it) do I just aline my scope recticle with where the laser hits the target at 25 yards then go on to do 100 yards and after shoot groupings to get it right on? I'm pretty sure I have the jist of it but just want to make sure.

That's right, put it in and adjust until your crosshairs match up with the laser. Take about three shots and if you have a good group then measure how far it's off up or down and left or right and then move the dials on the windage and elevation the opposite way of where it's off.

Well don't count on the laser sight, I know many people that have used them and say they wasted their money. The main problem you will run into with the laser is the height your scope is mounted above the barre, if you are using the mounts you can look through and still see the open sights under the scope, you are going to have more problems. But they will at least get you on the paper.......

I use the two shot method and it has ALWAYS worked for me. If you have a sled or a method of locking down your rifle so that it cannot move, take your best shot at the bull (at close yardage, maybe 25 yards), after the shot once again put your cross hairs back on the bull, then move the cross hairs to the bullet hole with the elevation and windage adjustments. Just my opinion.

And here I always thought you used the Longshot method, LOL!!!

That is why I CAN make them Longshots ! LOL.

longshot,  Well explained as usual.  I, too, use the same method & have for many years when I had my shop.  The ammo savings can be substantial when several different weapons are being shot during the same sitting.