kj, just make sure that all screws and screw holes are clean and oil free before installing. Install the base and snug it down securely. set the rings in the base, loosely tighten the rings and then align the cross-hairs for vertical - look at those about 20 times to make sure you have it right - and set the eye-relief. With your setup (if it's what I'm thinking of), eye-relief will probably be best with the scope's adjustment turrets as close to the front ring as you can get it. And, if we are talking the Leupold QRs, I wouldn't lock the rings with the latches until you have the scope set in the rings and partially tightened - then lock them in place and finish tightening. Tighten the ring screws in small amounts switching from one side to the other and finally snug them down good. Check your reticle alignment periodically as you tighten. Some folks like to add a bit of Loc-Tite to the base and ring screws but I've never found that to be of much benefit so long as you snug them down good.

You can do a simple bore site by removing the breech plug, set the barrel such that it won't easily move, then look through the bore at a distant object, centered in the bore. Then see where it is in the scope. Without moving the barrel, adjust the scope until the object is centered on the reticle. Might save you a few rounds when sighting in.

Start at 25 yards or so when sighting in.