Rifle Scopes Anything I should know about mounting a scope?

[Moby]

Sorry for the noob question but....I'm a noob to long range shooting.

Do you guys all mount your own scope?
Is there any special tool like a level etc?

I hate to sound stupid but I'd rather ask then have to re do it.

 

[338RUM runner]

Pipe Wrench works for me. "PISSED OF NOW" LOL. Do a UTUBE search and you should find some good info. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[Moby]

dahhhh, Why didn't I think of that?

But I also hope some folks on here might help.
Your suggestion is a good one and I will do that.
I always wonder why folks say "you could have googled that".
What's the point of a specific forum if folks could go else where to find answers.
Is there ANY topic that cannot be googled? Youtubed, or searched for?

 

[vegasjeepguy]

YouTube can be your best friend...it's one thing to read about it, but quite another to actually see it done. As with anything, there is good and bad out there. Common sense goes a long way.

 

[Moby]

How To Mount A Precision Riflescope - YouTube

 

[Moby]

A Sniper Instructor from the Army told me of a slick trick.
After leveling the rifle in a lead sled, hang a heavy object 25 yards out with a rope on a clam day.
The rope will of course naturally hang perfectly vertical.
Line of the recital and tighten.

 

[Cornholeo]

Tools needed:
1. Set of feeler gauges from local auto parts store.
2. Good inch pounds torque wrench or screwdriver. Borka makes probably the most popular around here but I have the Fat Wrench and it works great as well.
3. Torque specs for rings and base.
4. Blue loc-tite for screws.
5. Allen bits or torx head bits, whichever your rings and bases use and that will fit the Borka or Fat wrench.

I have mounted two scopes since reading of using the feeler gauges on here. Both are lever and it was easy as hell to do.

 

[johnsmith1775]

I normally use feeler gauges to level the scope. I recommend a torque wrench for tightening all the screws. Lots of guys use the Borka, which has a nice compact size you can take to the field with you. I've got a CDI torque wrench. Remember rings are tightened in inch pounds, not foot pounds. Over tightening can damage the scope. I also use blue loc-tite to keep them in place once tightened.

 

[Cornholeo]

Video for you using playing cards instead of feeler gauges, both work great.

 

[Muskyjerk]

Sorry to bump in but its still on topic>

What about lapping rings? is this practice only for lesser rings?

I have never done in the past. and was curious about others experience

MJ

 

[NICETRY]

Nightforce 34mm rings I ordered with my ATACR said not to lap the rings. I would check the mounting instructions that come with the rings before I did any lapping.

 

[Smokerroller]

I have a couple disagreements with each video. In the first one, why did he bother leveling the rifle along its length? If your base has cant built in you may go crazy trying get the scoped parallel with the rifle. I wouldn't know, because I haven't waisted my time finding out. Also, scope turret caps are known for not being perfectly square to the reticle. In the second video, no mention of sliding the base and or rings forward in the picatiny slot for the cross bolt. Also, although I have read good things about using playing cards to level the reticle off the bottom of the scope I wouldn't trust cards balanced on a picatiny rail to do it. Not to mention tightening down the scope rings with an object squeezed in between the rail and the scope.. And last but not least, the reticle doesn't have to be perfectly perpendicular to the bore so don't worry about getting it perfect. I prefer a couple degrees (haven't measured it) of clockwise cant because it is more ergonomic and comfortable behind the rifle. The only crucial consideration is that the reticle is parallel to the world when firing the rifle.

 

[xXlojackXx]

Lap the rings. Sinclair International sells a nice lapping kit. You'll be amazed at how out of alignment the rings are when squared up and torqued onto your scope rail.