Rifle Scopes Badger Ordance 20 MOA Rail and Rings

[Gascan775]

Hey guys, anyone out there had any luck ever getting a hold of Badger customer service??

Here's what I have - My custom Remington 700 short mag with a Bagder Ordnance 20 MOA rail and a set of there Med rings. I just got a brand new NF MRAD and before I dropped a brandie new 2K scope in the rings I wanted to check every thing even though it was Badger and the name has always been good enough for me.

I put a set of those pointed mandrels in the rings and everything looked good, points touching. But a friend said to use a set of gauges that he had. These are ground perfectly flat and when I mounted these a checked the gap while these where straight they had a belly in them. They were open at the bottom. Not huge mind you but from the bottom to the top it was a difference of about .006"-.007". Not very good for a rail that cost $160 bucks.

So I started moving rings around and did manage to reduce this to about .001 or maybe a little less. However to get this reduction the scope is, to say the least, a little bit "up close an personal" for a magnum, if you know what I mean.

I did try to call there contact number but it just rings off the hook. so I went to the web site and wrote a similar note and said hey can we straiten this or something? This was over a week ago and nothing, no e-mail. I know that those guys are support the good guys here so I can cut them some slack but I just want to know that they are looking at it and will get to me eventually. Hell it's pretty damm cold anyway so I'm not itching to get out there right now but knowing someone heard that the note can through would be nice...maybe?

Anyway, I know I can lap the rings but I'm a little worried that with the recoil on this that I might have the scope start sliding on me if I start that. The Vortex I had in these rings had no gap at all at 15 inch lbs so not sure I have much material to loose, but did not slide around. I guess I could take it to a machine shop too but again 160 bucks for what?

Any you guys run into this or have better luck reaching them??? Or maybe a better fix? Through it away and buy someone another manufacturer's rail? Just looking for ideas?

 

[lightman]

Re: Badger Ordance 20 MOA Rail and Rings

Its not your rings and rail,its your action.I would put them where they were comfortable and lapp them.Flame suit on!!! Lightman

 

[Beef82]

Re: Badger Ordance 20 MOA Rail and Rings

I'm not entirely sure what the issue is you're refering to, but like Lightman, it sounds like its probably your action. Look up bedding a scope base/mount/rail.

 

[Gascan775]

Re: Badger Ordance 20 MOA Rail and Rings

Hey guys, I appreciate the feedback but I can't agree on the action diagnosis. When the rings are mounted over the mounting screws to the action I am open on the bottom of the gauges (ie: a belly in the rail). When I move the rings to the outer limits past the mounting points the situation improves as you move toward the ends. I can move the rings farther in the it get worse and if I remove the rail and set the rings on the action (with a small shim under each) there is no gap at all (ie: not the action). The rails are heat treated according to the write up in midway although it is minimal, stuff happens. I'm pretty sure a little tweek in a press would fix it but I don't have the blocks or the press to get it done.

I can lap the rings as you guys have suggested but with little to no gap in the rings I'm just don't want that sucker walking around and pulling .005" out of it with the recoil impulse may be pushing it a bit. I really didn't want to bed it after spending over 3 bills on this kind of stuff just seems like I could have saved a bunch of money and went much cheaper if I wanted to go this route. That ultimately that may be the way to go but it just sucks.

 

[Diablo]

Re: Badger Ordance 20 MOA Rail and Rings

The suggestion was that you "bed" that rail because the top of your action is not "true" where you screwed down the rail. It's not uncommon on mass-produced actions like yours.

 

[SSG3K]

Re: Badger Ordance 20 MOA Rail and Rings

Have you setup your parts on a surface table and used an indicator to measure? What fixturing are you using?

Rich