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Rifle Scopes Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

Jimmy2Times

Jimmy2Times

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 5, 2005
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Amesbury, Massachusetts
So I'm putting a new scope/base on my Savage FP10. The base is an EGW 25 MOA and the Scope is a Leupold MkIV. I'm going to use Leupold MKIV medium rings but my question is should I use aluminum or steel rings?

Thanks for your insight.

-Patrick
J2T
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

I don't see a problem using either, if the rings are decent quality. My rig is a Savage 10FP with a steel Badger 20 MOA base and Nightforce aluminum rings. I bedded the base and the rings required minimal reaming... actually I probably could have skipped the reaming.

On the other hand, I have a Savage 110 with "Ironsighter" rings that I purchased before knowing any better. They required a lot of reaming. But even though these are $10 rings, after reaming the scope has not slipped. (Different story before reaming though - I simply couldn't get the rings tight enough to hold the scope firmly.)
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

Doubt that it is necessary, but I stick with like metals on my ring/base combos.... Just based on the different expansion/contraction rates of different metals at extreme temps..... Again, doubt it really makes a difference anywhere but in my head....JMHO....ymmv....
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

Doesn't make a difference but I would recommend looking at Seekins Rings www.seekinsprecision.com

Like metal doesn't make a difference in rings and bases. If you have all steel rings and bases you are still dropping in an aluminum tubed scope
wink.gif
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

I guess if you were extremely OCD you would use a steel scope and steel rings and bases on a steel receiver to settle any concerns of metal expansion...
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

Joking,You could also opt for a steel scope and then hire a crane to tag along and carry your rifle....Just kidding, humor...(Listen to Rob01, bowtie their right)....SmokeRolls
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

If weight is not a problem then I would go with steel as it will be stronger and has less thermal expansion so heat has less effect. If weight is a concern go with a good set of aliminum.
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

I think I am going to make some aluminum screws to go w/ the aluminum base and rings!
grin.gif
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

My barrel gets hot, but I have never touched my rings or scope and said DAMN THAT WAS HOT. lol

Mike
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

Yo Jimmy, when did you add that FFL/SOT thing to your name???

Smoke me up some ribs and UPS same day deliver them bitches to my house.

Oh and by the Way, get a Hold of Glen Seekins at Seekins Precision for all your ring and base needs.

His stuff rocks.

Some of his rings on my stick.

Scott

Adams042.jpg


 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

Sir
FYI
I ran aluminum base (atleast I think it was aluminuum or an alloy certianly not steel) and steel rings after about 400 round of .308 rings had mared and dented base where they attached. Kinda makes sense since steel is much harder than aluminum or alloy.
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

I used to think it didnt really matter, but after taking my scope off the other day and seeing how crapped up my EGW base is I say stick with steel if you can(I most likely overtightened the XTR rings but still wouldnt have happened if steel). Its just stronger... Plus im assuming there is a reason the steal bases are twice as expensive as the aluminum!
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JML403</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I used to think it didnt really matter, but after taking my scope off the other day and seeing how crapped up my EGW base is I say stick with steel if you can(I most likely overtightened the XTR rings but still wouldnt have happened if steel). Its just stronger... Plus im assuming there is a reason the steal bases are twice as expensive as the aluminum! </div></div>

Now you know why they cost $39. Not all aluminum is the same. AR receivers are aluminum and they don't gouge up that bad. Proper installation helps too.
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

Matching metals was my concern, I didn't want to waste an aluminum base with steel rings (or vise-versa) as steel is obviously harder. Never thought about the expansion rates but I suppose that could be. Anyway, I was going to get the Seekins setup but I went the aluminum route. Here's hoping my cheap EGW base can handle the TPS aluminum rings, after reading that above. They will be lapped and aligned with those tools from Midway, so that might help things somewhat. Just babbling my $.02...

While on the subject of EGW bases, does anyone know how their height compares to all the others out there? I actually haven't received the base yet and they look kinda high in pictures. Don't remember what site had it, but someone was selling a low version of the EGW base, and I didn't see it last time I checked. I asked EGW the difference and got 2 different responses. One said it was just ever-so-slightly lower, and the other asked me where I saw such a thing, as if it wasn't factory issued. So I keep wondering about that; if anyone has any info that would put my tortured mind to rest, I'd appreciate it.
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

No matter what you do, there is going to be steel to aluminum contact somewhere unless your scope has a steel tube. That said, I went with a steel base and Seekins (aluminum) rings. I figured that was the best place to have the steel to aluminum contact (all in my head, I know I know)
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

Nah, I would've done the same thing if I mixed them; the steel would've been in the base because the picatinny design has so many edges that could get screwed up. It makes sense. Of course, that might mean more steel edges to chew up the rings... but if you're careful, I'm sure it's fine.
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I used to think it didn't really matter, but after taking my scope off the other day and seeing how crapped up my EGW base is I say stick with steel if you can(I most likely overtightened the XTR rings but still wouldn't have happened if steel). Its just stronger... Plus im assuming there is a reason the steal bases are twice as expensive as the aluminum!</div></div>

It is always best to torque your rings and base to specs no matter what they are made of. You can damage your scope, rings and base. Years ago I ruined a set of TPS steel rings when I broke a screw off in one of them over tightening one of the screws without a torque wrench.

Aluminum or steel and mix or match it doesn't matter. A galvanic reaction between aluminum an steel can only occur when salt, water and or acid is present over time. Aluminum rings and base have steel screws.

I use Burris XTR rings and EGW bases on all of my rifles and never had a problem with any of them. I mount them all the time for customers.


GC

 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

Most steel bases are milled from 1018 steel ( a mild steel) and most aluminum rings/rails are milled from 6061 T6 aluminum. I'm new at precision shooting and just now in my life getting serious into guns at age 41, but I have been a professional metal fabricator for 20 years and own my own CNC milling equipment and do alot of machining and even though I am fairly new to the sport of precision shooting, I do know how metals react and for my 2 cents worth, not necessarily for heat expansion differences but for wear differences, I would suggest aluminum to aluminum and steel to steel if you are using big calibers.

But well made aluminum rings on a steel base is fine. The problem you will have will be crappy cheap made aluminum rings on a steel base.

The best combo of course would be rail/base and rings milled out of 7075 aluminum which is a bit harder and stronger than 6061 but just as light. (but 7075 is 3 times as expensive in billet raw form than 6061...the reason most all are made from 6061)

The reason steel bases are more expensive is simply the machining time differences and the more wear on endmills and aluminum bases are milled from an already halfway started extrusion that has been extruded to the entire shape/profile of a picatinny rail and all the machinist has to do is cut to length and mill the slots and drill the holes. In steel the machinist has to machine the entire piece which takes 4 times as long having more steps involved....higher prices on steel rails is just machine time.



 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

I am using 20 moa badger and badger rings...Great!!! I took a Nightforce off and not a mark on it...Just my opinon.. but you know what they say about opinons
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or st

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheArtist</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Most steel bases are milled from 1018 steel ( a mild steel) and most aluminum rings/rails are milled from 6061 T6 aluminum.
</div></div>

Check your info! 7075-T6 is the most used alloy for making rings and bases in the tactical industry. Badger advertises using 4142 pre-hardened (28-32Rc) steel for their rings/bases.
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

I would think carefully about getting steel rings because if you over torque the rings with the scope in the rings then your scope may get ring mark type dents in them. It happened to me already so just be careful. Also the EGW mounts are great they are exactly what I have but they are also Aluminum mounts and the steel cross bar on the weaver/picatinny rings that I had actually damaged the EGW mounts due to the recoil making the rings push back. I can show you a picture of what damage I am talking about if anyone wants.
 
Re: Gotta axe you guys a quextjeon. Aluminum or steel?

Crash97, yeh I know my info on this, high end rings are 7075, mid/low end rings are 6061, high end rails are usually 7075 but the mid/low end rails are 6061 and most of the steel rails are 1018, Badger of course is very nice stuff, not the lower end that most people buy.

If you want to pay 300.00 to 500.00 for high end rail/rings you can and get 7075.

Of course you always get what you pay for.

EGW steel rails are 1018. and there aluminum rails are 6061, I asked them and they told me.
 
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