Re: How tight to screw scope rings
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Scott_at_Vortex</div><div class="ubbcode-body">99% of rings only need 15-20<span style="font-weight: bold"> INCH</span> pounds. I put inch in bold because you wouldn't believe how many people get out the old foot pound torque wrench, because they mis-read. Glen Seekins can tell you a very interesting story about that, as can I ,but Glen's is better.
Scott</div></div>
Do tell... I've got one too, but not about scope rings. It's about a 1/4-28 that I was told 110. Inch pounds that is, not foot lbs. like I used (I did say beforehand that was awfully high). Fortunately, the standard in aviation was that we used washers under both the bolt head and the nut and the bolt just stripped. There was no damage to the engine case halves.....
Anyhow, I set my torque wrench (a fine Snap-On specimen that tests right every time) to about 20 inch pounds. I also like to use loctite as that gives a 'wet' torque value instead of dry torque and therefore truer.
If you do not have a torque wrench you can install these safely by evenly bringing them down to firmly stopping. Then take either 15-30 degrees more travel. To get that picture the hands on a clock-face. Each number is 30 degrees. Do not go more than that. If you do feel like they won't hold, back them off and resettle the cap and bring the screws down again. This is where loctite really pays off as well as holding them in place. With wet torque you don't get near as much drag and the feeling you need to stop early. Meaning the loctite actually works like a lubricant when tightening the screws.
With that said, I am now going to install my new Nightforce 12-42x50 on my 7mm-08
