Is it a bad idea to use an aluminum pic rail with steel rings

[skydiver]

I was doing so research and I read that using a aluminum rail with steel rings is a bad idea, as the thermo expansion of the rail and rings will be at a different rate.

 

[Milf Dots]

Also the risk, albeit small, of galvanic corrosion from sweat and salty air. (Aluminum can corrode. Many steels can both corrode and rust)

 

[obx22]

This may have an effect on some level of stress/consistency, but I “think” the amount of bearing surface or clamping force might either cancel it out or make it extremely difficult to determine the exact change in flex/compression of parts.
Kinda like steel rings on an alloy tube?
Who knows, perhaps this is yet another area fliers sprout from
Seriously not blowing off the concerns, as I have approached this line of thought on my own precision rifle set-up.
Steel rail to steel receiver cause while they are likely different alloys, hopefully they will be close in consistent response to temperature and stress.
Aluminum scope in unitized aluminum scope rings for the same reason.
Unitized aluminum rings to steel rail to limit the amount of stresses to a small point of contact.
Maybe it’s all about confidence in your choices?

 

[Gohring65]

I don’t worry about it.
Use quality rings on a quality base and you’ll be fine.
You can put steel on steel but as you go up, you eventually end up with a aluminum scope body in steel rings.
I’ve only seen steel to aluminum damage with cheap stuff.
Never seen any of my uppers damaged from quality steel rings.

 

[supercorndogs]

I have several pairs of Seekins PMR rings, on NF steel bases. No problems to report.

 

[CommissarGrub]

If you look, at the broad picture, in the end you are going to mate an aluminium scope to a steel receiver. So there is going to be a steel/alloy interface somewhere in between anyways.

 

[308pirate]

I was doing so research and I read that using a aluminum rail with steel rings is a bad idea, as the thermo expansion of the rail and rings will be at a different rate.

While the thermal expansion coefficients of both steel and aluminum alloys are different, the dimensions and temperature changes involved are so small that in practice the problem doesn't exist.

Just so you know..........the internet is full of bullshit

 

[308pirate]

If you look, at the broad picture, in the end you are going to mate an aluminium scope to a steel receiver. So there is going to be a steel/alloy interface somewhere in between anyways.

That too

 

[Rob01]

I was doing so research and I read that using a aluminum rail with steel rings is a bad idea, as the thermo expansion of the rail and rings will be at a different rate.

That is the brain trust worrying about things that never show up in actual use. It's not a rocket or a plane. It's not going to be in any situation where the "thermo expansion" will be evident. Having used mixed set ups over the years there has never been an issue. Buy quality and you will be fine.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

The only thing I would be cautious of maybe is the rings crunching the rail if ya tighten them too much. There isn't anything else that's an issue.

 

[EotS]

I was doing so research and I read that using a aluminum rail with steel rings is a bad idea, as the thermo expansion of the rail and rings will be at a different rate.

There's simply not enough material you're dealing with where expansion will matter.

A 200ft bridge?
Sure.
Few oz of alum/ steel?
It would take very accurate instruments to measure any difference from -100, to +100 degrees.

It's absolutely a non issue.