Deciding wether to go with aluminum or steel rings and base for a new Rem 700 XCR Compact Tactical in 223cal. Is this just a matter of more or less weight and more or less money?? The rings and base I'm looking at are the TPS from SWFA, steel is a little more money than aluminum, don't know how much more or less they weigh. ???? Have heard conflicting opinions....
Gunsmithing Need help Aluminum or steel ??
- Thread starter peterh
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Re: Need help Aluminum or steel ??
Steel for all.
That way expansion/contraction is consistent between all the components.
Al expands @ 3 times the rate of steel.
Steel for all.
That way expansion/contraction is consistent between all the components.
Al expands @ 3 times the rate of steel.
Re: Need help Aluminum or steel ??
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BPTactical</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steel for all.
That way expansion/contraction is consistent between all the components.
Al expands @ 3 times the rate of steel. </div></div>
I put steel bases/rings on steel receivers, and aluminum bases/rings on aluminum receivers, but I don't think it makes a lick of difference.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BPTactical</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steel for all.
That way expansion/contraction is consistent between all the components.
Al expands @ 3 times the rate of steel. </div></div>
I put steel bases/rings on steel receivers, and aluminum bases/rings on aluminum receivers, but I don't think it makes a lick of difference.
Re: Need help Aluminum or steel ??
Far as I can tell the only real difference is weight, and Al is less likely to corrode. Maybe if you had a really heavy scope in really tall rings and really hard recoiling rifle, there might be enough happening to break Al rings, but I doubt it. If you plan to R&R scope or rings allot (monthly or more) steel threads and rail will take that abuse better, same goes for installing or checking tightness regularly without a torque instrument. TPS alledgedly has bad CS, and there have been posts on here about their aluminum rings needing warranty. I have their steel rings, they're very well made, but quite heavy, also the lows are .925, and on a weaver 20MOA rail have enough 1/16" clearance for a 56mm obj on a SPS-V.
Far as I can tell the only real difference is weight, and Al is less likely to corrode. Maybe if you had a really heavy scope in really tall rings and really hard recoiling rifle, there might be enough happening to break Al rings, but I doubt it. If you plan to R&R scope or rings allot (monthly or more) steel threads and rail will take that abuse better, same goes for installing or checking tightness regularly without a torque instrument. TPS alledgedly has bad CS, and there have been posts on here about their aluminum rings needing warranty. I have their steel rings, they're very well made, but quite heavy, also the lows are .925, and on a weaver 20MOA rail have enough 1/16" clearance for a 56mm obj on a SPS-V.
Re: Need help Aluminum or steel ??
I'm not really sure how this is a gunsmithing question, but...
I would recommend aluminum because it is lighter.
I have both types on multiples rifles. I run the aluminum US Optics bases and rings on a few rifles and couldn't be happier. I run steel on a few others, and have yet to see any differences (if it affects accuracy, I sure can't tell it).
Note: You will most likely see differences between ultra cheap rings and bases and decent quality rings and bases. Any movement at all will destroy any accuracy potential of the rifle.
I'm not really sure how this is a gunsmithing question, but...
I would recommend aluminum because it is lighter.
I have both types on multiples rifles. I run the aluminum US Optics bases and rings on a few rifles and couldn't be happier. I run steel on a few others, and have yet to see any differences (if it affects accuracy, I sure can't tell it).
Note: You will most likely see differences between ultra cheap rings and bases and decent quality rings and bases. Any movement at all will destroy any accuracy potential of the rifle.
