Rifle Scopes Scopes Slipping

[dakor]

I have an update. The scope on the 375 Ultra seems to be holding with the new Mark 4 rings and 30 inch lbs. The 338 scope is toast and is being sent in with a request of a new one. Even with the Mark 4 rings at 35 inch lbs the scope will not hold and still moves. The rings were sprayed with brake cleaner and wiped down before they were installed on both rifles. The owner of the edge called the optic company yesterday and was given every excuse in the book why the scope wont hold including if you can buy this that the" Leupold Mark 4 steel rings do not have tight tolerances because they are made out of steel and when they are machined the heat causes inconsistency in the rings". With todays carbide tooling I am not buying that we will see how this pans out and if they take care of this issue.

 

[Magnumdood]

No, you'd make a case for buying a quality CNC machined scope base. Or having your action trued up. If the holes weren't aligned the whole base would be off axis and lapping the rings wouldn't fix anything. If the base itself was THAT crooked why would you deliberately lap a set of rings and take them OUT of concentric alignment to fix a problem created by a shit scope base? Buy a better scope base. This is one of those things that you either figure out early on by listening to others or you learn the hard way yourself over time. Don't spend 1000-3000 bucks on a scope and then say that a 120 dollar scope base or a 150 dollar set of rings is too expensive. You want cheap you're going to get cheap tolerances and cheap manufacturing. This is a game of inches and reducing the number of those inches isn't cheap. What's cheaper in the long run? Buying cheap shit and having to buy quality stuff anyway or just buying quality components from the get go?

Not everyone who reads this site has the $$$$ to have their action trued up and possibly have new scope base holes drilled and tapped. I won't shoot my rifle until my gunsmith has everything perfect...but that's a character defect I have to live with. I don't even compete. I'm just former LE who thoroughly enjoys owning and shooting precision rifles. There could be guys who want to put a budget tactical rig together. So, they buy a moderately priced scope, moderately priced "tactical" rings/base and mount it all on a Remington 700. At that point in their financial position AND patience, they may not be able to afford a custom action (or wait for one) and/or having the action trued up on their Remington 700 (or wait for the work to be done). From the Sniper's Hide membership I bet there are precious few guys who really are either military/LE snipers or guys who compete in the tactical matches across the country. Most probably don't care enough about ringing steel at 1 mile to invest the $$$$ & to acquire the rifle and skill set to do so. But they can put together that affordable collection of gear they bought, and if the rings need lapping to keep from binding the scope tube, effectively "freezing" the erector assembly, they have the affordable option of lapping their rings.

 

[LawnMM]

Not everyone who reads this site has the $$$$ to have their action trued up and possibly have new scope base holes drilled and tapped. won't shoot my rifle until my gunsmith has everything perfect...but that's a character defect I have to live with. Some guys may want to put a budget tactical rig together. So, they buy a moderately priced scope, moderately priced "tactical" rings/base and mount it all on a Remington 700. At that point in their financial position AND patience, they may not be able to afford a custom action and/or having the action trued up on their Remington 700. Off of this site I bet there are precious few guys who are either military/LE snipers or guys who compete in the tactical matches across the country. Most probably don't care about ringing steel at 1 mile to invest the $$$$ to acquire the rifle and skill set to do so. But they can put together that affordable collection of gear they bought, and if the rings need lapping to keep from binding the scope tube, effectively "freezing" the erector assembly, they have the affordable option of lapping their rings.

You will spend more on a lapping bar kit than having your scope base holes opened up and aligned. How much did you spend on a scope? Even the budget SWFA fixed powerscopes are around 400 dollars. Spend a 75-100 and save yourself the hassle. If you bought PRIMO components like I've been advocating you are talking about maybe 250 bucks...

That's hardly a "rifle and skillset to ring steel at a mile." I never said go spend 10 grand on a 338 AI PSR, I said buy a decent base and set of rings and only if you still have issues maybe consider having the base holes opened and aligned.

Or you could spend half the price of a decent base or set of rings on a lapping kit, buy cheap rings, and play gunsmith in your garage before wondering why your scope slips.

 

[Magnumdood]

You will spend more on a lapping bar kit than having your scope base holes opened up and aligned. How much did you spend on a scope? Even the budget SWFA fixed powerscopes are around 400 dollars. Spend a 75-100 and save yourself the hassle. If you bought PRIMO components like I've been advocating you are talking about maybe 250 bucks...

That's hardly a "rifle and skillset to ring steel at a mile." I never said go spend 10 grand on a 338 AI PSR, I said buy a decent base and set of rings and only if you still have issues maybe consider having the base holes opened and aligned.

Or you could spend half the price of a decent base or set of rings on a lapping kit, buy cheap rings, and play gunsmith in your garage before wondering why your scope slips.

I don't "play gunsmith" and no scope I ever lapped the rings for slipped. I don't have to worry about lapping now because over the years I worked on my shooting form as well as buying top end equipment that was assembled by a very competent gunsmith.

 

[LawnMM]

I don't "play gunsmith" and no scope I ever lapped the rings for slipped. I don't have to worry about lapping now because over the years I worked on my shooting form as well as buying top end equipment that was assembled by a very competent gunsmith.

Lighten up. That was an impersonal "you" to describe someone contemplating equipment costs versus modifying cheap components in their garage. I'm sorry if you took it as a personal affront to your exceptional skill with a lapping bar.

 

[Magnumdood]

Lighten up. That was an impersonal "you" to describe someone contemplating equipment costs versus modifying cheap components in their garage. I'm sorry if you took it as a personal affront to your exceptional skill with a lapping bar.

Say dude, it's your world...I'm just passin' through.

 

[D.ID]

I am totally guilty of "playing gunsmith in my garage".
That's why I laugh when someone suggests a "competent gunsmith" to mount a scope.
A professional sock installer may do a better job of putting mine on every morning but for something so self explanatory and simple, I think I'll manage myself.
.
Chambering, threading, serious machining......I need a gunsmith.
Mounting a scope...........LOL.............Not so much. While occasional hiccups arise and are overcome and mismatched socks are an occasional fact of life....... somehow life keeps on keeping on.

 

[LawnMM]

I am totally guilty of "playing gunsmith in my garage".
That's why I laugh when someone suggests a "competent gunsmith" to mount a scope.
A professional sock installer may do a better job of putting mine on every morning but for something so self explanatory and simple, I think I'll manage myself.
.
Chambering, threading, serious machining......I need a gunsmith.
Mounting a scope...........LOL.............Not so much. While occasional hiccups arise and are overcome and mismatched socks are an occasional fact of life....... somehow life keeps on keeping on.

I've done it myself, and had no idea wtf I was doing. That's why I'm trying to spare others the same mistakes. I don't think you need a smith to mount a scope, but if your base/rings are so out of whack that its become an issue with the gun shooting accurately, either buy quality components and put them together yourself...or have a smith fix the deeper issue if its something like misaligned holes in the receiver.

 

[D.ID]

Agreed that if you have a serious defect of machining it is usually best to consult a professional.
However, everything I have ever done for the first time was something I had never done before and rarely did I really know wtf I was doing the first time.
.
If you have the interest and judgment to truly utilize a precision rifle it makes sense to learn some elementary maintenance procedures (like scope mounting) and in the process of doing so learn to recognize the RARE occasion you need a professional to correct a serious defect.
.
Buying a really expensive base and really expensive rings will not fix "the deeper issue if it's something like misaligned holes in the receiver".
I've done that myself and would love to spare others the same mistake.