Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
I'm remounting a scope in a set of Talley 30mm (4 screw) LW rings. Does anyone know the proper torque spec for these rings?
Ring torque specs
- Thread starter Varmint Hunter
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Most are 20-25 inch-pounds but don't take that as gospel. Contact Talley as the lightweight may be a softer alloy.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Hmmm that "sounds" heavy. I put it together and progressively brought them up to 15 in/lbs for now.
Elk Hunter 338
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what scope??
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From the FAQ's On Talley Website.
Steel fixed rings: 30 in/lb bottom screw, 20 in/lb top screw.
Steel screw lock detachable and quick release ring: 6-48 bottom screws 30 in/lb, 10-32 screw 35 in/lb, top screws 20 in/lb.
Picatinny rings: 20 in/lb on ring, 65 in/lb on locking nut.
Base screw torque can depend on the receiver. Please check with the rifle manufacturer or call us for recommended torque.
Always make sure your torque wrench is calibrated, Talley Mfg is not responsible for damage caused to scopes due to over torquing.
- What are your torque recommendations?
Steel fixed rings: 30 in/lb bottom screw, 20 in/lb top screw.
Steel screw lock detachable and quick release ring: 6-48 bottom screws 30 in/lb, 10-32 screw 35 in/lb, top screws 20 in/lb.
Picatinny rings: 20 in/lb on ring, 65 in/lb on locking nut.
Base screw torque can depend on the receiver. Please check with the rifle manufacturer or call us for recommended torque.
Always make sure your torque wrench is calibrated, Talley Mfg is not responsible for damage caused to scopes due to over torquing.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
codyadams
Well-Known Member
Don't go off of ring specs for torquing down ring caps, go off of the scopes recommendations. The majority of rings will have a higher max torque reccomendation than the scope tubes your using. Vortex recommends 18 in-lbs MAX, Maven says 18 in-lbs MAX, Nightforce says 25 in-lbs MAX, March says 15-20 in-lbs, Arken says 18 in-lbs MAX, but recommends 15 in-lbs, I called Leupold and asked (because their manual said "refer to ring mounting directions") and the tech person recommended 18 in-lbs for the VX-6HD and VX-5HD, and so on. So refer to your scope manual, and if you don't have one, look online, there is usually a PDF. If not, play it safe and call tech support. Over-torquing a scope tube can cause issues or damage to paralax adjustment, tracking, holding zero, and so on. That was actually a big issue that caused a lot of unnecessary returns of the first gen Vortex PST scopes when they first came out, they wouldn't track a lot of times when they were over torqued. So on the gen II's, they beefed up the tube and that has seemed to help.
Backcountry sports
Well-Known Member
25 inch lbs
+1 on this. Vortex says no more than 15 in*lbs on rings. The instructions that come with the Wheeler scope mounting kit says 20-25 for lubricated #8 screws which are typical on the scope rings. I only use thread locker on the bases now days.
thwatson2
Well-Known Member
20-25 in/lb for rings, check rifle manufacturer for the mount to base, usually near the same. I have quite a few Talley mounts with rings. All are with 25in/lb on rings and base. I use loctite on base screws but not ring screws
This is sound advice; however, realize that torque wrenches are notariously inaccurate devices because they rely on springs for the settings, and springs are very difficult to manufacture with consistent properties (I have designed dozens of springs in my career as a mechanical engineer). I own several torque wrenches that are calibrated very accurately. These calibrations simply state that at setting X, the actual torque is Y, so the user has to manually account for the differences. You're saying that Leupold says 18in-lb, and Talley's web site says 17-20in-lb.
Based on my experience, having a torque wrench that is accurate to 10% of the marked value throughout its range is a very accurate (i.e., an expensive laboratory-grade) torque wrench. Since 2in-lb is 10% of 20in-lb, it's safe to say that unless your torque wrench has been calibrated, whether you choose 18in-lb or 20in-lb really doesn't matter because the difference is likely within the accuracy range of the torque wrench you're using. Setting it at either value could easily result in an actual value somewhere between 15 and 25in-lb.
Regards,
SAB
Raise your hand if you have a really truly calibrated torque wrench??? Bueller? Bueller?? Bueller??? Ever check the wrench manufacturer's specified tolerance range??? Often larger than the required application fastener torque range. Ever really know and follow wrench use and care procedures?? Loosen fastener with torque wrench? Store wrench at torque setting??? Store wrench out of too bulky protective case??? Throw bare wrench in drawer with your heavy mauls and persuasion tools??? Pitch bare wrench in tool bag departing for field repair???? Look at all those Mr. Buellers out there.
Ever notice how obtuse the optics industry is regarding specifications? Torque specs have always been a "research" project. And, ring height is a guessing game. Low, Med High, Extra High, Nose Bleed High.... I'm kinda tall, will I fit under that ledge over there? Guess I'll have to call the ledge customer service..... They all should as an industry standard dump these meaningless words....none are standard among manufacturers.....and give the dimension from the base/pic rail mating surface to the scope centerline.......in bold copy on the package front, along with a basic sketch for clarity!!! Try to find the info on Leupold site......more time involved that finding that monster elk. And, every customer service rep will not know and throw out an "about" value or different values on subsequent calls. Been there; done that. You can't begin to understand how many conversations I've had with optics engineers, reps, marketing types about this for 30+ years. Should be a career altering event for any Marketing type that doesn't do this, and any customer service rep that guesses, doesn't know, or gives the wrong info. There much better. Saddle burr for decades...
