Trial & Error

[david.eustache]

.300 Weatherby Mk V 9 lug w/#3 Contour. Installed Bell and Carlson fully adjustable tactical stock w/Vortex Razor HD gen II 4.5×27×56 w/Spur mount. 15 1/4 lbs . I thought it was going to be the life of me last month in the mountains of northern Idaho (Elk season) came back to Michigan and immediately purchased Leupold Gen 5HD 7×35×56 w/old school 35mm DD rings & bases. Then ordered Peakfortyfour 20 oz carbon fiber stock. This amplification should put me at sub 9 lbs. My primary concern or question is do I need to lap the rings.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I think it largely depends on what kind of base and rings you are using. I don't know what 'DD' means.

 

[Doom2]

If you have separate bases then I would lap the rings, especially in a long action. With quality rings and a rail in a short action I typically don't. But that's me.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I would lap anytime I use expensive glass.

 

[Doom2]

I would lap anytime I use expensive glass.

Can't argue with that. I borrow a lapping tool from a friend and we both found that with rails and tactical style rings we were seeing no benefit from lapping.

 

[Reelamin]

Nope, and everyone has their procedure. I have never had one single problem with a scope spinning, breaking, not staying secure out a few hundred mounted. My old standby bases were Redfield and Leupold standard bases and rings now just Leopold. They still are for most guns and I use some others now, and none of them are over 100 for bases/rings and or once piece rings/base.

 

[Old Rooster]

I would lap anytime I use expensive glass.

I agree with Rich Coyle.I have a couple of Leupolds with ring marks on them from their Leupold rings and bases.
I also have a Bushnell Nitro scope with unrepairable ring marks from Talley rings and Talley says not to lap their rings so I didn't and got ring marks,more of a gouge of paint.I Lap EVERYTHING!The rings could be perfect and still get ring marks so I don't mount anything without lapping them first.

 

[ntsqd]

I've just about concluded that mfg's who say not to lapp* their rings are worried about what you'll discover if you do lapp them. The Talley's on my low cost ULHR build definitely needed to be lapped as evidenced by the contact wear pattern.

I too have mounted hundreds of scopes w/o lapping them (in the 80's mostly & before I'd heard of the technique) and now I have to wonder what damage I did to those customer scopes? From the few rings that I have lapped since I know that none of those prior were anything close to perfect and I suspect that only a few were good enough as-is.

*Note spelling; a "lap" is what you get when you sit. To "lapp" is to precision fit mating parts. Sorry, I'll bury my anality now......

 

[SWHandldr]

I agree with Rich Coyle.I have a couple of Leupolds with ring marks on them from their Leupold rings and bases.
I also have a Bushnell Nitro scope with unrepairable ring marks from Talley rings and Talley says not to lap their rings so I didn't and got ring marks,more of a gouge of paint.I Lap EVERYTHING!The rings could be perfect and still get ring marks so I don't mount anything without lapping them first.

I lapp both halves & put ONE layer of elec tape in one half. Torque to 15-18 in-lbs with blue loctite. Solid hold, no marks on scopes.

 

[Old Rooster]

I lapp both halves & put ONE layer of elec tape in one half. Torque to 15-18 in-lbs with blue loctite. Solid hold, no marks on scopes.

My brother in law does that too and he has worked at gun stores and mounted scopes for most of his life.
One year we had a long winter and I went back to my rifles and checked all rifles I had not lapped and found many were now wearing ring marks so my whole winter was spent lapping rings.
I have 2 rifles wearing rings with plastic inserts,I think Burris rings and they are the only factory rings I don't lapp.

 

[HuntingBronco]

I am so done with DD rings. (Assuming you mean dual dovetail.) In my mind, lapping can't save the design. I don't think you are saving meaningful weight going to DD mounts over a pic rail and quality rings available and used almost universally on precision rigs.

 

[skipglo]

I think it largely depends on what kind of base and rings you are using. I don't know what 'DD' means.

See above post in Highlights Page....think it has to do with "UNUSUAL RACKS"! ( but definitely...a keeper)

 

[SWHandldr]

My brother in law does that too and he has worked at gun stores and mounted scopes for most of his life.
One year we had a long winter and I went back to my rifles and checked all rifles I had not lapped and found many were now wearing ring marks so my whole winter was spent lapping rings.
I have 2 rifles wearing rings with plastic inserts,I think Burris rings and they are the only factory rings I don't lapp.

Kinda learned the hard way too. Also grabbed a rifle outta the safe after long storage & found both rail & rings loose. That's when I knew both Loctite & torque wrench are needed. Plus checking b4 sighting in.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Kinda learned the hard way too. Also grabbed a rifle outta the safe after long storage & found both rail & rings loose. That's when I knew both Loctite & torque wrench are needed. Plus checking b4 sighting in.

I have no idea what happened in your case, but locktite really has no place in a good scope mount. Torqued with a torque wrench, and good rings are enough.