Scope lapping with modern quality parts?

[Captmattson]

Getting ready to mount a new Zeiss V8, and premium Steiner rings on a Christensen with integrated pic rail. Do I still need to lap the rings with this? I know older and lower quality setups need it but not sure with modern precision parts.

thanks

 

[J E Custom]

With today's quality rings and bases lapping should not be necessary. With The cheaper rings and bases It is not two uncommon to have to lap the rings for proper alignment.

The problem with lapping the rings, is that two much can cause the scope to slip and the savings are just not worth the difference, especially if it fails/slips on a hunt.

Buy medium to high priced rings and there should be no problems.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Captmattson]

With today's quality rings and bases lapping should not be necessary. With The cheaper rings and bases It is not two uncommon to have to lap the rings for proper alignment.

The problem with lapping the rings, is that two much can cause the scope to slip and the savings are just not worth the difference, especially if it fails/slips on a hunt.

Buy medium to high priced rings and there should be no problems.

J E CUSTOM

That's what I was hoping. Thank you!

 

[L.Sherm]

You can have the best rings and bases in the world still doesnt account for action misalignment in the screws.
Screw the rail down on one end first then look under the other end more often than not you will see a gap so what happens when you tighten the other end down now you have a banana.
I buy NF rings and rails and still bed them forget lapping just bed them.
If you'll notice every rifle Ryan Pierce sends out his is the same way.

 

[J E Custom]

You can have the best rings and bases in the world still doesnt account for action misalignment in the screws.
Screw the rail down on one end first then look under the other end more often than not you will see a gap so what happens when you tighten the other end down now you have a banana.
I buy NF rings and rails and still bed them forget lapping just bed them.
If you'll notice every rifle Ryan Pierce sends out his is the same way.

I totally agree with bedding EVERY base to the action to eliminate any flexing of the base. This will assure that any good set of rings and basses will/should not need any ring reaming or lapping.

Bedding the scope base to fit the action is common practice and when combined with quality rings and bases. (They should be the same brand and a matched set) the need for lapping is non existent.

Scope rings should be tightened before the final tightening of the ring to base screws to help aid in perfect alignment of the rings with the scope tube.

J E CUSTOM

 

[MOOSE39465]

I always lap my rings no matter what brand. I want as much contact as possible.

 

[Buck Fever]

If the integrated rail is part of the receiver, I hope it is straight enough to not need ring lapping with well matched rings.

If the rail bolts on, you probably need to bed the rail unless it is a high quality matched set like the rails on my ARC Nucleus and ARC Archimedes actions.

I like actions with solid tops, when an action is more of a tube it is less likely to bend than an action like a typical hunting style Remington 700. Even putting a full length rail across a cut away action does not ensure that the rings won't be rotated relative to the bore axis. If it's a cheap rail you add, there is no guarantee that it even starts flat so careful bedding of the rail to the action with rings installed and a lapping bar clamped in to align them is the only way to make sure the rings line up without lapping.

As for the rings, some are better than others. The types that are specifically bored parallel in matching pairs seem to start around the $100 range. If they are much cheaper, don't trust that they are parallel unless you can check.

 

[aushunter1]

If you have something like a Wheeler lapping kit with alignment & lapping rods its pretty easy just to check all that you need to know as far as the rings & the ring/rail/dovetail fit/alignment.

You would be suprised at how far out it can all be between thatever your mounting the rings to.

Either one could be slightly off, rail or rings & once you start putting full torque on the rings on any scope let alone a very expensive one there is no going back.

I always start the lapping process to see where material is coming of, its rare that I dont continue to do the full job, even with supposed single piece machined rings & quality rails!

 

[L.Sherm]

Those Wheeler lapping bars dont tell you if your rings are true or not, both can be pointing up, down, left or right and they will point at each other.

 

[Totoro]

I have always bed and lapped, regardless of action.

However, scope bedding and lapping done wrong is just as detrimental.

Kinda like bedding a stock, is it ALWAYS necessary; prolly not.

However, in the name of the game then why not?

 

[codyadams]

I think having a lapping bar to check alignment at a minimum is an important step, even with quality rings and bases. If the rifle receiver is not perfectly built in unison with the rail, bases, base/ring combo etc. installed, there will be alignment issues, making the most precise built mounting solution pointless. If you properly bed to the receiver, then properly bed the scope in the rings, no lapping should be necessary. Another time is if you use the self aligning Burris signature rings, then nothing extra is necessary, the poly bushings self align. Personally I stress free bed the rail/base to the receiver, then lap the rings as needed, sometimes the lapping bar will only show that the rings are aligned, sometimes you will see they are not. On my next rifle I set up, I think I will bed the rail as standard, lightly lap the rings to ensure no stress points and that there is proper alignment, then I will bed the scope into the rings.

 

[ntsqd]

I have the Wheeler kit because it was the easiest way to get the lapping bars. I do not use the alignment bars and never have. I should probably put them in the Rems bin for the lathe.

I have been known to clamp the rings down on the lapping bar before assembling them onto the rail. Even then I take a light lapping pass, just to see where they are. I find the lapping compound supplied in the kit to be far, far too coarse. I tend to use much finer grit Clover compounds. I usually finish up with 600 grit. Pretty hard to go too far with that grit compound!

 

[aushunter1]

Those Wheeler lapping bars dont tell you if your rings are true or not, both can be pointing up, down, left or right and they will point at each other.

????

 

[L.Sherm]

This is what I was getting at, my drawing skills suck but I think you can get the jist of it