Aluminum or steel base / rings for .300 Win Mag

[HockeyDad]

Are aluminum rings / base strong enough to stand up to the recoil of a .300 Win Mag, or should I / do I have to go steel?

 

[RidgeTop]

I have steel on my .300WbyMag and also on my .340WbyMag. My .340 is set up for close or long distance Elk or Bear. The steel rings are see through and barrel has iron sights. Check out Acme Machine, they may have what you are looking for.

ACME Machine

www.acmemachine.com

 

[Jud96]

Aluminum is plenty strong. I would just follow the manufacturer's recommended torque specs and use a touch of blue Loctite on the screw threads. As long as you're using a quality ring from Vortex, Seekins, Hawkins, Leupold, etc. you'll be fine. I see no need for steel. I prefer a scope ring with at least 4 screws per ring cap just for the added security.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I thnk if you install a high quality set of alloy base/rings, you should be fine. Even with a heavy scope. I had alloy Picatinny rail and rings on my .300RUM for years with a Premier 5-25x56 and they lasted just fine.

 

[Rob01]

About quality. Not what they are made of. There are garbage steel rings and excellent aluminum. I have installed Seekins rings and base on a 300WM and 7mmRM with a heavy scope and neither moved and they were match rifles so moved and banged around a good deal.

 

[3chester]

EGW makes em for many rifles and if their 6061 alloys aren't enuff, they make about 150 versions in 7075 grade Aluminum. They work on magnums just fine.

 

[ShtrRdy]

If you go with EGW use their HD line of rails.

 

[jasonprox700]

I have a set of Talley's that have been holding down a 50mm scope (30mm tube) on an 8lb 338 WM for over a decade without a loss in zero over many hundreds of rounds.

 

[Shawn Cole]

I use the lightweight night force rings on my 300wm and I've never had any problems whatsoever.

 

[Philward]

EGW makes em for many rifles and if their 6061 alloys aren't enuff, they make about 150 versions in 7075 grade Aluminum. They work on magnums just fine.

They make steel ones too I believe.

 

[vmaxmike]

Are aluminum rings / base strong enough to stand up to the recoil of a .300 Win Mag, or should I / do I have to go steel?

If the base and rings are of good quality, then yes. Be careful mixing and matching, alum rings steel base is ok but not the other way around.

Unless weight is a major issue then steel / steel is a more secure set up.

 

[HSmithTX]

I go steel when I can, and either way I get a base with a recoil lug integral to it if there is one made for that receiver. Nightforce rails on most of my stuff, steel with the recoil lug. I bed them with JB Weld too, make sure they are dead flat and no stress or twisting/distortion when torqued down. Most if not all production receivers aren't true and the rail will be distorted when you torque it down, a quick check with a machinists square has shown me that. I have sent a couple rails back for exchange too, they aren't straight and flat out of the package.

I have aluminum rails and have had zero issues, ever, but for an ounce or maybe 3 why not steel? Every time I order a rail I ask myself that question and I can't come up with a compelling reason to not get steel. Maybe one day I will build a super light something and have a reason.....

All of my pic rail rings are aluminum, I have some steel rings on two piece setups like the Leupold dual dovetail etc, but I use heavy aluminum rings on everything else. 4 screws for the cap and 2 for the base minimum for me. Every one is at least advertised as a 'matched' set of rings too, does no good to have a flat and straight rail and torque the tube by using rings that aren't also true.

Is my way overkill? Yeah probably so in 99.999% of what I am doing but I don't wonder if my stuff is going to hold up.....

 

[ENGUNEER]

I never have and never will use anything but Al scope rings and bases. I shoot rifles from 22-250 to 338 SnipeTac with no problems at all.

 

[436]

Steel A.R.M.S