Do you lap the whole ring or just bottom half only

I didn't say that there was, just that it won't be truly round.

If you're using a boring head to follow up then either you're doing the rings one at a time or you've got a fair amount of tool deflection due to stick-out length that you need to compensate for in order to hold those kind of tols.

When I see a Sunnen MBB or better honing machine in the shop photos of a ring mfg, particularly a one piece ring mfg, then I'll consider not checking alignment with a light lapping because at that point the rings are quite probably straighter and rounder than the scope tube is.
Oh I agree lapping or honing will getting it closer
 
I cannot see how lapping wouldn't be a highly recommended procedure. We spend so much money on these builds, making sure every single thing is true and straight down the middle with the best tolerances we can get. Why would you cut that process short on the last step before you start shooting this thing? That being said I've seen/done it both ways. Lapped and no lapped to see the difference. I have seen zero measurable difference. Of course I'm no professional. I think quality products have to do with that. If I'm not mistaken Hawkins will void the warranty if you lap their rings...
 
That's just it, I can't. I figure with most things like this that when I buy them, I own them. Good or bad, there's no going back. Makes the "voiding the warranty" decision really easy.
 
Well that's not entirely true. Own them, yes. No going back, no. But if you feel like that than more power to you. There are many members who have benefited from lifetime warranties on this site. But we are digressing.
 
I have benefited too, on things where it made sense.

What I can't imagine is a circumstance where a mfg would warranty rings that aren't obviously damaged or made badly right out of the packaging. In other words, you remove the rings from the package and they look correct and well made. What possible event could cause them to need to be warrantied? If something happens to the rifle that they're mounted on I'm for sure not going to be worried about the scope rings. Those are pretty inexpensive compared to the rest of the rifle's components.

OTOH if those ~$100 rings damage a ~$2500 scope because the fit of the action to the base to the rings doesn't result in rings that align correctly I'm going to be pretty upset.
 
Warranty:

We warranty all products made, if your item is damaged/defective/malfunctioning we will send you a return shipping label so that we can examine your item, if we are unable to fix, we will replace your item with a new product.

This is directly from Hawkins website.

You dont need to imagine. It happens.
 
In what scenario would you not know of those qualifying conditions soon after removing the rings from their packaging?

My point is that by the time I apply a lapping bar to the rings I already know that there is no warranty claim possible. Thus I own them and am free to do with them as I see fit.
 
In what scenario would you not know of those qualifying conditions soon after removing the rings from their packaging?

My point is that by the time I apply a lapping bar to the rings I already know that there is no warranty claim possible. Thus I own them and am free to do with them as I see fit.
Big discrepencies you can tell by looking at them. They don't look concentric. The most common problematic place is where the ring halves meet. I'll post a pic in a little while to show what I mean.
 
I do not lap rings or bed scope basis anymore. I now bed the bottom half of my scope rings and it works great. Done it on a 308 Savage Model 10 FCP, Tikka T1x, and T3 lite. Very very easy to do and works wonders.
Using all Warne 100% steel horizontally split rings.
 
Top