Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters How tight should rings be on the scope?

Best tip I ever heard was to use electrical cememt. (Like rubber cement) After it dries, you can just peel off the excess. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Instead of arguing about how many inch lbs is appropriate, I just called Leupold

[color:"red"] They told me 15-20 in/lbs. No more than 20! [/color] That is the standard I have used for years.... I've never had a scope on a rifle move.

Now handguns are a different story.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[color:"green"]Grasshopper [/color]


PS: I also clean the inside of scope rings and the scope tube with denatured alcohol prior to mounting. (about $4 for a quart can @ your local hdwe store.... lasts a long time.)

Double sided tape works good for me. It keeps the scope in place as you tighten it down.

I don't feel the need to torque the thing down too much, as I don't shoot high-recoil rifles.

I may be mistaken, but I assume that a scope would move forward under recoil if not tight enough.

You aren't.

Grasshopper,
I guess it depends on who you talk to at Leupold. Asked the same thing and was told 35 for bases and 25 for the rings using torx screws. That was about two years ago and I dont recall who exactly I talked to.

I also called before I posted and Nightforce recomends 15 inch pounds and that is with 4 screw rings and I also called Leupold as you did
I was just curious as to where hotjob got these high numbers

[Quote] by hotjob
The scope company's say use 20 to 25 inch pounds. On some scopes you can put over 100 and it will not hurt them. The best thing is alot of contact on your rings. [Quote]

Over torqueing the rings on some scopes when mounted near the power selection ring or near the turrets can squeeze the tube enough to cause the scope to malfunction........ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

varmintsinc,

Likely you are right about who you talk to. It was probably 4-5 yrs ago when I called. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I don't have a clue who I talked to either. But you would think that they would have a universal standard. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

'Twixt you and I, I would think that we are dealing with one person's opinion rather that a set standard. Doesn't say much about consistentcy, does it?

[color:"green"]Grasshopper [/color]

FWIW, and just out of curiosity, I just got off the phone with Leupold Customer Support. I talked to Glenda. She said the answer is on their question and answer pages on their website.

She confirmed that 15-20 in/lbs is appropriate. She further stated that it is possible to go higher, but there is no need to. So there you have it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for all the replies folks. I taped the scope with double sided medical tape and tightened up the ring screws. I am headed out for two or three hours now looking for a moose. It will be a day or two before I get a chance to try it again. Sucks to have a new rifle though and not be able to hunt with it. I was too busy in the time leading up to hunting season.I am off for the next two months though.
regards
and thanks
Dan <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

FWIW, I've always just lapped/sanded the rings and used blue locktite while tightening them "firmly" with a screwdriver bit. I did an experiment once with a torque wrench when changing scopes: the Leupy torx screws broke at the shaft fairly regularly at 60 in-lbs when tightening empty rings on the old set.
-lefty

I work for a Loctite distributor and when this topic came up I wondered if anyone used Loctite products for the scope/ring joint. I've read of many who use threadlockers for the base screws and perhaps also the ring screws. This thread is the first mention of using anerobics (either threadlockers or retaining compounds) between the rings and the scope itself.

Short course for those who are interested:
Threadlockers are for threaded assemblies. The color of the product indicates it's application. The purple stuff is for small screws (small to Loctite is <1/4"). The blue stuff is "removable". The red stuff is "permanent". The green stuff is "wicking" grade, meaning that you can apply it after the parts are assembled. There is more than one product in each coler, especially blue and red.

Retaining compounds are for non-threaded cylindrical assemblies, like a scope inside rings, or perhaps attaching the base to the receiver. There is a color-code in those products too, but I don't know what it is.

I like to tighten them until they screech, then give em one more bump for good measure<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mike

MattO, Thanks for the post. Question though, is the purple for small screws removeable or permanant?..................DJ

The purple is removable. It has less than half the strength of the blue stuff and less than 25% of the strength of the red. However, most are probably not achieving full strength with whatever product they are using because of installation technique or not using a primer.

For base screws, which are generally "blind" holes, apply the product to both the screw and put some into the hole. If you just coat the threads, air escaping from the bottom of the hole will reduce coverage and therefore strength. A little product in the bottom of the hole results in forcing the threadlocker back up through the threads instead of air.

If the two parts are both "inactive", then you should use a primer. Inactive materials include stainless steel, plated steel, anodized aluminum, etc. Active materials include plain steel, commercial aluminum (not anodized), etc. If only one part is inactive, then a primer is not necessary. The primer they recommend is called Primer N, and it is mostly acetone. I would not hesitate to use regular acetone.