Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Scope came loose on new rifle--what to do?

Hey all,

This past June I bought a brand new Winchester Model 70 from Gander Mountain, along with a Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42 scope. Grand total was near $1300. Sighted in just fine at the range a few weeks ago (shooting <1" groups at 100yds, perfectly fine for the heavy brush I hunt in Minnesota and Wisconsin). After carrying the rifle through the woods this past weekend--rifle opener--I got back to camp and noticed my scope was wobbling all over the place. The base and rings were loose! The purchase of the gun included free scope mounting, so I bought some talley rings/bases and gave them to the gunsmith along with what I'd purchased from the store. Turns out the bozo didn't use any loctite, so with bumps and shaking of the rifle when slung over my back, the scope got loose.

I brought it into the store and they fixed it, but I would like to receive some sort of compensation from the store for my trouble. In the first place, I had to drive 30 mins to a gun range, pay $10 to get in during public rifle sight-in, shoot through a box of ammo to sight the gun in, and drive 30 mins back. Also cut my hunting trip short 1 day since nobody at camp had a spare rifle with them. Now I have to sight the rifle in again (and the gun range isn't hosting public rifle sight-ins anymore, so I'm not sure how I'm going to do this... Maybe do it with rough distance estimations in the woods? Really the only way to do it), which will take more of my time and another box of ammo.

I am writing a letter to Gander Mountain wherein I've expressed my disgust with the quality of their gunsmithing, and mentioned it's absolutely ridiculous that on a $1300 purchase the scope came loose! And that it would be ridiculous even on a cheaper rifle/scope purchase since putting loctite on is pretty freaking basic.

Should I suggest some kind of recompense at the end or leave it at that and hope the customer service representative who reads my letter will send me a few boxes of ammo or something? I'm not a greedy kind of guy, but having these extra costs (gas, ammo, and TIME) is absolutely ridiculous.

Good luck on getting any compensation. I stopped buying anything from Gander years ago when they refused to refund me $3.50 on a defective pair of socks because my "check may not have cleared" yet.

FWIW, if your Talleys are the two piece, they should not need Lok-Tite if torqued to specs. I use thread locker on the bases, but not the rings.

Live and learn...mount your own scope. You seriously cannot tighten 4 base screws?

Free scope mounting does not always equate to GOOD scope mounting. You can and should re do this yourself but you will need a set of hollow ground screwdivers and probably some torx bits and maybe some allen wrenches depending upon what kind of screws were used in the bases and rings you got.

Remove everything, add loc tite to ONLY the scope BASE screws, re-mount the scope making sure that when you throw the rifle to your shoulder quickly with your eyes closed, and then open your eyes with the rifle/scope quickly and instinctively mounted the crosshairs are straight and that you are seeing a full view with no dark edges or tunnel looking view through the scope. IF this is the case, tighten down the scope ring screws using a cross pattern i.e. one side, then the other then from one side then the other etc. tightening just a little on each one so that when you are doen you have equal amounts of gap between each of the scope ring bases and have applied the pressure more or less evenly throughout the tightening process. Do not OVER tighten, but snug 'em up good enough to feel good about them not coming loose. Some use a torque wrench and this is a great idea if you have one and know the torque sepcs for your rings but I have been mounting scopes by feel for a long time and it works for me. Some DO use a bit of loc tite on the scope ring screws and I have done this on occasion but I would suggest this only if you are 99% sure that you are not going to want to change this scope out for another anytime soon.

Invest in a good gunsmith i.e hollowgournd screwdriver/torx/allen bit set. I use mine at LEAST weekely and often more than that. Do NOT try to use wood screw bits on firearms screws, they are made differntly and you will foul up and ruin a lot of gun screws in the process. Wood screws are tapered in thier heads, gun screws are straight in thier head area and REQUIRE hollow ground type screwdrivers for proper care and use. Good luck.

Yep, got to laugh at people that have someone else do it for them....did they sight it in for you too?

First of all, I figured the guy would do an acceptable job since mounting a scope is not rocket science.... Secondly, didn't have the wrenches for the rings/bases with me up North. However, that's not really relevant. If I spend this much money at a retail outlet, I should expect acceptable service performed.



Yep... Lesson learned.



Thanks for the tool advice. Looks like I'll be making some new purchases soon.

A buddy missed a 6x6 bull, several shots, went to the range and it turned out his scope had broken internally, in some of the rough country he went through. At the range he said he was shooting better, looking down the barrel.

A friend of mine has a flip off style scope mount with the ability to use iron sights, wish I did as a backup.

As old Jed Clampett would say " pitiful just pitiful " man up !

The bold portion above is very accurate! I saw someones savage edge mounted up with the windage bases mounted in the front, and the front in the back. From Cabela's no less, the mothership store!

"mounting a scope is not rocket science"...

Which is exactly why you should have done it yourself or have someone you trust help you! Your rifle, your scope...

"Secondly, didn't have the wrenches for the rings/bases with me up North. However, that's not really relevant".

You had no gun tools with you??? what do you do when schit breaks?

"If I spend this much money at a retail outlet, I should expect acceptable service performed".

Really??? I'm trying to figure out who knows less. You or them.

I'm sorry, I don't normally jack people up on here, but please don't tell me you waited until you "got up north" to buy the rifle and have the scope mounted and only shoot it ONE time on "sight in day" at the [bleep] range.....before the season opener!

And in your first post, you sounded pizzed because "no one else in camp had a spare rifle for you to use". You go "up North" and YOU only bring 1 rifle? again, what do you do when schitt breaks???

So far, you are batting 1k!

How long have you been hunting/shooting and is there anyone "in camp" who can give you advice?

Ok, ok, ok, I guess I deserve this.

Yes, to be 100% confident in the gun, I should have mounted the scope myself. I had no gun tools with me because I have never experienced gun issues in the field before. This is my second year hunting--I only own this rifle, a .22, and a 12ga. My uncles took a look at it and said it was ridiculous that there was no loctite on it. Last year my uncle lent me a .270 to use, so when I discovered my scope was loose I'd hoped he had brought it as a spare.

Lesson learned, man. No need to tear me a new one!

So, they did a lousy job - but not likely to stand behind their work or offer any comp. Lesson learned, but not in too hard a manner if you did not miss a shot at a good buck.

As you can see, the experienced guys on here believe in doing it for yourself and being prepared - these are the best lessons. I may be overly fussy, but I always:

Check everything for tightness/accuracy before I leave, and look it all over every AM/PM on the hunt

Take a backup rifle/scope/ammo, and any small tools I might need to work on such stuff - including a stiff cleaning rod

Although I use it in other applications, have never used Loctite on scope base/ring screws unless aware that threads may be worn and somewhat loose. Never had anything loosen up from carrying or shooting, except where bases/rings had been on and off quite a bit and some wear/looseness had ocurred. Have NEVER had my new installs become loose so quickly. Unless you shot it a TON before the hunt or really had it banging/vibrating along the way, my estimate would be that the screws never were really tightened.

All the best in the future.

FWIW, I don't carry tools in the field either. If something happens to my rifle while I'm hunting (scope in particular), I'm not going to try and fix it and "carry on". You can't do that. But I do rely on my "spare" rifle. My tools are left back at camp, truck, etc..

Get a spare even if it's a cheap Marlin or something OR make a plan with your fellow camp members in advance to have a "camp" spare.

Sorry to be harsh, but the "field" is no place to learn your scope is about to fall off. If a bruiser busted you because you where not paying attention, that's a "field" lesson learned.

The scope issue probably would have surfaced if you put in more trigger time before the season. I don't use loctite on any rifle I own.

I'm still hoping you didn't buy the rifle and scope on the way up to your camp....

When starting out not everyone has the money for a back up rifle, what buy 2 rifles to go deer hunting? DO you carry the back up rifle into the woods with you? Ridiculous statements and a bit harsh CLB.
I use a "touch" of Loctite Blue on the scope base and ring screws, it is a milder version of the Red. A good set of hollow ground bits is nice to have but not everyone works on there own guns, has the knowledge or/and interest to, that is what gunsmiths are for. I would ask for some type of compensation you most likely won't get it if you do not ask, even if it is a gift certificate at the store.

WIMN, First of all, WELCOME to 24hrcf, and to the sports of hunting and rifelry. Most of us here, even the ones who have been kinda harsh and too 'holier than thou' on this have screwed up somewhere on a gun or scope deal, that is how most folks learn. No problem from me with that. Learn you did, learn you will, and despite the wise guys here that now know it all, most here are quite happy to help a new hunter and shooter along in their process of learning our wonderful sports. Count me in thaqt camp and PM me anytime here if I can be of more help or you feel my advice about this or that might be of value or use to you.

Fortunately for me I had the opportunity to learn a lot of hard lessons when I was a teen about 30 or more years ago so now can be of some help to others, and gladly. Good luck, good hunting, and I LOVE my Midway 100+ piece gunsmithing tool kit.

Forget about additional compensation--you have learned some valuable lessons (I hope). Get some range experience using a "new" rifle. Along w/ things like a 1st-aid kit, you have learned the value of carrying at least the appropriate Allen or Torx key. And that having backup iron sights is a good idea. Another is: don't rely on others to do what you can/should do for yourself.

Don't think I'd let some Johnny-come-lately mount my scope unless I was totally disabled ;), not if I needed to depend on it for a hunt.

It's hindsight now and some good bought and paid for experience..

Bob, read any of my posts and find any that are "harsh", mean or whatever you want to call it. Even though I admitted I was being a bit harsh here, the OP read like a spoof of sorts.

I don't call it "ridiculous" when you go out of state or "up north" as it was described with a back up plan for when your rifle has problems. And don't ask a dumb question like "do I carry two rifles into the woods". Again, not ridiculous to PLAN to have a spare in camp....even if you have to borrow one.

I'm not here to argue with you or anyone else about the content of my posts and will always go out of my way to help a fellow out and have done so too many times to count.

The man learned lessons he will never repeat again, and that's a good thing.

I have been putting Loctite under the bases in addition to on the base screw threads, after degreasing the area, including the screws and the holes. It is the purple (guntite?) type that can be removed with tools. I figured it is a sealant, and will keep out moisture. If I put oil under the bases to prevent moisture, then the bases could be 'floating' on the lube, so the little base screws are the only thing that holds against recoil. Rightly or wrongly, I figured the Loctite adheres and helps hold the bases against recoil.

For rings with upper/lower halves, I put some in the upper half, so it could be taken off easily.

Using Loctite this way keeps me from feeling the need to torque the base and ring screws too much.

Nothing has slipped or failed since I started mounting scopes this way. I have not tried to pull one apart, but I think it would off OK. Loctite makes solvents for some of their products, and I think they have it for the purple type.

A 'sticky' vs 'oily' rust preventive might work as well and be easier to remove. If such is available I would appreciate knowing about it.

Yeah, ya kinda did..

Yes and no.. Yes, IF you know what you're doing.. NO, if you don't know what you're doing.. If you truly want it done right and well, take it to a proper gunsmith - which you WON'T find at a Gander Mountain.. Although I can't complain about 'em - I get a ton of business from their customers after they have episodes like yours.. Well, now that you have 'experience', it's always wise to bring a couple Allen wrenches or similar with you on a hunt.. Small, weigh bupkis, and handy as heck when ya need 'em.. If funds permit - at all - invest in a spare rifle.. Doesn't have to be a super-dooper custom job, just a cheapie that at least works - just in case the main battery takes a dump..

Personal experiences always tend to exact lessons that are remembered for decades... Think of all the valuable things you've now learned today..