Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mounting scope bases

I have noticed that some recomend degreasing the rifles reciever and the scope bases.then a little Loctite 242 on screws.
I have also seen that some recomend lightly oiling the bases and the rifles reciever.Some even put oil on screws !

Seems like 2 entirely different methods .

I have always degreased and used a little Loctite or fingernail polish BUT I have noticed some rust under the Bases.

On the one hand I want a good secure mounting of the bases
On the other I dont want rust

Which method do you use ?And why?

Thanks

I degrease the holes and screws and don't use anything to lock the threads.

You can wipe the receiver and bases with an oily rag before assembly without getting oil on the components that do the actual holding

Degrease and bedding epoxy. If you ever need to remove, heat gun makes it easy, plus you have full contact over the base of the mount to the receiver.

This, unless the holes are very shallow, then maybe some BLUE threadlocker. Never had a problem up to .30/06.

When I had my old M70 reblued about 1985, the gunsmith used RED loctite to re-attach the bridge mount. When I decided to replace scope and mount a few years ago, the screws were immoveable, even with heat. I had to drill & Dremel off the heads to remove the base, and then grab the nubbins with vise grips and turn them out. An excellent test of one's deodorant.

I get the area of mounting clean with no obvious oil, grease, etc. but don't use any degreaser on it. I then use Locktite on the screws mounting the base. On those occasions on which I removed bases, I've never had a rust problem and have always been able to get the Locktite off.

Yea, don't use red Locktite.

use blue locktite

I clean and degrease the receiver with brake cleaner, then apply a bit of Eezox to the mount and the receiver. I use blue locktite on the screws.

I use 200 grit sandpaper mounted on a broomstick to sand the interior of the rings. Then I degrease with brake cleaner.

I use blue locktite on the screws.

Put the sealer (locktite, nail polish ect.) ON TOP of the screw head not in the threads.-Muddy

I'm not so fussy. I don't degrease anything beyond wiping with a dry paper towel. In theory a screw in a perfect hole won't loosen if properly torqued. But perfection is elusive so I use blue Loctite on the threads. Not de-greasing the hole weakens the Loctite bond but so far it's been good enough and the screws aren't a bugger to remove. Think the plastic in a locknut rather than glue. Careful you don't overdo the torquing thing.

+1, but not literally on the top, just under the head of the screw where it contacts the mount bases.

Or sleeve retainer.
It takes to much heat to get it to turn loose.
I clean then a drop of blue and then hand tight.
Has worked for years and have not had one come loose when not wanted.

You usually can't get the screws hot enough with a heat gun. If you run into this problem again take a soldering iron and place the tip on the screw head until the screw is pretty damn hot and it should come out.

I degrease with IPA and use purple loctite.

Actually, I used a butane micro-torch. A bridge mount screwed to a big hunk of steel makes a pretty good heat sink. The slots got buggered and the drill was the only way.

Yes, I learned to do this the hard way. I had the rear mount shear both screws.

When I reinstalled the same mounts I put a layer of bedding under each mount and that was the end of problems. If bedding epoxy gets into the threads and you need to remove, simply heat the wrench and insert into the mount screw while holding with a pair of pliers. The heat will transfer through the screw and soften the epoxy so it can be turned.

If you've ever noticed when changing mounts any evidence of a bit of oil or loctite puddled under your mounts, it is because the machined surfaces are not actually fitting as designed. [So] your mounts need bedding.