Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Cracked Talley Scope Mount

Shooter 1-"Yeah, had a scope ring snap on me, blah, blah, blah."

Shooter 2- " Hear that alot. They're junk. Stupid Tasco rings".

Shooter 1- "Actually it was a Talley".

Shooter 2- "Oh man, those are awesome rings!"


Go figure. In my book, gear that lets you down is junk, I don't care who makes it. Between pinch marks and broken rings, why would you use Talleys when it's easy to avoid them?

This. I've use the LWTs for a very long time and have never had an issue, apart from one shearing off a base screw, but that was due the rifle taking a very bad fall. It certainly wasn't the fault of the rings, which are still doing their job on that particular rifle. And all the kudos here on Talley's customer service are well-earned, in my experience.

I've had the same basic experience, and have been using Talley Lightweights since before they were made by Talley, since they originated as the rings melvin Forbes designed for his original Ultra Light Arms rifles in 1985.

Dunno how many rifles I've had them on, but it's at least a dozen, many used for pretty rough hunting. They've also traveled all over the world in airliners, float planes, small boats, safari trucks and saddle scabbards. Haven't marked up a scope yet, either.

There's probably a reason they have recommended torque values.

Update: I talked to Melvin and he quickly sent me a new base. Just part of his normal great customer service. He also asked that I send him the cracked base, which is now on the way to WV.

Talley calls for 20-25 in/lbs of torque on the base screws and 15-20 in/lbs on the rings.

'smith,

The Signatures add surface area to ring/tube interface,which always adds the warm/fuzzy. They are concentric like a bastard and malleable to boot,which also adds to the warm fuzzy. The bastards bite and that is the best of news.

Downside is the schit fasteners Burris uses(especially on Zee's) and I've broken more than a few of 'em. The eccentrics are the strong suit,their surroundings their weakest link...typical Burris SCHIT.

ALL rings should wear eccentrics,for both increased scope life,as well as the reliable arrangement of mechanically centering windage and maximizing elevation erector travel.

I've had base/ring designs in my melon for decades and should apply same,some day...as noone does it right..............










'oz,

I've puked 'em at multiple torque value(s).

Hint...............










Ringman,

You are reliably amongst THE dumbest of fhuqks.

Wow............










'303,

Do tell about the "rigors" imparted both sets.

Laughing!.............










'ball2,

You couldn't knock the new offa used pair of boots,with a tailwind and a downhill head start.

Pretend ain't real Sweetheart,no matter much you Imagine it to be.

Hint............










'Windage,

It is seldom that I contact a Manufacturer,post puke...and the thought would never cross my mind on something that has a sub 40 Clam Entry Fee.

Most are in a hurry to mount schit wrong and then [bleep] the Manufacturer,after the fact.

LW's is farrrrrrrrrrrr more concentric,than most OEM receivers.

Hint...............










MD,

I've multiple dozens of LW's and have noticed several constants through the years...none of which are LW specific,nor close.

1) Rifle shoot LOOSE,they do not tighten. Hint

2) Round count tells the true tale. Hint

3) Padded case travel,don't test anything. Hint

4) Tough weather and atmospheric conditions,do metals(all of 'em) NO favors. Hint

Due their design and metallurgy,LW's will reliably fail before many others and that fact ain't disparaging,but rather an objective overview of reality.

Granted...most will never begin to tax the system,but them who shoot more than a smidge and in tough conditions,will certainly fail same. Off the top of my head,I think I've only broken (3) of 'em in 100's of 1000's of rounds and 100's and 100's inches of moisture. Including both 6-48 and 8-40 fasteners(700 and Montucky bases). Though in fairness,I break/wear alotta schit out. Hint.

Again,I'm simply reflecting upon water which has passed under the bridge and prefer LW's to many mounting systems,but could not cite them as being the most rugged system I've ever fielded.

Just sayin'.

Hint.............










'bore,

ALL Arms Manufacturers vehemently recommend NOT shooting Reloads too and go so far as to waive all "rights" if done.

Shooting reveals things,that not shooting....simply won't/can't/don't. I've seen farrrrrrr more failures due loosetitude,than I have tightitude and rest assured,results have ALWAYS interested me.

Hint.....................









'ger,

Shooting daily,is the warmest AND fuzziest of preventive measures.

Schit pukes.

Hint.................






('dendum)

RDW,

I like the way you think.(grin)

I'd go further with integral base/rings that wore eccentrics and had inclination both...along with maximized spacing betwixt rings.

Have had an AMAZINGLY fantastic round of weather here and it's been sensational for LR Rimfire Fun. Had a pard fighting mad a coupla days ago,as we were stretching things out,because he was Hungchow in regards to both erector travel and subtension and I still had a coupla 100yds to go on my Anschutz 54. Other pard in tow,was tooled in accordance on his 54,as I was and actually eeked a red kchunt hair more erector travel,than I. I had 38.5 Mils on the erector and 10 on the glass.from a 50yd zero and he had 40.5 and 10,at like distance,with like fodder,though my barrel is exactly 50fps and shorter to boot.(grin)



The top 54 in the McMillan T-hole Sillywet is KING,due the speed advantage(40's at 1290fps on the nose) and the 75MOA 1913 rail/10x Fixed Fhuqker melding. I can reach the 750yd line with it.

Middle one is a short range turd,due the 25MOA 1913 and 3.5-10x MK4 M1 Jarhead 'Dots. I had extrey,extrey,extry 75MOA 1913 rails,but the glass needs swapped out to utilize same and retain a 50yd zero,less being forced to hold under to arrange same. Plus he was slumming Eley EPS at 1100fps on the nose,so had ZERO chance. I had a full 250yds on him(he only 90MOA total all in on the erector and reticle),which is a bitter pill to swallow,but I did my best not to bring it up more than about every 30 fhuqking seconds.(grin)

Bottom rifle wears 75MOA rail/10x Fixed Fhuqker,but spits schit slower than mine,as mentioned(same lot).

Last flight of The MK4.(grin)



Being mechanically centered on windage,is the ONLY way to realize max erector latitude and lotsa folks are in a hurry to miss that point too.

One of these days I'll buy a lathe and mill,to finally make some GOOD schit that connects ALL the dots.

In fairness,his Hummer was The Hummer KING and the 18" Lilja spout(22" as issued,but he bucked it back) really stacked 'em in there,with only 21.5 Mils remaining on the erector and 10 on the windshield...it'd still reach the 800yd line with 17 V-Max. Great news,as it gives me reason to build another rifle.(grin) Torn on converting my Anschutz 1827 non-Fortner to Hummer or building a Full Out Dirty Duty Bitch on a 77/22. Decisions,decisions.



LOTSA voids in the Mounting Market,but I've yet to accuse a fhuqking Bean Counter of having a fhuqking clue..................(grin)










'ball,

Is this where you wax eloquent on the SWEET "satisfactions" that are your's,due the fact that Stupidity is THE gift that keeps on fhuqking giving?!?

You poor poor Clueless Kchunt.

Wow...............










MD,

1) I've shot away no more than (4) barrels on a sole receiver slated to LW's. Probably shoulda kept track through the years,how many barrels total,as it'd be an intellesting tidbit.

2) Never lost a bet big enough,to be forced to slum a Pony. Hoping my Luck continues.

I've broken alotta schit,in alotta ways and it's a constant Theme,that my wares look like they mighta even been used a smidge.

3) I've seen some rather impressive Yard Sales and a rifle don't take a lick,in a good case.

4) I've been rather lucky with LW's myself,given the countless hours and countless rounds of exposure and but a few failures accrued upon a goodly sized herd of Hard Use Rifles...which is why I couldn't begin to [bleep] 'em. Though I can certainly state,that they ain't THE Grail for rugged reliability,let alone even close.

I've a hunch,that I've prolly more than a few sets yet on Active Duty. Were they S/S...they'd NEVER have a failure,if only for starters.

There ain't too Many Mounting systems I've not got or haven't shot and far and away THE most ruggedly reliable for their weight,is DD's. Weld 'em to the receiver and hell...they become Legendary.

Though I did shoot that rifle to destruction and actually cracked the bolt...............




PS and by the way,if only as an aside.

Light Rifles are tougher than Pigs,due their lesser mass conjuring less inertia,in a spill. That when talking like mounting systems.

If I drove Pigs as much as I do Light Done Right Rifles...I'd have farrrrrrrrr more failures.

Hint............

Yeah, like Burris Signaure and Z's in LOW and rails that are half the thickness of what the market offers.

The good news is I'm not on campfire parole so I can post as much bullscheit as I want. How 'bout you?

Stick,

Always interesting to read your comments. Here are a few more of mine:

1)Some of our rifles with Talley LWT�s are on their second barrel, but still have the same mounts. The cartridges have ranged up to .375 H&H class, and the rifles have broken many scopes, but not the mounts.

2) A leather scabbard tied to the side of a horse is not a padded case, and neither is being slung next to a packframe, whether empty or full of meat. Have gone through a rodeo, and fallen while hiking mountains, where scopes were banged and dented and even bent, while the rings remained intact.

3) Even hard-sided padded cases do not prevent rifle damage when tossed around by airline baggage handlers, especially in Third-World countries.

4) Our Talley-equipped rifles have seen a few �conditions� here and there, including bouncing around in open boats (sometimes in saltwater, including coastal British Columbia, the Arctic Ocean, Hudson�s Bay, and yes, even Alaska), elevation changes from sea level to 10,000 feet, and -30 to 100+ Fahrenheit in plenty of rain and snow. We don�t spend as much time in the rain as you do, but have been soaked more than once, here and there.

Maybe we�ve been lucky over the past 25+ years of using LWT�s, but if so I�ll continue to play the odds.

Don't recall any claims of rigorous use what I was getting at is I've mounted two sets without stripping or breaking anything by going easy on the torque. But seeing as your asking SFA to speak of both sets < a year old and they're sitting on 260s. Couple hundred rounds thru one set at nearby range maybe 3 through the other which has been hunted with a bit maybe a dozen times with no endos or other mishaps.

Here's a hamfisted pucker sandwich...

What's the story on that?? Yours?

Yup. Farmer tight.

Unless you're referring to the 135 SMK's. Those are mine too. What can I say, I like 270's....

Add me to the list. I was sitting on the deer stand yesterday morning and casually touched my front ring and noticed some of the screws were loose. I kept looking at it and figured out that the front ring was broken on one side. I got to looking at it more closely back ring was cracked too.

I can't figure out what happened. The rifle went from my safe to my truck and as far as I know, it was not dropped or anything. The only think I can figure is that it spent the night in the truck and the temps were in the lower 20s. Maybe it got cold and brittle.

Plain old Weavers sure aren't as pretty, but they are just about a light and dead nuts reliable.

Those are nice, too. Haha.

I'm sure there's been tons in colder weather conditions that have not broken. How much torque and are you going to throw a 30-30 as a backup in the truck next time??

I don't know how much torque but they had been fine for the last ten years, so I wasn't really expecting them to break now. And I always carry a 30-30 in the truck.

I am not claiming they are superior to any other ring out there but the product is sound. There is nothing wrong with the Talley light weight ring design or materials. Both are first rate as is their satisfaction guarantee.

If you have a ring cracked as shown above I can be almost 100% assured they were over tightened sometime in their lifetime. On any ring, if you are seeing pinch marks you are exceeding the design limitations by a long ways. I think the torque spec Talley supplies is kind of high. I have good luck with them at using the low end of their recommendations.

Over tightening is the number one error I find with scope mounting. A few years ago I was speaking with a friend who was design engineer at Leupold and he said that was the number one cause of tracking errors on returned scopes.

That Wiha torque screwdriver is an excellent product. Any torque wrench is better guessing.

Speaking of tightening...

Found and old LW from a 10/22 that the base mounting holes were goofed up, so I figured we'd play a bit. Using a 19mm socket as my "scope" (measures 1.04") I grabbed the fat wench and tried to blow the top half. Started at 20# and at 45# the first head popped. 50# a few more popped and drive bits started coming apart. Found a hairline crack that seems to be skin deep. Put the top in a vice and gave it a squeeze and it's still not broken. Recesses aren't puckered either. I wouldn't hesitate to use it. You can see the line above the bit.



Actually tougher than I thought.