Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Lapped my first set of Talley's tonight....

Wow...this is my first experience with lapping, simply amazing!

They looked good, then I ran the bar across them a few times, it's amazing how much metal there is between good enough (stock) and great (lapped). It didn't take long to do but I feel soooo much better about the whole process now.

If anyone is thinking about trying out lapping, just do it. It's a small price to pay for protecting your optics investment and getting the most out of your rig. I got the lap kit for $17.50 from Haydens Shooters Supply, works just fine and is cheap insurance!

Now, I'll mount the scope, I'm going to try the clear silicone in the rings trick and see how that works out too.

J

PS...This is my first set of Talley's ever, they look good and seem to be a great 1 pc solution. I'm guessing that Leupy's will need just as much or more lapping. I'll pull off a scope this weekend and lap a set of those just to see how it goes.

Thanks for the post. I was curious about whether Talleys could or should be lapped. I have been interested in a Clymer ring reamer, and I notice that Clymer says not to use the reamers on vertically split rings. I guess lapping is a much gentler process, although the reamers sure do the job quickly.

These were the lightweight rings/bases, so they are horizontally split.

J

Talley says "Don't do it" and I have mounted many without lapping without any problem... I remain strongly in the do not lap camp...

As I said, this was my first time, I'll be interested in seeing the results too.

I'm confident, at least for now, that it was a good decision. When I started lapping it was obvious that there was only contact in a few places on each ring, now it's closer to 90% and I feel good about that. I didn't lap the top rings as suggested here and in the kit.

I understand Talley being sure about their process and quality control, but I'm not as sure about Remington.

Sitka, just curious, have you ever lapped a set of rings? Want to know what made you go back to the do not lap camp if so.

J

I lap most all my rings. I guess that Talley does not want the alum rings lapped as you are cutting the anodize off and that leaves raw alum exposed.

I lap Talleys lightly to look for an alignment problem. My experience is that if they show the lapping evenly, and then I stop. That might only be a few strokes--nowhere what I do on Leupold-style rings. But I am checking to see that something between the rings and the receiver is not way out of whack.

Vertically split rings and side hinged rings do not allow the ring halves to be equally and evenly tightened around the tool when lapping or reaming. That is why the manufacturers of these types of rings do not recommend lapping or reaming them.

Lapping and reaming scope rings mates the rings to the lapping tool and/or the reamer NOT to the scope. Mic several different one inch or 30mm scopes and see how their outside diameters differ within the same advertised diameter.

I lapped my first set of Ruger rings the other night. I typically don't, but I was putting a VXIII on this one, so wanted to take care of the investment. Uhm, wow. Got a good little workout off of that experience. I was really wishing for a courser grit lapping compound after a while there.

I finally gave up when the rings looked to be about 70% lapped (instead of the recommended 80%). The contact area prior to lapping was pathetic though.

From my discussions with Dave Talley, Talley LW are not supposed to bottom out in the bottom ring until the screws are tightened. The "spring action" of the lower ring is one of the mechanisms used to hold the scope.

If you've lapped so that the scope tube bottoms out into the bottom rings w/o any spring action, you have eliminated one of the design elements of the rings.

I'd look to see if your scope shifts under recoil.

Rick

I'm with Rick on this one.

and Art....

Thanks Rick, I'll keep that in mind. It's a 243 on this one so it may not have as much affect but I'll keep an eye on it and post results either way.

Maybe I'll just shoot a self tapping screw through the top ring and scope body to hold it all in place, a dab of silicone should keep the nitrogen from escaping

J

grin

And if in the end I buy a new set of Talleys, $40 will be one of the cheaper lessons I've learned in life.

Jason when you set your scope in the lower half of the ring does it set on the bottom or is it held up buy the sides of ring?

I don't know yet, hope to try it tonight.

With a 2 month old I'm only allowed so much time to play, last night was lap and hopefully tonight will be mount.

Should it be held up.....

J

yes about 1/32

Yep that's what Dave Talley told me too.

RL and BW....Now you guys tell me....two guys I've done good deals with and you withhold this very technical info about 1/32 of an inch until after I've lapped my rings.......what kind of friends are you

I guess we'll see tonight.