Scope ring installation

[Gregory Gauvin]

I recently just mounted a SWFA SS scope to my Savage MKII BV. The rings I use, I forgot exactly what brand or when/where I bought them, but were quality rings. I after going through all the procedures...leveling action...setting my eye relief...leveling scope...yada yada...I had everything set. I wanted it to be perfect, and have everything equally torqued to spec, or at least, torqued evenly. I used a high quality USA made in/lbs torque driver. Generally, Leupold and others say to torque the scope rings to 10-15 inch/lbs. I torqued them to 14 in/lbs. Ring bases to rifle 25 in/lbs I would say.

Anyhow...I slowly torqued the rings down, cross torquing them like you would car wheel studs, whether that matters or not. The rings supplied I remember reading that they were machined to tolerance and to keep them and install them as they came and not to switch the top ring from the bottom, or rotate them, as if they had been lapped. Anyhow, perhaps it's my OCD...but everything is torqued to spec...but what bothers me is that the gap (using feeler gauge) between the bottom and top of the rings are not all perfectly even.

Should not the gap between the top and bottom rings have the same clearance at all four points?

My front right and rear left gap I can slide a .015" feeler gauge between the top and bottom rings. The opposing sides are closed tight. Also, the ring screws are not all completely evenly seated. This normal? Or am I just going OCD....

 

[NoSecondBest]

You can easily "even" them up by letting off on one side and tightening on the other. However, that is mostly OCD since it's not really necessary. I usually just keep an eye on it when I do it knowing that the first screw will pull the ring half over to that side and it will bottom out if I don't stop and go to the other side and move it down there a bit. Just go from side to side until it starts to get tight and then do a little on each side. It gets easier after you've don a hundred or so

 

[Shooter2675]

I agree, tighten one side to level it out more, but honestly, as long as you are not shooting super long distances, it seems they are level enough for you as is. But like the above poster said, loosen one side and tighten the other, just a little, that should fix the problem.

 

[Blindstitch]

I usually count the turns and match them with all screws.

 

[ms6852]

I shoot long distance with my ar about 500 to 900 yds, and usually I eye ball the gap. I have purchased a torque wrench recently and torque everything the same with an extra "OCD" step. After cross tightening all the screws on the rings, I then remove a screw and put blue loctite on the screw and tighten it back up. I repeat the process for all screws one at a time, I believe this keeps them tight with the larger calibers, when recoil could loosen up the rings.

 

[tangolima]

I am afraid your cross-torque procedures may not be ideal; yes for engine block, but not for scope.

You tighten one screw, then you move on diagonally to the other screw on the other ring. Each time you tighten a screw, the scope tube is twisted, in opposite directions by the rings.

-TL

 

[hooligan1]

Leupold : 6-48 Base screws, 22 inch pounds.
8-40 base screws, 28 inch pounds.
8-40 ring screws, 28 inch pounds.
STD windage screws 45 inch pounds.
Ringmount Keeper screws 45 inch pounds.
PRW Keeper screws, 22 inch pounds.
With that said this is the standard requirement for Leupold products, not necessarily other ring and bases brands.
Proper scope installation is as important a step as there is for repeatable precision.
It usually takes me a couple hours to go all through my mounting procedures, the careful attention paid here will pay dividends in performance and confidence for the life of your weapon.

 

[Mobuck]

"Or am I just going OCD...."

Yes, absolutely, you are. From your description of the process, you've made it as torturous as possible while failing to keep the gap even as you tightened. I judge that keeping the gaps even is more important than several of your steps in the process.

 

[NoSecondBest]

Google Leupold scope mounting. You'll find two excellent videos produced by Leupold telling and showing how to mount a scope. If anyone knows how to do this, it should be them. They don't do all the BS some people tell you is "necessary" to get it done right. Getting advice on the internet is about a waste of time in most cases.....you get some correct answers and lots of BS answers. It's not hard to mount a scope. Check the video(s) out and you'll be amazed at how simple it is. The gentleman working for Leupold showing how it's done doesn't even use a torque wrench to do it and you'll see a few other tips on on to make it simple....and correct. Good luck.

 

[g.willikers]

Sometimes the number of turns or angles of the wrench is more accurate than using a torque wrench setting.
Lots of car stuff is done that way.
And don't forget how important it is to remove surface imperfections that can interfere with a good fit.
As for the question of whether you're going OCD, that's a one better answered by a psychiatrist.

 

[Unclenick]

Agree. Count turns until you are lightly finger snug on opposite sides of each ring, then if you want to you can torque first at 5, then 10, then 15 in-lbs and you won't be affecting the gap much. This gives you the opportunity to double-check that your vertical cross hair hasn't tilted off alignment with your plumb line or whatever vertical reference you are using.

If you are OCD, you can do what Harold Vaughn did and use a 3/4" ball mill to take a shallow few thousandths out of the bottom rings. This is to ensure 3-point contact rather than possible 2-point contact. Theoretically more stable, but practically you need to be careful not to over-torque and distort the scope tube.