Loctite on Scope Mount Screws?

[Dave Timm]

Here is the propaganda I spew about thread locking compound.

[Holland&Holland]

ADM, Badger Ordnance, Bobro, Nightforce, GDI, Leupold Tactical (not the hunting line), Seekins, Spuhr, TPS, US Optics, Vortex, Zero Delta, to name a few.

Most tactical scope rings of good quality are cut from a single piece of aluminum or use such high tolerances that there are no variances.

So how would lapping hurt?

[UnaStamus]

So how would lapping hurt?

Shaving precise tolerances set forth by a manufacturer can open the rings up too much or throw off the tolerances. Quality rings/mounts are already cut to a precise dimension to accommodate concentric 30mm, 34mm, 35mm etc. scope bodies. Lapping scope rings was something that was needed 20 years ago when manufacturing tolerances were a lot different for both rings and scope bodies, but now with the level of precision by top name companies, it is not only obsolete, but it can harm the mounts/rings and scopes themselves. Additionally, when you lap scope rings/mounts to fit a specific scope, you can make that ring/mount worthless to any other scope, making the mount a one-and-done use. Not really an issue with a set of $30 steel rings, but a major issue with a $150 Badger rings, $410 Spuhr mount or $570 GDI mount. We aren’t dealing with cast steel rings anymore, and are using forged steel or aluminum, or solid billet aluminum. You can lap the modern cheap rings all day, but there’s a distinct difference between say a cheap Burris PEPR mount or generic $30 “tactical rings” and a quality precision.

Badger Ordnance did a write up on this a while ago, but for the life of me I can’t find it. Badger currently holds several USN and USMC contracts. In a nutshell, end users for tactical mounts (i.e. military and LE snipers, competition shooters, etc) all need rings and mounts that fit industry specifications without modification, and could hold those specifications through heavy use. Top level marksmanship groups ranging from Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) and Marine Corps armorers at MCB Quantico to any PRS shooter I’ve met all use mounts and rings out of the box. All of those manufacturers I listed will void the warranty of their rings or mounts if you lap them.

[crbutler]

I don’t think that proper lapping would harm high end rings, but it’s not necessary, and I prefer to not mess with things if I don’t have to. Most of my hunting guns use Talley QD rings, I’ve got a bunch of higher end rifles and optics... pretty much all had locktite placed originally, and the only scope I’ve lapped in the last 10 years was a cheapie Leupold in leupold mounts on a rim fire.

If the Talley mounts hold up to .416 and .470 class recoil or the Barrett mounts put up with .50 BMG through a couple hundred rounds without lapping, seems like a solution in search of a problem to me. You can screw up good rings with bad lapping, and I’ve yet to see a home gunsmith lapping job fix bad rings.

That said, I know some folks who lap everything and their gear works well too.