Ring Lapping?

[LumberZach]

Hey all,

Anyone know about lapping rifle rings? I just tried it out for the first time ever, and I thought I did pretty well but I seemed to have scratched my scope anyway. I probably removed a little over 60% of the finish from inside the rings and it all seemed good to go. Then when I was setting up my scope where I wanted it, I noticed the finish was scuffed right where the rings hold. Where did I go wrong? The rings seemed to be very smooth, and I cleaned every last bit of the grit out of them with everything I had.

Also, what is your guys preferred way of leveling the cross hairs? I used the scope levels, but they seem a touch off to me.

Thanks for all the help guys!

[FJ540]

I set the gun in a vise then level it out, and aim the crosshairs on something which has been verified as plumb. You could stick a level in another vise further away if you didn't have something to reference off of or even hang a string with a weight on it (ala plumb bob).

I've never lapped scope rings. I can see the point, but I've never bothered to.

[farmerj]

metal on paint.

not like the paint will scratch the metal.. Just saying.....

Get a torque wrench and try not to tighten em down so much. 15-20 inch pounds is all it takes.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/ ... ons-29756/

[45Badger]

Buy good rings/bases, go slow, don't get rammy (technical term I learned from plumber/wood-worker/gun nut dude).

I have never lapped a set of rings. Only screwed up one cheap scope when i was young. Got the advice (from the plumber/woodworker/gun nut dude) I posted above and have not screwed one up since. Lapping is correcting an error on ring, base, or screw holes- most likely alignment and/or finish quality. Better stuff tends to have tighter/correct tolerances and finish quality.

[LumberZach]

Yeah, I really wanted to try it out and I am inexperienced enough to actually give it a try. I don't think I wrecked anything, but I see that I took some paint off. I got a pretty good set of rings, but as I was going through it I checked it fairly regularly and it seems that there was a high spot in the middle I was able to take out. Either way, I think it will be fine. Just can't figure out where I want wrong.

[bucktail]

I have a ring lapping kit from wheeler, but I've never lapped rings with it. I leave the rings loose to the base, and tighten the rings to the lapping bar. Then I tighten the rings to the bases. The wheeler kit has alignment bars (2 seperate bars ground to points). I've never needed to lap the rings to get them to align. I will if I ever need to.

[Hoot]

Almost every optic I own is riding in a set of Burris Signature Zee rings. They are not "tacticool" but my scopes love them. Every now and then I read about someone who had trouble with a set, but following the instructions and using a torque wrench, I myself have had no trouble with the 8 sets I own. My 10/22 and rare 10/17 do not have them.

Once, when mounting a glossy scope on a Win Model 70 featherweight 7mm Mag, I had to dust them with rosin to keep keep the scope from migrating due to intense recoil. BTW, the most miserable gun I ever shot once in a tee shirt. After that, I made the owner shoot it while I finished zeroing the scope. That was before the era of the Lead Sled.

Hoot

[LumberZach]

What would you guys use for a reference point to level a bolt action rifle to? It seems I used about 3 different spots to level off of and each of them were a little bit off from each other. I got the wheeler kit with the scope levels and I ended up using them. There is one that goes in the receiver and at the time it seemed to look pretty good, but now when I look through the scope under various stances the scope seems a little tilted. When it is sitting just on the bipod it looks ever so slight, but you can tell it is just a little crooked.

Thanks again guys.

[JJ]

Pull the bolt, and use the flat surface at the tang.

[45Badger]

Pull the bolt, and use the flat surface at the tang.

Bingo. I put gun in cleaning rest and use a 4' level. Put level on receiver, recheck on bases, and on bottom half of rings. That generally lets me know that the "platform" is level. Then use level on top and side scope adjustment cap surfaces. I'm sure It's off a bazzillionth of a degree or so, but it's been a pretty accurate and repeatable process for me.

[JJ]

Pull the bolt, and use the flat surface at the tang.

Bingo. I put gun in cleaning rest and use a 4' level. Put level on receiver, recheck on bases, and on bottom half of rings. That generally lets me know that the "platform" is level. Then use level on top and side scope adjustment cap surfaces. I'm sure It's off a bazzillionth of a degree or so, but it's been a pretty accurate and repeatable process for me.

That will get you close. Remember that going of the turret cap, you are subjecting yourself to three areas of variability. Cap to dial thread runout 9and o-ring/seal variability), dial threads to optic body thread runout, and reticle to erector system run out. All these areas have tolerances that can come into play. Also remember that the way you hold the gun can effect your alignment.

I personally tend to slightly tip my guns when shooting offhand (a degree or two). i almost always have a degree or two of clockwise cant to my reticles to reflect how I hold the gun.

[LumberZach]

In two weeks when I get back home I will try to post pics of the reticle against a nearby fence if I remember. It is not much in the grand scheme, but I was hoping to get this perfect.