Lapping scope rings in 2019

Rifle scopes, iron sights and optics. Spotting scopes and target acquisition devices.

Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Bombus1 » 30 Oct 2019, 2:53 pm

Hi all. Sorry if this has been asked a million times...

Recently got my licence and need to fit my scope to my rifle.

Have got some Tasco 1" aluminium rings (it's a hunting rifle and I'm trying to keep weight down where possible) and was wondering whether or not people still lap their rings?

Do I seriously need to consider this or are rings pretty decent "out of the box" these days (even though the Tasco's were only about $40)?

Thanks everyone.

PS - If anyone has a recommendation for a rifle range in Perth then please feel free to let me know. For some reason, no one seems willing or interested enough to respond to email requests for info. I need to get some target shooting in, break in my barrel (let's argue about that in a different thread) and sight in my gun.

:thumbsup:
Respect the process, Respect the Animal, Respect the Hunt
User avatar
Bombus1
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 17
Western Australia

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Stix » 30 Oct 2019, 6:26 pm

Hi Bombus...

What is the cartridge you're shooting...?
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3675
South Australia

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by SCJ429 » 30 Oct 2019, 6:37 pm

I lap my rings but if you cannot just be gentle. I also have some Burris Signiture Zee ring with have a bushing and are very kind to your scope. They cost more than $40 however.
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3207
New South Wales

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Bombus1 » 31 Oct 2019, 4:46 pm

Stix wrote:Hi Bombus...

What is the cartridge you're shooting...?


Hey Stix. 308win
Respect the process, Respect the Animal, Respect the Hunt
User avatar
Bombus1
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 17
Western Australia

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by SCJ429 » 31 Oct 2019, 6:07 pm

When you bolt the lower rings on and place the scope in them, are there any gaps you can see.?
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3207
New South Wales

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Stix » 31 Oct 2019, 6:27 pm

Bombus1 wrote:
Stix wrote:Hi Bombus...

What is the cartridge you're shooting...?


Hey Stix. 308win


Well i would do it..i do most of mine now...only because the experts do it... :lol:

First lot i did, i couldnt believe how effective it was---took way too much off then mixed up the tops & it took ages to get them back in the correct orientation... :roll:
What a disaster that exercise was...like an episode of Mr Bean installing his first scope...they were Leopold PRW's & i was using allen keys to seperate the top ring...i launched 2 brand new allen keys into low orbit at different stages of that excercise...:lol:
Also, took so much meat off that i had to use beer can alloy cut-out inserts, then cranked them too tight & snapped the rings... :lol: :lol: :lol:

I can laugh now--nut i wasnt then let me tell ya...!!.. :lol:

Anyway...
There's probably better advice here than mine, but id say give it a crack, especially if they are cheapies...& as scj said, be careful, id keep it to a minimum to begin with, as well as keep the rings orientated the same way--maybe mark them so they go back as you lapped them... :thumbsup:
:drinks:
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3675
South Australia

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Am88 » 01 Nov 2019, 7:53 am

I tend to bed mine instead of lapping, after bedding about 4 rifle scope rings now I will say I have found on one rifl that after bedding rings to one scope, I changed to another scope and the same apparent 1" tube, did not fit, it was ever so slightly larger, so had to rebed the rings.
Am88
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 295
Queensland

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Stix » 01 Nov 2019, 8:32 am

Am88 wrote:I tend to bed mine instead of lapping, after bedding about 4 rifle scope rings now I will say I have found on one rifl that after bedding rings to one scope, I changed to another scope and the same apparent 1" tube, did not fit, it was ever so slightly larger, so had to rebed the rings.

Couldnt you hsve lapped for the bigger tube...?

So how fo you bed the rings & what do you use...?
And how do you deal with compound in between rings...?

:drinks:
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3675
South Australia

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Blr243 » 01 Nov 2019, 9:33 am

Remembering that mounts usually have screws or levers attaching them to the pic rail and screws pulling the two half rings together ......I first attach my rings to the pic rail finger tight only. Then I secure the scope firmly in the rings so they are clamping the scope as perfectly uniform as possible Then I secure the rings to the pic rail or scope bases
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by solarpak » 01 Nov 2019, 11:21 am

Whilst i have all the necessary lapping gear i will always opt for Burrus' excellent Zee Signature rings with the polymer inserts for my rifles.

If i do need to use a set of rings that dont have any insert of any kind i will lap them .....i have pinched too many scope tubes in the past from not lapping and once you do that the scope value is severely diminished.....

C.
solarpak
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 355
South Australia

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by SckSqzBngBlo » 01 Nov 2019, 6:54 pm

Another noob here wondering about one piece rings; surely they are good to go?
User avatar
SckSqzBngBlo
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 30
New South Wales

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by solarpak » 01 Nov 2019, 8:00 pm

The standard method many years ago was to have a gunsmith drill and tap your receiver and a one piece bridge style mount attached to the receiver - to which the scope rings would be attached to.

These days most, if not all factory produced rifles are drilled and tapped for scope mounting bases to be attached - easily by the owner, not a gunsmith.

I tend to use Weaver style bases OR a one-piece picatinny rail and always made from steel OR high-strength aluminium - the same with rings.

One piece rings /bases like the DNZ look ok - i have never used them myself but many folk do and they seem to be happy with them.

C
solarpak
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 355
South Australia

Re: Lapping scope rings in 2019

Post by Am88 » 04 Nov 2019, 9:38 am

Stix wrote:
Am88 wrote:I tend to bed mine instead of lapping, after bedding about 4 rifle scope rings now I will say I have found on one rifl that after bedding rings to one scope, I changed to another scope and the same apparent 1" tube, did not fit, it was ever so slightly larger, so had to rebed the rings.

Couldnt you hsve lapped for the bigger tube...?

So how fo you bed the rings & what do you use...?
And how do you deal with compound in between rings...?

:drinks:


Could have, but after seeing that, all these scopes are meant to be a 1" tube. 1" is 1" it should not have changed and slid straight it, All the same principle as bedding a rifle, release agent on parts you don't want to stick, I use Devcon 10110. You only need minimal compound as there is not much to fill. The gun shops where I live tend to only stock what they want you to buy so don't have a great selection of mounts, certain shops have certain scopes and it all seems too hard to get it in.

I had one instance where I bedded my 30mm tube Shmidt and Bender 8x56 to my Tikka via Talley High 30mm rings I bought in (ridiculous markup on at shop), I measured 0.65mm of gap under the scope tube when sitting the scope in the rings with the top halves off, all now filled up with bedding material, and like bedded rifle actions the scopes sit in the rings perfectly, the only rings on my rifles that are not bedded now is my rimfires.
Am88
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 295
Queensland


Back to top
 
Return to Scopes, sights and optics