Do you use torque your scopes to spec, if so what wrench?

[Bremen]

Hi

I had planned on torquing my rings to spec however the only torque wrench/screwdrivers I've found are horrendously expensive and I can't locate a Chinese cheapy.
Specs I have are 16 to 18in/lb for mount and 22in/lb for rings to scope. A wrench starting at 2Nm would do the trick (if my conversions are true).
I imagine very few people use torque wrench?
Do any cheap tools exist?

[InisBineest]

I use a wheeler fat wrench, about $120 from memory but it does the trick perfectly. Vortex make them as well a little cheaper,

[Bremen]

Cheers I'll look into it. I was hoping to pick something up about $30 (considering my 1/2" one was $50).

Mods: sorry about subject. Proof read twice and still wrote 'use' instead of 'you'

[Skinna]

Wasnt there a thread about this just the other day...?

Depends what you call expensive i guess.

I also use the wheeler. I got it in the scope mounting kit. Its been handy for me.

You could always buy a small cheap spring scale & attach it to the allen/torx key an inch out from the bend, & when the spring reads the desired number stop then just give it the tiniest nip to be sure.
Thats actually how i put my EH back together over 25 years ago--used that technique for all the big heavy stuff like pitman arm steering retaining nut etc. because i just couldnt afford a torque wrench back in those days.

[Blr243]

These days scope screws and Allen keys are made of such poor quality materials, so I have the following approach ....I stop when I reckon I’m about 10 per cent short of stripping something

[bladeracer]

Not the scope rings, only the bases and mounts, scope ring screws are too small for it. I go around all the ring screws turning each a little bit until they are all snugged up, takes a while but I've yet to break or strip a screw.

[Skinna]

Not the scope rings, only the bases and mounts, scope ring screws are too small for it. I go around all the ring screws turning each a little bit until they are all snugged up, takes a while but I've yet to break or strip a screw.

I do that, but finish with the wrench.

[Bugman]

yes. Always. I use a Wheeler torque wrench.

[bladeracer]

Not the scope rings, only the bases and mounts, scope ring screws are too small for it. I go around all the ring screws turning each a little bit until they are all snugged up, takes a while but I've yet to break or strip a screw.

I do that, but finish with the wrench.

I can't finish with a torque wrench as the screws can't go any tighter.

[Skinna]

Not the scope rings, only the bases and mounts, scope ring screws are too small for it. I go around all the ring screws turning each a little bit until they are all snugged up, takes a while but I've yet to break or strip a screw.

I do that, but finish with the wrench.

I can't finish with a torque wrench as the screws can't go any tighter.

Fair enough.

Well i do it because before i had it, i lapped out some Leo rings a little too far, so put in some beer can shims, then kept tightening the screws like that &"snap" went the $130 set of rings. And yes, i snapped both front, then rear & thought i was being careful



So__torque them now.

[bladeracer]

Fair enough.

Well i do it because before i had it, i lapped out some Leo rings a little too far, so put in some beer can shims, then kept tightening the screws like that &"snap" went the $130 set of rings. And yes, i snapped both front, then rear & thought i was being careful



So__torque them now.

I only use cheap Chinese rings, haven't had any problems at all with any of them.

[marksman]

Not the scope rings, only the bases and mounts, scope ring screws are too small for it. I go around all the ring screws turning each a little bit until they are all snugged up, takes a while but I've yet to break or strip a screw.

if you dont want to buy a torque wrench this is the go lmho as long as you do a bit at a time criss crossing as you tighten making them all evenly snug
and even with king screws, the front first with the rifle standing on its butt to a gorilla grip tight and the rear to a good snug,
if there is a middle screw just snug, this has worked for me

[Jarhead]

I am with Marksman on this,

I don't use a torque wrench- even though I have one. I will tighten down each screw a little bit in turn until they are all even - also keeping an eye on keeping the ring gap even. I will tighten every screw with the short end of the torque wrench in my fingers as tight as I can get it with that little stub. Once everything is tight, I pull out one screw at a time and add a touch of blue thread locker and reinstall to the same tightness. I am not sure if this is the best way to do it but my grandfather taught me this method and I have never had trouble with mounting or removing a scope this way.

[moudzj]

Yes and use a wheeler fat.

Until you use a torque, you will have no idea that you have been over-torquing your screws your whole life. It happens much quicker and easier than you think. Smart tight definitely works, but you need to be able to refrence "smart tight" to something. Get a torque wrench.

[deye243]

With my gear its not about stripping screws i use a torque wrench because it's about scope tube distortion .......

[bladeracer]

With my gear has not about stripping screws i use a torque wrench because it's about scope tube distortion

Protecting the scope is the only reason to worry about fastening the rings and bases correctly.
I've built heaps of motorcycle and car engines, generally steel fasteners into aluminium, very easily stripped and/or broken off. Many times torque specs will cause problems, especially with smaller fasteners, particularly if proper preparation is not done first, like chasing the threads (to make them all consistent), cleaning them, ensuring blind holes are cleared of debris or fluids (like oil or degreaser), lubing/drying the threads as specified in the torque specs, and most importantly, using the torque wrench correctly and consistently. I have seen people torque a cylinder head onto an engine, then gone over it myself to find very little consistency. Similar to using micrometers, technique is vital to the result. You want to do it almost robotically, the same technique every time, otherwise it's pointless doing it at all.

[eddievic]

Cheers I'll look into it. I was hoping to pick something up about $30 (considering my 1/2" one was $50).

Mods: sorry about subject. Proof read twice and still wrote 'use' instead of 'you'

I just wanted to add, a mechanic friend told me...cheap and torque wrench shouldn't go in the same sentence. If its cheap who knows what the accuracy is actually like. Or how repeatable it is, ie if you set it to 20, is it 20 everytime or sometimes its 10 other times its 30.

If you are broke, then until you can save up a hack for you, hold the allen key from the short side and then toghten. Sure its not accurate but it will limit the force so that you don't strip the bolts. And reasonably repeatable. If you have a high recoiling rifle, i would suggest a torque wrench 100%.

[flashman]

Wheeler fat wrench every time, works like a charm.......

[JimTom]

Yep as other have said, wheeler torque wrench is the go.

[JimTom]

Warne make a tool that is preset to 25 in/lbs for torque up rings etc.

[on_one_wheel]

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[eddievic]

That's a pro torque wrench OOW. lol

[Jarhead]

LOL One Wheel!

[solarpak]

Whilst a FAT Wrench is a great bit of kit (and i use one religiously) using the correct allen key (that his usually supplied with rings you buy there days) is also workable provided you do not overtighten the ring screws.
Additionally i highly recommend lapping of scope rings - too many times have i marked main tubes on scopes and basically ruined any resale of the scope down the track. If you dont wish to buy the lapping gear ask someone who has the gear - of your firearms retailer- to do this - when fitting a scope to any rings , be it new or used.
C.

[Woden]

Just bought a Wheeler Fat Wrench off eBay for $135. That's the cheapest I can find. Some gun shops want $180+ for the same thing.

[Blr243]

Whenever I try to source a torque screwdriver on the net they seem to be incredibly difficult to find and they cost a fortune. I’m just relieved I finally have one

[Die Judicii]

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Whilst a FAT Wrench is a great bit of kit (and i use one religiously) using the correct allen key (that his usually supplied with rings you buy there days) is also workable provided you do not overtighten the ring screws.
Additionally i highly recommend lapping of scope rings - too many times have i marked main tubes on scopes and basically ruined any resale of the scope down the track. If you dont wish to buy the lapping gear ask someone who has the gear - of your firearms retailer- to do this - when fitting a scope to any rings , be it new or used.
C.

The FAT wrench comes with a basic set of bits to choose from,,, but, when they are lacking I go to my special set of bits
It hasn't ever let me down,, in variety and in all manner of sizs

[Oldbloke]

Will this do the job? Might be USD.

Screenshot_20201129-163817_Chrome.jpg (523.04 KiB) Viewed 7368 times

[straightshooter]

Hi

I had planned on torquing my rings to spec however the only torque wrench/screwdrivers I've found are horrendously expensive and I can't locate a Chinese cheapy.
Specs I have are 16 to 18in/lb for mount and 22in/lb for rings to scope. A wrench starting at 2Nm would do the trick (if my conversions are true).
I imagine very few people use torque wrench?
Do any cheap tools exist?

Believe it or not fastening systems were developed by clever engineers not the types who get their degrees out of corn flakes packets.
Generally torque specs are provided so a fastener's tensile strength isn't exceeded although there may be exceptions.
Now typically we are talking about steel 6-48 hex cap screws and they have at least 0.138" (screw OD) threaded engagement in a correctly threaded hole in steel. The hex key will typically be 2.5mm so the cross sectional area of the hex key will be (very roughly) about half that of the screw. The net result is the key will first bend and then deform permanently before the fastener fails, again provided the above criteria are met.
The net result is just use the normal key by hand without the key distorting and leave the torque wrenches to the perfectionist experts.

[bibendum]

Use a standard allen key as supplied with all rings.
Holding the short arm between finger and thumb, tighten til it just hurts your finger.
Then insert the short arm and move the long arm with your finger and thumb about 1/8 of a turn.

DO NOT USE LOCKTITE or any type of thread locker!!!!