The .375 JDJ destroyed Leuold scope rings.

I was at a friend's range this morning with my dad and the TC. I was shooting at 25 yards to get it on paper when it seemed that the scope was really out of adjustment. I knew there was something wrong when I felt something hit my face.

As it turns out the recoil actually destroyed the Leupold QD scope rings and the 4 X Burris was hanging on by one ring. The steel blocks that set in the Weaver grooves shattered( that must have been what hit my face) and the scope jumped forward. In addition, the base itself was marred and gouged.

Needless to say I was really dejected when that happened. The moose season is 3 weeks away. So Dad and I rushed to some gun shops and we were able to pick up a base and some rings.

We had to modify the Weaver base to accept the extra two holes( the barrel has been drilled and tapped for six holes) and then mounted the scope.

So it is back to square one to sight in again. Hopefully we'll be ready for the moose season. I wisely set up a 30-06 Encore as a backup just in case this flubs up.

On a brighter note, after we were shooting, a young moose actually stepped out about 75 yards on the range and was looking at us. Believe it or not, Massachusetts may have 700 or so moose. Hopefully this means we'll get one.

This is exactly why all my heavy kickers wear 6-screw TSOB's and at least 3 rings. I even have 4 rings on my 375JDJ(12"), 45/70(14") and a 450 Marlin(15"). Not to say they still won't come loose, only 2 TSOB mounts that JD installs has ever come loose, one of them was mine on my SSK 45/70 which he fixed immediately(he thought a solvent I used to clean barrel dissolved lock-tite). The 450 Marlin 15" did have a Weaver base and only 2 rings on it from previous owner. It ripped out the 4-screws holding on the base to barrel, and base, rings and scope hit him right between the eyes knocking him out cold. After a gunsmith put bigger screws to hold on base he refused to shoot it and I bought barrel and scope plus brass cheap($200) and promptly sent it to SSK and had a 1/4 rib TSOB installed w/4-rings. Consider yourself lucky only the ring hit you. I have 7 TSOB's on my barrels and I personally think they are the best $$$$$ can buy.

If you only put two scope rings on the 375JDJ you might have this problem again unless you used the vertical split rings like Warne, Leupold Rifleman, TC Maxima, or the SSK "TSOB". I purchased a 14" Contender SSK barrel in the .375JDJ without TSOB base and rings. I mounted a weaver base and two Burris rings with a Weaver 2x6 Pistol scope. After about 50 rounds of handloads, the rings were shot. Got the TSOB and four rings two weeks later in the mail. Installed the TSOB 6 screw base and three Vertical split rings that came with it. That was two years back and still no problems. I'm shooting 260grn Nosler Accubonds and 270grn Hornady SP's. If that doesn't shake the scope loose, nothing will.
I sure would get three vertical split rings. This would save you from wearing the scope for a head piece someday.
Good luck with your Moose hunt.
Are you shooting factory loads or are you loading and what?

Mike
Oklahoma

you guys are making me feel lucky.
I've been shooting my .444 Marlin barrel for over a year with a six screw Weaver base & two of Weavers rings that have 4 screws on the clamps rather than a clip & two screws.
Lpobably over two hundred loads that range from Speer 270s @ 2100 to 320 cast around 2000, along with some plinkers, all with no movement. I've been going to buy another set of rings so I could have a third ring, but just haven't got around to it yet...

My 375jdj is wearing a leupold dual dovetail base and rings and with over 300 rounds through it I've never had an issue and it is a 4 hole base on the other hand I have warne QR rings on my 500 and I can't keep them from rattling loose.

I once had the Leupold base and QD rings on 338WM Encore Handgun. Each edge of the base bowed upward and I had a small reverse rainbow
Movement also caused to ruin two different scopes (leupold and a Burris), both were sent in and repaired.
I use now the weaver style bases with the Burris rings with inserts. I have also used 3-ring TSOB mounts.

Yesterday afternoon, my Dad and I installed a new Weaver base that was modified. My barrel has been drilled and tapped for six holes and we added the six hole base to it. I also added Loctite and put on four verticle split rings. Like the ones I got when I had my 45-70 barrel TSOB'ed by SSK.

This should stand up to the wear and tear of that round. It should do the trick in three weeks, I hope.

I've also been using a Leupold base/ring set up on my 14" .444 Marling Contender for a long, long time. It has a 2X Loopy in the mount. I bought it this way from a friend that shot some very stiff loads through it...it's been set up like this for well over 20 years (I've had it about ten years) and never have had a problem. It has the standard base and rings...not the QD. I'm not sure that I like items that are made to "quickly detach"...that means they are made to move without tools. I prefer stuff that is rock solid!!

Yea, sounds like a defect in metal made it through Leopold QC. Extra rings main purpose is to grip scope so it won't move in mounts. I have never had a ring fail in all my shooting. I prefer Burris Zee rings if they will fit the base. Never have had as much faith in the split rings for some reason - not sure why.

Have had a similar experience where I shot the base screws loose on my .375 JDJ. Next thing I knew, the scope, rings and base flew off the gun and over my head. About two days before my moose trip as well.

I think if you shoot big bore TCs long enough, odds are pretty good you will have problems of some kind with either the scope or mounts. Recoil is just too severe. My .375 JDJ has also severely wacked out the parallax several times in two different Burris scopes.