I decided to write this as I was lineboring a set of rings on a Super Redhawk. I will show some pics of the rings half way through the process and then finished. The problem is that almost all rings no matter how good will be out of whack when you get them mounted and they will put undue stress on your scope. There are two methods you can do yourself or have any competent gunsmith do. The first is lapping which only requires a piece of 1" or 30mm polished steel round stock, the harder the metal the better. You can also buy an actually lapping kit if you would rather. This process is simple, you just apply either some lapping compound purchased from a gunsmith supply store or you can use valve lapping compound from your local auto supply store which will be less expensive. The other method is cost prohibitive unless you do alot of rings and that is to linebore the rings with a special reamer. The reamers can run around 100.00 or more but I prefer them as they work faster and are more precise.

This is the reamer I use, it's turned with a wrench and you start with the rings lightly tightened and then slowly tighten the screws after each couple of turns of the reamer, you don't want to try and take too much material at once.


These are the rings after about 15 minutes of working on them. The pic isn't the best but you can make out the dull spots which show where the low spots are and exactly how the rings were putting uneven pressure on the scope as the high spots which are shiny are all that were contacting the scope.


This pic is the rings finished with the maximum amount of material I felt good about being removed. It's hard to make out but the front ring top and bottom are stamped with a small "1" on the same side to allow for proper reinstallation, the rear ring is marked with a "2".


The final step is to torque the screws, there are a couple of things to note here. Always torque in a cross pattern and do it in steps, with four screws like this go diagonal otherwise go straight across. If you have vertical rings always tighten the bottom screw first or it can take tension off the clamping force on the base. With #6 screws I'll start with a regular screw driver and just go to where there is tension on the screws, then using the same pattern I go around the screws again with a torque driver set to 10" inlbs and then a final torque of 15inlbs. If I have #8's I go to 20inlbs but more important than actually torque is even pressure on all the screws. Some of the screws supplied with rings and bases can leave something to be desired but the specs above I've used on both steel and aluminum rings and with cheap and good screws. You don't need a 300.00 Snap On driver like mine but if you do very many scopes I recommend and inexpensive driver like the one from Wheeler engineering, it's not as precise but it will give equal torque.


Something else I'll mention is it's not necessary to put loctite on rings. If they are torqued correctly the rings themselves act against the screws with spring force which keeps them from backing out. I do loctite bases with red loctite but I don't use the liquid. Loctite has two new versions which are much less messy and the red is just a little less strong than the liquid and although it holds very well the screws can usually be broke loose without heat. The two types are a solid stick and a gel both use a screw feed system like deoderant. With bases start your torque sequence in the middle and work outwards toward the ends. If any of you have done heads on an engine it's the same principle otherwise it can cause warpage and always go back over everything on last time. I hope this helps answer some questions and give you some helpful information.

Very good post and very true. Ruger rings might be the worst to get even. There is something about the fit to the gun.
I found Weaver type bases less out of line.
I use a lap but I love your reamer.
Your information is always right on the money.

Good info, Rod.

Thanks for the post.I always wondered if this was really a necessary operation but the pictures point out how out of whack these rings can be.

Rod, thanks for sharing that with us. I am getting ready to mount a scope for a good friend this weekend. Your timing is perfect.

Good information for sure and pics make it that much better.

Now something else I have to buy. Oh Me Oh My:)

Good read Rod. I have the Wheeler Kit, and it seems to work pretty good. Your setup looks like the real deal

The Wheeler kit is great, both their lapping and torque driver kit are fine. The reamer is my preferred method but much more costly and my Snap On driver is from my days as an automotive tech and was used on delicate stuff such as transmission valve bodies and carburetors. The main thing is to make sure there is even pressure and good alignment so your scope lives longer and stays true.

I have been using the new "stick" version of Loc-Tite for several years now and it is considerably better and easier to use than the liquid.

Couldn't agree more. Just makes sense instead of just using guess work. eliminates a bunch of room for error, and I know I would be second guessing it all the time if I didn't cover my tracks by lapping and even torque

Great post! Good info, and the pics just make it come alive.

Great information,
I wrecked a scope last year and I blamed the scope but after talking with a few people I think the rings were the culprit. I was just looking at the wheeler kit last wek wondering if it was worth it. After seeing your pictures and the damage that was caused to my scope I'm thinking it is worth it. That reamer looks awsome though.
Thnks for the informative post.
Mike

Mike,
First sorry for the OT.
You coming to Wyoming for the shoot?

OT ? ? ? Hmm, probably somethin simple but I don't get it.

No I won't make it to the shoot this year. I really enjoyed it last year and wanted to return but I have not recieved my gun from the gunsmith yet. It's only been 18 months since I droped it off there. He said he would have it ready for last June and it wasn't. Rich was kind enough to lend me one of his and I really appreciated it. After I had a problem with it (possibly my lack of experience with it and being scared to break it) a complete stranger to me at the time lent me his. I found out later he didn't shoot part of the match himself because he didn't have enough ammo loaded. If that isn't kindness from the heart I don't know what is. Thanks again Mike. So this spring rolls around and I still don't have my gun back, therefore I will sit out this year and plan for next. If I don't have it back by then I'm thinking I may have an MOA to pick up. LOL
Hope you guys have fun and good luck to everyone.
Mike

OT=Off Topic
If you don't have a rig for next year you can use one of mine.

rings and mounts cause more scope failures than anything else from my experience which is why I'm also big on extra rings on the extra hard hitters.

Thanks

I have always favored multiple rings; not to mention how they reduce scope tube flex.

ya... I learned the hard way... ... ... LOL

Very good and informative thread and I agree totaly. Also beding the bases will make sure that there is no lateral movement in the base to reciever that can affect accuracy

FYI-That is my Super Redhawk Rod is working one.
Spiffing her all up to make sure she is running good.

And it is not wearing a long range tactical hunting scope????????????????




AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just because I don't use LER scopes much doesn't mean I don't know how to use them effectively.

Looks like I need to do the same on my SRH

I've seen videos of this done with a lapping bar but have always wondered; If I tighten the ring screws and lapped or reamed the rings with a 1" reamer, will there still be enough metal left on the rings to secure the scope (with a 1 inch tube) properly? I fear "going too far" and scrapping a set of rings. I suppose if I measured the OD of the scope that would answer my question, I just don't have anything to measure that with at home.

you would have to do alot of lapping as it takes alot longer to remove metal. If you just watch the gap between the two ring halves you can tell when your running out of room. If you were to get into that situation though you just need to take the ring halves and work the flanges down a little on some sand paper on a flat surface.

Ahh. That makes sence. Thanks Rod!