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How careful are you with scope mounting?

There are a range of things folks do to ensure solid scope mounting, which do you recommend folks do

  • Epoxy bed mounting rail

    Votes: 14 14.1%

  • Use manufacturer's torque spec

    Votes: 69 69.7%

  • Use Loctite

    Votes: 70 70.7%

  • Use single piece rings

    Votes: 22 22.2%

  • Lap scope rings

    Votes: 40 40.4%

  • Have installed by gunsmith

    Votes: 5 5.1%

  • Only purchase high-end brand rings

    Votes: 46 46.5%

  • Other

    Votes: 10 10.1%
  • Total voters
    99
sbhooper said:
Loctite is fine, until you have to try to remove it-which hopefully won't happen. I have done it both ways, but properly torqued screws is a great idea, no matter what. Bedding the mounts with JB Weld is a good idea, too, as you know the rail is in contact with the receiver all the way and it is not as likely to shift. I usually don't do it, but even with expensive rings, it is not a bad thing to lap the rings, to make sure that you have the best contact for the full width of the rings. It also lessens the chances of leaving rings marks on the scope. Not every mount is perfect and even expensive rings can be a bit off, due to the mounts. Several variables there.

I have been borrowing a buddy's scope mounting kit, but finally ordered my own from Brownell's. It can be an eye opener to use the alignment rods, showing how far out of alignment rings can be. I did some 30mm Weaver rings just yesterday and they were pretty jacked. I got them pretty much perfect, after some lapping work. Hard to say if it was the rings, or the mount, but those alignment rods will tell you if there is a problem.
Click to expand...


Loctite would be out of the question if it was used with Allen head screws. You'd likely need to put a torch to it to soften the stuff up. I have heard some recommend the use of a cosmetic product called "Hard as Nails" that ladies and others use to repair broken fingernails. Proper tightening of the screws should be sufficient.

Word on the street is that use of a Picatinny base obviates the need for lapping the rings tho I spect it doesn't always assure alignment of the scope tube with the bore.
 
antelopedundee said:
Loctite would be out of the question if it was used with Allen head screws. You'd likely need to put a torch to it to soften the stuff up. I have heard some recommend the use of a cosmetic product called "Hard as Nails" that ladies and others use to repair broken fingernails. Proper tightening of the screws should be sufficient.

Word on the street is that use of a Picatinny base obviates the need for lapping the rings tho I spect it doesn't always assure alignment of the scope tube with the bore.
Click to expand...
If the screws are torqued correctly, you should not really need loctite. A buddy of mine has removed several bases that had been loctited and it was not fun, because they used the wrong kind of loctite. It is still not a bad idea to bed any kind of base, as it will make sure to hold contact. Lots of imperfections. And it comes down to “why not?”.
 
Never considered the type of loctite. My last scope mount went w/o issue and no use of loctite or swiping my wife's/daughter's liquid nails.
Friend and I were pondering loctite while placing the mounts. None present at the time and never had a past issue w/ allen screws.
I'll have to examine the packaging next time I handle the loctite in the tool box.

I'm an "other" as we simply tighten down the screws and get on with the scope and sighting it in. Something about the crosshairs and the boom make the scope mount move along. To my detriment? So far so go. Tight enough grouping.
 
LocTite purple will not cause you any trouble. I use it religiously now, let me tell you all a story. I apologize for the nightmares and sleepless nights that will ensue.

Last year I was preparing for my 2nd ever elk hunt. All summer long I had shot my rifle at longer ranges than I ever had (out to 600), and was getting more and more confident. I am an optics ho and in about 6 months I went from a Zeiss V6 5-30x50, Vortex Razor HD LH 3-15x42, to a NF ATACR 4-16x50, to a Vortex Razor AMG 6-24x50, to a SWFA 3-15x42 which I had parallax issues with a 3 weeks before the hunt so they sent me a fixed parallax 3-9x42 SS HD which I wound up loving. All these swaps I had been using my normal purple loctite, but in a rush I let a forum post about not using loctite woo me into not using any when mounting the 3-9x42. Practiced at the range probably 10 times before we went for our final practice a couple days before we were scheduled to leave. That last day I verified zero, then shot a nice 3" 5 shot group at 430 yards. Perfect, ready to go kill an elk.

I get home, get the rifle out of the case to put in the safe. Thankfully, it was dead quiet and still in the room. I felt a click in my hand that was holding the rifle. At first I though the magazine might be loose. Nope. As I'm checking it over, the scope appears to move...I grab it and wiggle it. Obvious movement side to side. I put it in the gun vise. All 4 of my base screws (Talley LW's mated directly to the action) are loose! WTF!! Panic ensues. I disassemble and clean everything, use copious amounts of Purple LocTite, add 5 in/lbs to my torque specs, and even witness mark all the screws with pink fingernail polish (what I was able to steal from the wife the quickest) ala Form style of 24HCF/Rokslide fame, and make an emergency range trip the day before my hunt. Zero and verify drops at range again. All is well. Shot the rifle again at a range near my hunting location in Colorado, all is good, and on the last day of first rifle take the ~330" 6x7 in my avatar, my first elk and likely the biggest I'll ever kill.

I absolutely can not imagine if I hadn't discovered it until during the hunt. I'd have had no way to fix it without leaving the woods and costing myself two days of hunting. Worse yet, I could have never noticed it and sprayed rounds from Denver to Aspen to Gunnison to Boulder shooting at that poor bull.

I summise that all of them had been slowly working loose during my range trips and not until after the final shot of my last practice day did the last screw give up the ghost and back out enough to allow full movement of the scope.

Here's a video I took that day when I got home from what was supposed to be my last range trip:

https://imgur.com/qk06AKq

Here is a link to Form's process for mounting scopes for:

Scope mounting to maintain zero....
 
While i did mark lapping, it's more a checking contact and lap as needed.

I've heard so many people comment that if properly torqued nothing is needed on the threads.
My answer to that would be true, false, and otherwise.
As an aircraft mechanic, some form of something is usually (not always) called out for threaded fasteners. If not a chemical on the threads, then a paint applied to the head to indicate if it has moved, or safety wire to ensure it doesn't move.

After many years of wheels coming off, U-Haul did an exhaustive study on chemicals to ensure torque on wheel studs & nuts/bolts. They even tried spit, and sweat. Bottom line, they found most consistant torque using a dab of silver anti seize. Testing cost 1.2 million dollars.

The correct type of Loctite is the big cincher.
Most people have the blue 242 Loctite at home or in the garage.
The more appropiate is the purple 222 Loctite.
NEVER the red Loctite! You need heat to loosen it.
 
This is all so silly to me. I've never but one time used loc-tite on a scope. Used red and that is a huge mistake! Have never lapped the rings or any of that other cool stuff. I think most of it is for feel good or ego. I have never found a need for expensive base's and rings! Inexpensive Weaver's are fine. Now and then to stroke my ego I might get a set of Leupold's and used to think anything with Redfield on it was as good as it got! I had a inexpensive set of Tasco years ago I got rid of for no other reason than I hated looking at them. New rings didn't improve the shooting at all! My favorite set is on my 25-06, don't remember what they are called, maybe Control. Found them in the store where I got my 25-06 and they were the least expensive ring's in the store, less than Weaver. Boy are they nice looking though! Been shooting high power rifles since my senior year in high school, step dad wasn't a shooter. That was 1963, and have never had a set of rings and base's fail me! Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket!
 
std7mag said:
While i did mark lapping, it's more a checking contact and lap as needed.

I've heard so many people comment that if properly torqued nothing is needed on the threads.
My answer to that would be true, false, and otherwise.
As an aircraft mechanic, some form of something is usually (not always) called out for threaded fasteners. If not a chemical on the threads, then a paint applied to the head to indicate if it has moved, or safety wire to ensure it doesn't move.

After many years of wheels coming off, U-Haul did an exhaustive study on chemicals to ensure torque on wheel studs & nuts/bolts. They even tried spit, and sweat. Bottom line, they found most consistant torque using a dab of silver anti seize. Testing cost 1.2 million dollars.

The correct type of Loctite is the big cincher.
Most people have the blue 242 Loctite at home or in the garage.
The more appropiate is the purple 222 Loctite.
NEVER the red Loctite! You need heat to loosen it.
Click to expand...

After a bit of though I've decided Red loctite is great. Because of it I had to go to a gunsmith to get the base's off. Got to meet with and visit with Harvy Behumiller for awhile. He was a great guy. Walk into his yard and two of the laziest Chesapeke bay Retriever's I've ever seen meet you hoping for a scratch! I really liked that guy!
 
ChrisAU said:
LocTite purple will not cause you any trouble. I use it religiously now, let me tell you all a story. I apologize for the nightmares and sleepless nights that will ensue.

Last year I was preparing for my 2nd ever elk hunt. All summer long I had shot my rifle at longer ranges than I ever had (out to 600), and was getting more and more confident. I am an optics ho and in about 6 months I went from a Zeiss V6 5-30x50, Vortex Razor HD LH 3-15x42, to a NF ATACR 4-16x50, to a Vortex Razor AMG 6-24x50, to a SWFA 3-15x42 which I had parallax issues with a 3 weeks before the hunt so they sent me a fixed parallax 3-9x42 SS HD which I wound up loving. All these swaps I had been using my normal purple loctite, but in a rush I let a forum post about not using loctite woo me into not using any when mounting the 3-9x42. Practiced at the range probably 10 times before we went for our final practice a couple days before we were scheduled to leave. That last day I verified zero, then shot a nice 3" 5 shot group at 430 yards. Perfect, ready to go kill an elk.

I get home, get the rifle out of the case to put in the safe. Thankfully, it was dead quiet and still in the room. I felt a click in my hand that was holding the rifle. At first I though the magazine might be loose. Nope. As I'm checking it over, the scope appears to move...I grab it and wiggle it. Obvious movement side to side. I put it in the gun vise. All 4 of my base screws (Talley LW's mated directly to the action) are loose! WTF!! Panic ensues. I disassemble and clean everything, use copious amounts of Purple LocTite, add 5 in/lbs to my torque specs, and even witness mark all the screws with pink fingernail polish (what I was able to steal from the wife the quickest) ala Form style of 24HCF/Rokslide fame, and make an emergency range trip the day before my hunt. Zero and verify drops at range again. All is well. Shot the rifle again at a range near my hunting location in Colorado, all is good, and on the last day of first rifle take the ~330" 6x7 in my avatar, my first elk and likely the biggest I'll ever kill.

I absolutely can not imagine if I hadn't discovered it until during the hunt. I'd have had no way to fix it without leaving the woods and costing myself two days of hunting. Worse yet, I could have never noticed it and sprayed rounds from Denver to Aspen to Gunnison to Boulder shooting at that poor bull.

I summise that all of them had been slowly working loose during my range trips and not until after the final shot of my last practice day did the last screw give up the ghost and back out enough to allow full movement of the scope.

Here's a video I took that day when I got home from what was supposed to be my last range trip:

https://imgur.com/qk06AKq

Here is a link to Form's process for mounting scopes for:

Scope mounting to maintain zero....
Click to expand...

Forms scope mounting info is some of the best advice I’ve seen and used. Coming from a guy who actually shoots thousands of rounds a month I value his opinions a lot.
 
noharleyyet said:
I mount all mine with Talley Light Weights, check em with the alignment rods, lap if necessary, torque to spec, a little blue loc-t on the base to receiver, none on the ring coupling. The Wheeler Kit is the bomb. So far so good.
Click to expand...
Same here. I've got the Wheeler install kit (the levelers) and a Fat Wrench and I use them meticulously. And had great luck with Talley light weights.
 
Don Fischer said:
This is all so silly to me. I've never but one time used loc-tite on a scope. Used red and that is a huge mistake! Have never lapped the rings or any of that other cool stuff. I think most of it is for feel good or ego. I have never found a need for expensive base's and rings! Inexpensive Weaver's are fine. Now and then to stroke my ego I might get a set of Leupold's and used to think anything with Redfield on it was as good as it got! I had a inexpensive set of Tasco years ago I got rid of for no other reason than I hated looking at them. New rings didn't improve the shooting at all! My favorite set is on my 25-06, don't remember what they are called, maybe Control. Found them in the store where I got my 25-06 and they were the least expensive ring's in the store, less than Weaver. Boy are they nice looking though! Been shooting high power rifles since my senior year in high school, step dad wasn't a shooter. That was 1963, and have never had a set of rings and base's fail me! Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket!
Click to expand...
I'm in the same boat. I have a Leupold scope mounted on my 7mmRM with Weaver See-Through mounts. They have been trouble free sine they mounted on the rifle in 1980 if I remember correctly.
On my wife's .270 I mounted a higher grade Luepold scope using more expensive genuine Leupod rings and solid one-piece base, circa 1983.
I didn't do anything on that list other than buy a quality scope to begin with.
Which is better? Who knows because they have both been trouble free ever since mounting them.
 
Last edited:
I mounted a Nikon scope on a new savage 110 30-06 in 2001, used med loctight on the screws, for the base and rings. Gun shot a variety of loads sub moa and when I started reloading I got a load developed that was 1/2 moa with 165 AB. The last 5 or so years I haven’t shot it much but it’s had 2-3000 rounds thru it since it was mounted not to mention many years it was my truck gun and sat on the floorboard in the back seat. This past off season I took it to the range and the groups started opening up, thinking I had shot out the barrel I removed the scope by Putting the appropriate star bit in a screwdriver and lightly tapping with a mallet before unscrewing them. Turned out the rear ring had cracked on it.

All my High end long range stuff these days I use tally’s or night force components, I don’t use bedding on the base but I do use med loctight the base screws. Just torque the rings to the scope manufactures specs. You can always check ring specs and you might want to change scopes, but bases I see more as a permanent thing. If I’m pulling a base it’s because I’m getting rid of the rifle. And I do lap my rings.
 
Last edited:
I lapped the 2 piece Leupold rings that I have mounted on a Savage 111 in 7mm Rem mag. The contact wasn't great before lapping. Not sure if it was due to the rings, or the alignment of the tapped holes in the gun, but I'm glad I lapped them. I had to take off a fair amount of material before the ID of the rings had 80% contact with the lapping tool. Torqued the bolts to spec and the setup holds zero very well. Can't remember if I used Loctite on the rings/ bases or not, since it's been about 8 years since I mounted everything.
 
Don Fischer said:
This is all so silly to me. I've never but one time used loc-tite on a scope. Used red and that is a huge mistake! Have never lapped the rings or any of that other cool stuff. I think most of it is for feel good or ego. I have never found a need for expensive base's and rings! Inexpensive Weaver's are fine. Now and then to stroke my ego I might get a set of Leupold's and used to think anything with Redfield on it was as good as it got! I had a inexpensive set of Tasco years ago I got rid of for no other reason than I hated looking at them. New rings didn't improve the shooting at all! My favorite set is on my 25-06, don't remember what they are called, maybe Control. Found them in the store where I got my 25-06 and they were the least expensive ring's in the store, less than Weaver. Boy are they nice looking though! Been shooting high power rifles since my senior year in high school, step dad wasn't a shooter. That was 1963, and have never had a set of rings and base's fail me! Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket!
Click to expand...

Try your hunting rifles at 600, 1,000, further.
You quickly realize it's the little things that can pay big dividends.

I'm still putting over 1,300 rifle round a year down range.
 
I have been thinking about this post for awhile . It seems to me that if we buy Quality products and are a little handy we can get the rings bases , or rail and rings,
scope set up just fine . There is a few ways to get to this point , most can check out YouTube and get some pointers .
I just injoy gathering parts and pieces to get my Rifle the way I want . It's no fun letting someone else do the work to me !

MT.PERCHMAN
 
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