Optic mounting and recommendations

[JustShoot]

spitpatch / Man thanks for backing me up a little on the ( How Not To Do ) on new Glass mounting .
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( also to the OP ) .
All I know is that it Really Really SUCK the Worst when you out of town shooting or hunting and You get Optics or Mount problems away from from home and tools .
I have seen highly experienced shooters with top gear have had optics come loose when away from home and it Really Sucks with Optic problems in the middle of getting Rounds down range, it can creep-up and happen to anyone . A front Loose Base mount screw and getting a wondering POI will suck the life out of a good day in a hurry .
But if you get a good hands-on approach to mounting your new optics to your rifle . You will be far ahead of the shooters that let the responsibility rely to another person that will never be pulling the trigger on your rifle and set-up .
.

 

[Spitpatch]

No sweat, JS. There are numerous sources which will detail even for the novice proper scope mounting procedures. There is definitely something to be said for having done it yourself (either for when things go wrong, or more importantly and pleasingly when things go right: as they probably will if one follows proper procedure). No box store employee is going to set eye relief perfectly for you, nor select the absolutely perfect ring height for your chosen scope and rifle. Certainly no box store employee will be there for you to bop in the head when you notice your scope has slipped in the rings in the middle of a hard-effort hunt. Likewise, he will not be there for a pat on the back when everything comes together perfectly, and your self-reliance and preparation of equipment result in the perfectly delivered shot.

One of my incidental forms of entertainment is to stop and watch a box-store employee (even at the big sporting goods houses: supposed "experts") mount a scope for a customer. Invariably, I must stifle a chuckle, and can never stifle shaking my head and turning away, thinking (about the customer), "that poor S.O.B.". The biggest indicator that something's not quite right is the amount of time spent on the task: they do it in about 15 minutes.

Even having mounted countless scopes on rifles and handguns (shotguns, crossbows, air rifles), I never undertake the job without at least a couple hours to devote to it. Often, to do the job absolutely correct takes longer. Even on a gun I am quite familiar with (Rem 700's are a favorite), I might discover some little glitch that takes some manipulation (and time) to overcome, based on the scope/mounts of choice for that particular application.

I always learn something new every time (especially when I take my time).

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Gentlemen, I have a free BSA bore sighting set in Parts & Accessories. Just thought it might come in handy.

The bore sighter is gone, thanks.

Check out Brownells-Mounting A Scope on a rifle- on Utube.

 

[jbett98]

Here's a little tip on centering the crosshairs on a used scope back to factory center.
Take the scope and place it up against your bathroom mirror with the rooms lights on.
Look through the scopes eyepiece and you'll see two sets of crosshairs. turn the adjustment knobs till the double lines merge into one.
You are now back to factory center.

 

[old_heli_logger]

Nothing about lapping the rings huh?

 

[Spitpatch]

Nothing about lapping the rings huh?

Lapping rings, unfortunately became "all the rage" about ten years or so ago. Yes, in some cases it is necessary, and can provide the final touch to precise fit and alignment of the interior surface of the rings in relation to the scope tube, eliminating stress.

However, the reality is that far too many persons inexperienced in the procedure got ahold of Lapping Bars, Compound and the like, and began lapping the bejeezus out of their rings when it really wasn't necessary. In most cases it really isn't necessary. Well-made rings and mounts, and an understanding of the procedure to assure alignment of the rings prior to putting the scope within them is most usually all that is required for a perfect job.

Lapping rings with a bar supplied for the purpose does not take into account that the bar is not what will be finally held in the rings. Yes, scope tubes are pretty darn straight, but they are not perfectly straight. Ideally, we would use the scope tube intended for installation itself as a lapping bar, but of course that is impossible.

Something else to consider is that the bluing on the interior of the rings is the first casualty of lapping. This grants corrosion an avenue of installing itself in an area that cannot (and probably will not) ever see the corrosion prevention attention that other (exterior) surfaces of the gun regularly receive.

Lapping can produce some (perhaps discernible) benefit for the precision shooter who has devoted himself to eliminating EVERY variable. For the vast majority of shooters, given good rings and mounts to start with, no measurable benefit will ever likely be noticed. The vast majority of shooters are also not well-versed in the procedure; it is very critical and time-consuming, and much easier for the inexperienced to inflict damage than gain tangible improvement.