torque settings and loctite

[AK-49]

As far as mounting scopes what is the recommended torque setting for 6x48 screws and 8x40 screws for mounting bases to receiver and closing rings halves together?

Do most experts recommend using loctite for mounting scopes?

[bugsNbows]

15-18 inch pounds for the ring halves and more like 35 to mount bases (the base # is foggy but I snug them up tightly to be sure) to the receiver. I only ever use blue loctite on bases...never on rings. Some folks even put a thin layer of loctite under the bases as a moisture deterrent. As a matter of fact, with torx head screws, a tiny dab of gun oil helps to tighten and hold the screws.

[swamp]

As far a Talley Mounts go:


Here are some recommended torque settings. For the lightweight setups 20-25 in-lb for the base, 17 in-lb for the rings.

Steel: bases 20-25 in-lb; Fixed rings, bottom screw 35 in-lb top screw 17-24 in-lb. Detachable rings: large bottom screw 35 in-lb, small bottom screws 30 in-lb, top screws 17-24 in-lb.

As far as loc tite goes, we don’t really recommend its use, but if you have a customer that likes to use it, we recommend the non permanent blue loc tite.

[Hi Ball]

I use an inch-lb tool to tighten all my scope mounts and rings! I also use the "blue" loc-tite on all my calibers above a .243 caliber, especially those magnum calibers gents.

The other thing that is very important mounting a scope, is to have the right tools available for the job. I use two pieces of round stainless steel that are cone shaped to a point. They are for 1 inch rings ok. Each one is placed into a ring and tightened down, with point facing the opposite ring. Those points must match up (point to point) or your scope rings are not level and scope will not set in the cradle of those rings properly. You also have a good chance in damaging the rifle scope. Cabela's sells the whole kit for around a $100 bucks!!!;)

[Hammerxc]

that kit sounds like a good pick up

[blaze]

Have you thought about lapping the rings before you put the scope into them? I know some people may think that lapping rings is not needed if you are using quality rings, but there may be slight machining differences in ring base holes alignment, and that translates into rings which may not align perfectly.

A lapping kit is not very expensive and it is very easy to use. It is basically a 1" (or 30mm) steel bar with a handle in it. Once you have mounted the bases, install the rings, and slide the steel bar into them (just as if you were mounting the scope itself. Make the rings snug but not too tight onto the steel bar. You need them to be as snug on the steel bar as possible, but still loose enough for hte bard to slide. Apply some lapping compound to the bar, and run it back and forth a few times.

What you are trying to accomplish is to ‘knock down’ any high points within the inside of the rings. You will feel the bar sliding easier once you have run it back and forth a few times. Remove the bar, wipe off any lapping compound, and you will see where the high points inside the rings are now lower.

Sometimes the bluing inside the ring is taken off a little, and those are the areas inside the rings that would have caused binding or ring marks on your scope tube body if you did not lap the rings.

Good Luck.
Mike

[swamp]

you don't need to lap talley rings as they are already concentric... the only thing lapping does is remove the bluing and take the rings out of round...

[blaze]

Swamp,
Can we agree to disagree on that?

[swamp]

LOL.. sure...

Good rings will not require lapping.... if the rings are not concentric to each other then there is a problem with the receiver...

I know lapping is a common practice... removing bluing from the rings and taking the rings out of round isnt desirable IMHO

[blaze]

I agree with you on Talley rings. I have them and I love them. They are great out of the box, and in my case, I use them to mount two different scopes on one rifle. (A Leupold 3.5x-10x AO and a Burris 1.5x - 5x) on a 25/06). One set of bases and two set's of rings, and I am done.
They are worth the $$..

Now let's talk about the 'other' white meat;.. the normal Redfield (Leupold, Burris etc) split ring style. If you lap the rings, and it removes the bluing, then the area where the bluing was removed would have been the high point on the rings. Now if ALL of the bluing was removed EVENLY within the ring, then we can assume that the ring was 100% perfect prior to the lapping.

Does that make sense? Maybe I should post a new thread on ring lapping to hear other's opinions on this..

Thanks !

Mike

[swamp]

Do the rings begin to rust over time where the bluing was removed or do you reblue the rings after lapping?

[blaze]

I usually touch up the worn away bluing with OXPHO-BLUE. I have bought that from Brownells, but I am sure that other brands will work just as well. Once I reblue it, I oil the rings with Birchwood Casey Sheath. I have never had any rust problems. The few times that I have had to remove a scope after I lapped the rings, there were never any rust.

I think that once they are mounted and snugged down, the air can't get to it to form rust.