Lapping scope rings?

SWThomas · 10-06-2009, 10:03 AM

I always thought it wasn't necessary but I have since changed my opinion. I bought a scope alignment kit the other day just for something to do. When I checked the alignment of the scope rings on one of my rifles, I noticed they were pretty out of alignment. I had to lap the rings for close to an hour to get to points to line up. I was just wondering how many people lap the rings when they mount a scope on a new rifle. If not, how many people even check alignment?

DeerandbearhoG · 10-06-2009, 10:17 AM

? what kind of rings/mounts are these? Are they turn in style? Its hard to imagine you could take off enough metal to visually see a difference in alignment. when I installed dual DT mounts, and rings on 2 of my rifles last winter, I used the alignment tool, to figure out how far to turn the rings, and the lapping tool to smooth out the inside surface of the rings for a better hold on the scope. It seems if you were to actaully grind off enough matierial to align rings, there would be a gap inbetween the rings and scope.

thndrchiken · 10-06-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeerandbearhoG

? what kind of rings/mounts are these? Are they turn in style? Its hard to imagine you could take off enough metal to visually see a difference in alignment. when I installed dual DT mounts, and rings on 2 of my rifles last winter, I used the alignment tool, to figure out how far to turn the rings, and the lapping tool to smooth out the inside surface of the rings for a better hold on the scope. It seems if you were to actaully grind off enough matierial to align rings, there would be a gap inbetween the rings and scope.

I have to agree with this statement. The only time you need to lap the rings is to remove any burrs or tooling marks. If your rings were that far off there are other issues.

SWThomas · 10-06-2009, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeerandbearhoG

? what kind of rings/mounts are these? Are they turn in style? Its hard to imagine you could take off enough metal to visually see a difference in alignment. when I installed dual DT mounts, and rings on 2 of my rifles last winter, I used the alignment tool, to figure out how far to turn the rings, and the lapping tool to smooth out the inside surface of the rings for a better hold on the scope. It seems if you were to actaully grind off enough matierial to align rings, there would be a gap inbetween the rings and scope.

That's the surprising thing. These are Leupold rings and bases. You might think that, but the lapping bar is the same diameter as the scope tube. so you're smoothing out the inside of the rings to the size of the scope tube. It took me several times of lapping and then checking alignment before I got it right.

salukipv1 · 10-06-2009, 10:43 AM

I now lapp all of my rings, it's too easy not to.

handloader1 · 10-06-2009, 01:03 PM

I lap all my scopes in. When I purchased the lapping tools from Brownells, the instructions said to lap 70% of the rings. Good luck.

spaniel · 10-06-2009, 03:04 PM

I use Burris Signature rings so that I never have to, and also set them up to get extra elevation travel while I'm at it!

SWThomas · 10-06-2009, 03:51 PM

Okay thanks fellas! They weren't off like a dog leg or anything. But with the alignment bars, they were noticeably off.

Centaur 1 · 10-06-2009, 04:35 PM

I prefer to use a one piece picatinny rail for a base. It's easy to see that the two piece bases might not line up very well, there's quite a bit of clearance in the screw holes that mount the bases to the receiver.

DeerandbearhoG · 10-06-2009, 05:27 PM

Its usually not the bases that dont line up, they line up w/ the holes in the receiver ,which are usually ,directly lined up w/ the bore. The rings are usually what are out of alignment, since many have windage adjustments, and even the screws, that are almost impossible to line up w/ each other w/out an alignment tool. Lapping the rings however, has nothing to do with scope alignment. Lapping is to smooth out surfaces.