2, 4, 6 or 8 ring screws?

M

MTT TL

New member
I was mounting a scope the other day and for some reason I noticed I have never really paid any attention to the number of ring screws and now have several different mounts (1 piece and regular rings) with a variety of different numbers of screws to hold the scope in place.


My questions are:
- what number of ring screws do you favor when mounting a scope?
- Do you find any advantage to mounting a scope with more or less screws?
- Does it make a difference for higher recoil rifles?

Really looking for the perspective of longer range shooters (300+ Meters)
 
The rifle thats getting the scope mounted atop it, and the cartridge it fires, and the size of the tube diameter are three most important things to consider.
I use mostly Leupold bases and rings for what I shoot, paired with 30mm tubed Vortex Vipers, this combo is sufficient even with magnum cartridges, 2 screw rings btw.
If the rifle is a custom build, I like the Smith to drill and tap for 8-40's instead of 6-40's for my base.
Dependending on Brand and type of rings I purchase, some never need lapped while others need to.
 
For no particular reason other than being a cheapskate, I've always used Weaver two-piece mounts.

No problems whatsoever, since back in the 1950s. Bunches of sub-MOA groups.
 
I don't have any really "hard kickers" but I do like the 4 screw rings. Achieving a solid mount is easier with less chance of denting the scope tube with the wider rings and the 4 screws don't have to be as tight to hold. For those applications using a single ring, the 6 screw rings seem a good option.
 
"For no particular reason other than being a cheapskate, I've always used Weaver two-piece mounts."

Yeah, me too. But not the ones with the screws on just one side. Weaver makes some now that IIRC they call 4x4's. Each ring is actually two separate rings for each mount base. Funny thing is the only place I've found them was at Walmart. Not expensive and they work just fine. I have one set on an M70 .338 Win. Mag. and they've been problem free so far.
Paul B.
 
I could be wrong, but that's what I have noticed. All the 4-screw rings I have come across are made of aluminum. I like to use steel rings. But I don't recall seeing steel ring with 4 screws.

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
The number of ring screws necessary are determined by

1: The weight of the scope/rifle recoil
2: the material that the rings are made from
3: how high the scope will be mounted

#1 is obvious....if the rifle recoils more, you may want more screws to spread out the "hold" on your scope

#2: you cannot torque aluminum down as much as steel. Burris steel rings or Warne steel rings can be torqued down to 24 inch lbs. Aluminum down to more like 18 inch lbs or else you risk stripping the threads.

#3. The higher the rings, the more recoil will act upon the rings.. so steel is better for very high rings

In summary,
Heavy recoiling rifles need 2 or 4 screw steel rings, or 4/6 screw aluminum rings

Light recoil rifles can use lighter 2/4 screw aluminum rings, or obviously 2 screw steel rings.

My model 70 Super Grade 300 win mag kicks like a Kentucky mule and wears a $1,000 Swarovski scope in Burris signature rings, only one screw on each side and they are steel.....the scope has not moved in over 200 rounds fired.
 
I use 4 hole rings on my standard caliber rifles 223, 243, 7mm-08AI, 257 Bob, 308, 250 Savage.
Usually Vortex Vipers rings.

I use 6 hole for magnum calibers.

As a side note, after trying several different manufactures i finally settled on the Vortex rings as they were the only ones that didn't allow the scope to shift on my wifes Rossi R243.
 
With two exceptions a Ruger 77/22, & M1A, all rifles mount the original Weaver mounts, with two screws per mount. I can swap to differnt rifles as needed and do a quick sight in.

KISS is best
 
For no particular reason other than being a cheapskate, I've always used Weaver two-piece mounts.

No problems whatsoever, since back in the 1950s. Bunches of sub-MOA groups.
Click to expand...

My Dad has those rings on several of his rifles. They have held up for over 50 years of Hunting so they can't be all bad. The only thing I don't like about them is the way they spin the scope when you tighten them down. You have to try and try until you get the scope axis just right.

As for me, I use Talley lightweights on a few rifles but I thought I might try some Conetrol rings on my next build, they don't have ANY screws.

;)
 
Apparently my gunsmith agrees with art: old weaver rings are just fine. I even offered to let the guy order new rings, but he seemed happy with the old weavers that the rifle was wearing.
 
It all depends on the ring design. I use Burris Signature Zee rings on all of my 1" & 30 mm tubed scopes. The 1" rings only have 2 cap screws, and the 30 mm have 4 cap screws.
On my high end long range scopes I use American Rifle Co. M10 rings in 34 mm & 40 mm tube sizes, and they only have one screw that holds the scope secure in the rings, and they hold better than any other style of rings that I've ever used.
 
I have a set of Conetrols on my little Sako .243 carbine, since 1971. Slick little critters, and they've worked quite well. :)
 
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