Installing a scope for the first time.

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darkman

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Gentlemen
Let me start this by wishing all a Merry Christmas. I am the latest "nubee" on here so I would ask your patience in wanting to smack the stupid off of me! I have shot iron sites my whole life and have recently decided to put a scope on my latest purchase. I have read a lot of literature and gone to forums such as this and I have the general idea of the thing but.........
I have two problems or let me say I think I have two problems......there maybe more! Number 1 the rings I purchased are Warne rings and a two piece base. In the spartan set of instructions it tells me to tighten the bottom screws to 65 in lb..................so far I am good to go.....but then it says after installing these to the proper torque.......it says tighten the top screws..(it is a vertical ring with three screws on the top........I don't want to assume that I would also torque the top screws at 65 in lb because it does not say and I don't want the scope moving from the recoil of the rifle.......could someone throw me a life ring? Problem number 2... I have set the scope to the proper eye relief for me....I am doing this by myself so I figure it to be somewhere between 3 and 4 inches........now with the scope set in this position.....the front ring is ~ 3/8" from where the tube starts to truncate and the back ring is about the same distance from windage and elevation "towers". Pardon me and please correct me if I have used the wrong terminology here. Is this to close, shouldn't the rings be approximately in the center area between the tower and back and the tower and the front? Thank for each and all replies.
 
I would take it to my local gun store and let someone else put it on or call a buddy who has done it and ask him to teach me.

I've broken those torque screws right off doing it myself or scratched a pretty gun.

If you insist on doing it your self, and there is nothing wrong with that, have the proper tools (a bench with light, a gun vise, screwdriver heads that fit right and tight, patience, etc.)




Mark, esquire
 
There's a proper torque for your rings,,, say maybe 25 to 28 inch lbs.... Having said that, it's a good idea to track down the instructions and go "step by step" as per these instructions.
Yes to your second problem, it is okay the position in which your scope is at this point, as long as you have set your perfect eye-relief.
It's an easy job for an educated "rifle junky" like you will encounter on the Firing-Line.

The "Smitty" section of the Skunkworks group, in this forum, has more gun "guru's" that have alot more knowledge than I, and they could also shed more light.

Also I have on numerous occaisions replied to similar threads with step by step instructions, from start to finish.

Welcome to the Firing Line dude!:)
 
As said above, there is NO relevance to the ring mounting locations, and their centering on the scope tube. Everyone is different, every rifle is different, and so is length of pull...so the scope mounts where it works best.

Bring the rifle up and shoulder in it's "natural" (maybe "comfortable" is a better word) position. Get the correct cheekweld, and slide the scope back/forth in the rings until your eye relief is optimal. Mark that location, level the scope and go to work.
 
Generally the recommended torque for the scope rings is 20 to 25 inch pounds. The critical issue with mounting scopes is the alignment of the rings so the tube does not bind. Best to lap the rings before mounting the scope. Location of the scope is not relevant as long as you have proper eye relief and reticles are properly aligned.
 
One thing I like about the old daze of plain screws and screwdrivers is that it's hard to over-tighten and break screws.

What you don't want to do is follow the old joke about, "Aw, just tighten it until you feel it give, and then back off a quarter-turn." Bad dog! Bad!

With a Torx or an Allen wrench, tighten until it's firmly snug, and then just a little more. You'll then feel a sort-of resistance point, at which time, QUIT! :)

As far as the location? Whatever gives 3" to 4" of eye relief is plenty good.
 
As a young man I broke everything I touched, over tighten screws/bolts so they broken now in old age I tend to go easy and I find I have a loose scope or mount on occasion,but nothing breaks, there is a moral to this story but I am so old I forgot what it was.;)

Tip: Sometimes best to take it to a smith perhaps he may let you observe and learn the process nothing can ruin the joy of a new setup like a damaged scope or a reticle not aligned with barrel.
 
I started to give advice but.....

I've done this several times but is it flawed?

"I bought a 1' long, 1" diameter steel rod, perfectly straight no run-out to put in my scope rings when setting up a new mount. I figure out where the rings need to go, position and lightly snug them on the rod, gently attach the ring base to the rail so the scope is basically mounted to the gun. Then I tighten down the rings, and then tighten down the base to the rail. This allows the ring bases to align to the rail without putting torque on the scope."
Hobie..wondering

BTW, I would think the 20-25 ft. inches would work fine.
 
65 In. Lbs. is alot of torque for those base screws ! I never go over 50 In. Lbs on the bases , and 25 on the rings . If you've never mounted a scope before , you really should have a torque wrench ! Like Art said , they've made it alot easier to twist the heads off screws , a slotted screw won't take 65 In. Lbs , it's hard to get 50 in fact . The Wheeler Fat Wrench only goes to 50 In. Lbs. !
 
I was just about to make the same comment that 65 in/lbs is too much for such small screws. If you didn't snap the screw, you could strip the receiver threads. I'd use Locktite on base threads and torque them to just under 50 in/lbs.

Ring screws should be as mentioned about 20-25 in/lbs.

I've done so many scopes that I use a 4" long well-fitting gunsmith's screwdriver and tighten firmly. A longer screwdriver with a fat handle can easily overtorque screws, but the smallish screwdriver works great for me.
 
1Hobie:

As long as the rod is as you say, it should work fine. If it is polished, you could use it to lap as well. I use Sinclair lapping rods to align and lap the rings. Works very well especially rings with dovetail bases.
 
Thanks again.......

Thank you for your advice and your time in replying to my post. I actually did buy a "fat wrench" and used it in the mounting of the scope. In torquing the base screws, 65 in lb felt like it was going to twist the heads off so I ended up torquing between 55 and 60 in lb. The top ring screws........well they are at ~ 18 in lb. The instructions with the fat wrench actually had torque ranges for scope base screws, bottom and top scope ring screws; time at the range will tell the tale one way or the other. Your advice about the ring position of the scope tube was invaluable....peace of mind is a wonderful thing. Best to all.......and Happy New Year!
 
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