Picatinney rail peening..

1

1stmar

New member
I have an m1a scout and I noticed the rail is being peened by the rings. I am using leapers quick detach rings. I felt like I had them tight enough. Is the rail ruined and do I need a different set of rings ?

Thanks
 
How tight was the screws torqued down on the ring bases? If it has deformed it, so it's out of spec, or bent, where another base wont tighten up on it, then you'll probably have to install a new rail. When tightening the scope base screws, use a torque driver, if you can get one, and tighten the screws 40-60 in/lbs. You can get a cheap 1/4" torque wrench from Harbor Freight, as it is not critical for an exact torque on these, just as long as it falls within that range. The torque varies between those numbers by the manufacturers.
 
I'm wondering if Springfield subcontracted out mfg of that rail and their subcontractor used the wrong steel? Contact Springfield and describe your problem and see if they'll remedy it.
 
The way its chewed up, it looks like it might be aluminum, and soft at that. They make some aluminum rails that are actually tough, but it's according to what aluminum they use in the extrusion.
 
Thanks DG. I was not aware that there were aluminium rails for something like a M-1A.
Click to expand...

Gary it may be steel, but something really soft, like 1010 maybe. Most stock rail is an aluminum extrusion that they machine the slots in, and cut it to length. One company sells it in 3 foot sticks.

It seems that whatever that was made from, was soft enough that it was easily deformed.
 
1stmar - Please take a magnet to it. If it sticks, it's steel, albeit steel that is too soft for its intended purpose. If it doesn't stick, it's aluminium. Let us know what it is and what Springfield Inc. says.
 
Leapers rings are Chinese, I believe. I have used their scopes from time to time because they had the best selection of short tube scopes available. I never used their rings/bases, but they may not be 45 degrees. A lot of the imported rings are some weird angle and it allows the corner of the angle on the ring to contact the base on the point of the base angle instead of the two flats of the angle. Only the two flats of the angle on both the ring and base should be touching. You may have to read this twice to make sense of it. Sorry, it is the best I could do. You older guys may remember when some U.S. companies used 60 degrees on their rings and bases. I had a lot of "Wrong combinations" brought in.
 
I'll check. They received good reviews and I don't recall seeing any review that mentioned that. Will post pics.
 
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