What the Heck is this Company Tryin’ to Pull Here??? Can’t believe it!

[Ledd Slinger]

I’m setting up a little bench rifle based on a highly modified Rem 722 action. Being that there’s not much weight on the action to balance things out in the rear, I wanted a heavy set of steel rings for my 36x straight power scope that doesn’t weigh all that much either. So being the only thing I could really find that seemed to check all the boxes I like for rigidity and toughness, I pick up a set of these very affordable high density steel 1” rings made by UTG.

So the rings show up. Very impressed with initial inspection for quality and strength. Look extremely well built, especially considering the price. So I continue on and carefully bed the scope base to the receiver like I always do. Once that was cured I went ahead and torqued down the lower half of the UTG steel rings. Next I get out my ring lapping kit and start honing away using 220 grit lapping compound as usual. With steel rings it usually takes me about 3 lapping sessions to get them where I want them because they are a lot harder than aluminum rings for obvious reasons. So I remove the bar and clean off all the compound after my first go round.

As I’m cleaning the compound off from the first session, I start getting confused...Every bit of the ring contact surfaces are ALL the color of bare steel. Well what the hell? There has to be high and low spots. Even the most expensive two piece ring sets on the market don’t come out perfect after one lapping session. Or at least I’ve never experienced that in all my years lapping two piece ring sets. So I clean it all really good and sure as my heart is still beating, these things have a contact surface of at least 98-99% if I was a guessing man. Unreal! I will need to get another couple sets to try and confirm this level of precision but my lord these things are nice!

And to top it all off, they use #8 torx head screws and are probably the best looking high profile 1” rings I’ve seen on the market

Here’s some pics of the box with description of design and quality from UTG and pics of the rings after one short lapping session. The nitriding finish was taken off by the compound as expected but these things are nearly perfect for contact. You can see the original color on the bodies of the rings that was on the inside as well before lapping.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

The heavy duty #8 ring screws even come with little lock washers and blue loc-tite applied to the threads.

 

[Dub]

wow! nice!

 

[boltfluter]

Always nice to be shocked by the quality of a product being better than expected. Not that common with all the Chinese garbage floating around. Nice find, and nice looking rings to boot!

Paul

 

[xswanted]

I always was pretty confident in UTG rings when I was working in a gun shop. Nice to hear that are still good stuff.

 

[Schutzen2]

I always avoided them because of the low price. I just thought they would be junk. I'll have to give them a try.

 

[6MMsteve]

good lookin rings..looks like they have a nice chamfer outside also

 

[sparky123321]

I always avoided them because of the low price. I just thought they would be junk. I'll have to give them a try.

I also have always avoided low dollar rings. When I'm spending $1,000+ on my glass I want a nice high quality set of rings. I only use Warne rings, I've never lapped a single pair and my scopes don't look like many of the scopes I see listed here that look like Vise Grip pliers were used for rings.

 

[CharlieNC]

So I will confess I purchased UTG Pro rings a few years ago to try for a new 34mm tube. No problem to return to Amazon if they didn't work! Steel made in USA, quality workmanship, excellent fit and performance on my Ftr rifle. I've mainly used Warne and Weaver before, and these Pro rings are far superior.

 

[JEFFPPC]

The lappers will not agree, gotta do it.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I also have always avoided low dollar rings. When I'm spending $1,000+ on my glass I want a nice high quality set of rings. I only use Warne rings, I've never lapped a single pair and my scopes don't look like many of the scopes I see listed here that look like Vise Grip pliers were used for rings.

I lap everything regardless of cost or “assumed” quality. On high recoil rifles I will also bed the rings to the scope.

I was going to bed these rings as well but the scope I’m using is pretty beat up and the recoil is really low so I don’t care as much. Probably just leave them the way they are.

 

[ballisticxlr]

UTG uses iffy designs. The select materials to cope with that. They are unsophisticated, not unusable. So, the 'value' (features that work divided by dollars spent) you get from their stuff is usually incredibly high while the elegance, smoothness, ease of installation or ability to withstand punishment are often low. Don't think of UTG as garbage parts, think of them as the least sophisticated but highest value you're likely to find. This is why I dislike UTG stuff almost universally for any serious uses but why I respect their stuff greatly for casual use. If you want the perfect definition of how UTG stuff should be expected to play against others, read this article and then if you want, finish the series. https://ballisticxlr.com/2020/11/10/folding-stock-adapter-comparison-pt-2/

 

[Ledd Slinger]

UTG uses iffy designs. The select materials to cope with that. They are unsophisticated, not unusable. So, the 'value' (features that work divided by dollars spent) you get from their stuff is usually incredibly high while the elegance, smoothness, ease of installation or ability to withstand punishment are often low. Don't think of UTG as garbage parts, think of them as the least sophisticated but highest value you're likely to find. This is why I dislike UTG stuff almost universally for any serious uses but why I respect their stuff greatly for casual use. If you want the perfect definition of how UTG stuff should be expected to play against others, read this article and then if you want, finish the series. https://ballisticxlr.com/2020/11/10/folding-stock-adapter-comparison-pt-2/

Yeah but I have seen UTG getting better all the time. Their P.O.I. Pro rings are actually really nice too. It’s obvious they don’t want to stay in the gutter where they started with cheap garbage companies and have been making some good headway in recent years.

Frankford Arsenal is another company trying to break free from their historically cheaply made equipment. Although not near top of the line quality yet, I have been very impressed with the new direction Frankford is taking the company. They have been making some excellent products in the last few years.

 

[GSRswapandslow]

shhhhhhhhhhhhutup! i have multiple sets of UTG steel and UTG pro rings on my rigs...they're cheap and i hope you stop spreading the word! just kidding....

they really are quality pieces.

 

[hoz53]

The heavy duty #8 ring screws even come with little lock washers and blue loc-tite applied to the threads.

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I’m setting up a little bench rifle based on a highly modified Rem 722 action. Being that there’s not much weight on the action to balance things out in the rear, I wanted a heavy set of steel rings for my 36x straight power scope that doesn’t weigh all that much either. So being the only thing I could really find that seemed to check all the boxes I like for rigidity and toughness, I pick up a set of these very affordable high density steel 1” rings made by UTG.

So the rings show up. Very impressed with initial inspection for quality and strength. Look extremely well built, especially considering the price. So I continue on and carefully bed the scope base to the receiver like I always do. Once that was cured I went ahead and torqued down the lower half of the UTG steel rings. Next I get out my ring lapping kit and start honing away using 220 grit lapping compound as usual. With steel rings it usually takes me about 3 lapping sessions to get them where I want them because they are a lot harder than aluminum rings for obvious reasons. So I remove the bar and clean off all the compound after my first go round.

As I’m cleaning the compound off from the first session, I start getting confused...Every bit of the ring contact surfaces are ALL the color of bare steel. Well what the hell? There has to be high and low spots. Even the most expensive two piece ring sets on the market don’t come out perfect after one lapping session. Or at least I’ve never experienced that in all my years lapping two piece ring sets. So I clean it all really good and sure as my heart is still beating, these things have a contact surface of at least 98-99% if I was a guessing man. Unreal! I will need to get another couple sets to try and confirm this level of precision but my lord these things are nice!

And to top it all off, they use #8 torx head screws and are probably the best looking high profile 1” rings I’ve seen on the market

Here’s some pics of the box with description of design and quality from UTG and pics of the rings after one short lapping session. The nitriding finish was taken off by the compound as expected but these things are nearly perfect for contact. You can see the original color on the bodies of the rings that was on the inside as well before lapping.

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Thanks Ledd-- I will have to give those a try