Lapping Scope Rings

[nmkid]

I must admit. I have a 1" and a 30mm lapping kit that is at least 10 years old and I don't remember ever using it. Guess I could go downstairs and check it out. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, reading the Scope pet peeve post got me to thinking(?) Lots of posts on how good/bad lapping rings can be. However, I didn't see any posts on, how to use the tool properly. Is it a no-brainer on using the tool or are there 'tricks'?

 

[Chiquita]

I did it once and it was easy. But doing it once does not mean much experience.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I lapped all the Talley lw rings on my hunting rifles, usually to what appeared to be 60-70% contact. Lapped rings always use less windage during sighting in, for me. Make sure you clean/remove all the abrasive compound before mounting scope.

 

[Big Mc]

I must admit. I have a 1" and a 30mm lapping kit that is at least 10 years old and I don't remember ever using it. Guess I could go downstairs and check it out. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, reading the Scope pet peeve post got me to thinking(?) Lots of posts on how good/bad lapping rings can be. However, I didn't see any posts on, how to use the tool properly. Is it a no-brainer on using the tool or are there 'tricks'?

I shoot for 80 to90 percent. It takes a little time. But these days that's all we have. Tommy Mc

 

[nmkid]

You've got that right.

 

[acloco]

Some rifles/base/ring combos need lapping.

Have had good luck with aligning the rings while torqueing to bases/rail.

 

[284winner]

Mount the alignment bar in the rings with the lower rings mounted on the rifle. Once aligned, remove the top scope ring caps. I try to get near 100% also in lapping contact. It takes a bit of time but it's easy work.

 

[eklhunter77]

I lap all steel rings but have been told not to lap aluminum rings. Any truth to that or is it ok to lap them too, only gently?

 

[Kurz]

I've been lapping rings for a long time, especially those from quite a few years ago when manufacturing was not as careful and aware of their flawed designs. More recently though I've had to lap all of the Talley LW rings to achieve alignment and contact. Most of the adjustments had to happen on the mounting pads on the bottom of the rings.

Lapping needs to be done slowly and carefully while paying close attention to the lapping bar and it's position in the rings. Here is a good, short introduction article with pictures:

https://mygunculture.com/hows-scope-ring-lapping/

You'll find that the necessity for lapping decreases when you make the step up to the rings which are designed to be used in matched pairs. Complete mounts such as Spuhr (yep, expensive and heavy) rarely if ever require any attention.

Enjoy!

 

[JEFFPPC]

I must admit. I have a 1" and a 30mm lapping kit that is at least 10 years old and I don't remember ever using it. Guess I could go downstairs and check it out. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, reading the Scope pet peeve post got me to thinking(?) Lots of posts on how good/bad lapping rings can be. However, I didn't see any posts on, how to use the tool properly. Is it a no-brainer on using the tool or are there 'tricks'?

Nmkid, I have been shooting various forms of competition for close 60 years and have never lapped a ring. I do put a strip of masking tape in the bottom ring. Never seen the need. If you have no issues remember, "Don't fix what's not broken". Now, regardless of anything else if your mind says you need to do it, go ahead. Never heard a competitor (Different than a shooter) say they won or lost a match because of not lapping. First thing I became aware of when I transitioned to benchrest, lots of gadgets. Do what works for you.

 

[old_heli_logger]

In most cases, if you look closely and you'll see ring marks on your scope from non lapped rings...not so much when lapped. I honestly don't think any of this affects accuracy once recoil has settled everything into place.

 

[Tokay444]

I wouldn’t lap a set of rings until I tested them to determine they needed lapping. At which point I have another decision to make. Lap them, or toss them and acquire a set that doesn’t need lapping.

 

[jepp2]

Is it a no-brainer on using the tool or are there 'tricks'?

Pretty straightforward. Just check to see progress and decide what % contact you want. If you go too far, there will not be enough gap between the top and bottom for securing your scope.

I always lap Leupold rings, never Warne rings. Here is a set of Leupold QR rings I lapped for a scope. This is as far as I take them, sometimes less.

I never leave ring marks on a scope. But I run mine on the low side of torque also.

 

[Arcticshooter]

Like a lot of smithing, it's easy, but you need patience.
I agree with most of what I'm reading here.
I've lapped probably 20 sets or more for customers and all but 1 set of mine and that just arrived from ERATAC. I haven't lapped or used Spuhr yet.

From my experience, the lapping rod never lies.
I have noted enough misalignment and high spots on damn near every manufacturer's high-end rings so far, including Warne, Millet, Badger, Talley, Leupold and Vortex and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.

I shoot for 80-90% as I've noticed that some will get really close to running out of clamp travel if you shoot for 100%.
I also used a section of threaded rod without a handle to attach my DeWalt drill to on low/med speed. Use a clean q-tip to apply a light striping across the rod and then snug rings evenly until the rod just barely starts to resist turning.
Run the drill while walking the rod in and out for about 30 seconds or so, then wipe rod and rings with paper towel. Slightly tighten the rings down as they loosen...repeat until you get the amount of contact you are looking for.
Bevel the now sharp edges slightly to reduce scope ring marks.
That's about it.
Oh, lastly, I mark the base of the rings with a scribe before I start. F-front; R-rear; and arrows for fwd end. They will always be oriented and parked in this order from now on.

 

[Forum Boss]

I admire the guys who do a great job with lapping.

But an alternative are the Burris Signature Zee Rings. That's what I use. The only downside I have found is that if you move the scope fore/aft you will have to re-zero.

 

[Daddymac]

Pretty straightforward. Just check to see progress and decide what % contact you want. If you go too far, there will not be enough gap between the top and bottom for securing your scope.

I always lap Leupold rings, never Warne rings. Here is a set of Leupold QR rings I lapped for a scope. This is as far as I take them, sometimes less.

I never leave ring marks on a scope. But I run mine on the low side of torque also.
View attachment 1246251

This looks pretty close to what I do, I will also re blue them before scope installation.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I think lapping rings is subjective to the chambering, weight of the rifle, intended use of the rifle, and whether or not a muzzle brake is used. Most people who say they don't lap rings are BR/F-Class competitors shooting little 6mm or 7mm rounds from very heavy rifles that produce very little recoil or muzzle blast. So they don't really need it for their use, but be careful not to let their limited views and opinions that only apply to the game they play be the rule for every rifle. Many of them opt for Burris Zee rings instead of lapping which have proven to be reliable on smaller chamberings used for BR style competition shooting, but you wouldn't catch me dead putting a set of Burris 2 screw Zee rings on something like a 338 Lapua.

When you step up to a 338 Lapua, 338-378 WBY, 300 NMI, Ultra mags, hard hitting ultralight magnum pack rifles, or other large caliber rifles that are wearing a muzzle brake which sends a shock wave into the next county when they unload a 90-120gr payload, it becomes a different story. You better have your scope mounted as solid as possible with as much contact between the rings and scope body as you can get or there will be trouble in that department. But even smaller magnums than those mentioned above can have just as nasty recoil and force exerted on scope mounts/rings if built as an ultralight rifle.

I lap and bed everything. Do all of my rifles need it? Not really, but why leave anything to question?
So for me, I just do them all because it's not hard to do. I especially take great care to ensure my scope mounts are perfect on hunting rifles so they can stand up to many other types of abuse while hiking and hunting in the mountains. There's a lot more that can knock a scope off zero on a hunting rifle than just recoil.
I shoot many different rifles from small 20 cal varmint rounds that rarely leave the truck all the way thru to 338-375R and 300 NMI which get heavily abused in rugged high country mountains. But they all get the same scope mounting treatment because when something isn't going right on paper or when something goes haywire while trying to make a shot on an animal, my scope mounts and rings are never a question in the back of my mind.

 

[coldboreshot]

I wouldn’t lap a set of rings until I tested them to determine they needed lapping. At which point I have another decision to make. Lap them, or toss them and acquire a set that doesn’t need lapping.

Agreed. I only use high-end rings and bases. Never had to lap, period. I don't subscribe to the idea of having to correct or alter someone else's machining errors or issues. Goes back to the adage, "you get what you pay for". "The chain is only as good as its weakest link ". Thats's all I got for cliches at this time.

 

[Tokay444]

I think lapping rings is subjective to the chambering, weight of the rifle, intended use of the rifle, and whether or not a muzzle brake is used. Most people who say they don't lap rings are BR/F-Class competitors shooting little 6mm or 7mm rounds from very heavy rifles that produce very little recoil or muzzle blast. So they don't really need it for their use, but be careful not to let their limited views and opinions that only apply to the game they play be the rule for every rifle. Many of them opt for Burris Zee rings instead of lapping which have proven to be reliable on smaller chamberings used for BR style competition shooting, but you wouldn't catch me dead putting a set of Burris 2 screw Zee rings on something like a 338 Lapua.

When you step up to a 338 Lapua, 338-378 WBY, 300 NMI, Ultra mags, hard hitting ultralight magnum pack rifles, or other large caliber rifles that are wearing a muzzle brake which sends a shock wave into the next county when they unload a 90-120gr payload, it becomes a different story. You better have your scope mounted as solid as possible with as much contact between the rings and scope body as you can get or there will be trouble in that department. But even smaller magnums than those mentioned above can have just as nasty recoil and force exerted on scope mounts/rings if built as an ultralight rifle.

I lap and bed everything. Do all of my rifles need it? Not really, but why leave anything to question?
So for me, I just do them all because it's not hard to do. I especially take great care to ensure my scope mounts are perfect on hunting rifles so they can stand up to many other types of abuse while hiking and hunting in the mountains. There's a lot more that can knock a scope off zero on a hunting rifle than just recoil.
I shoot many different rifles from small 20 cal varmint rounds that rarely leave the truck all the way thru to 338-375R and 300 NMI which get heavily abused in rugged high country mountains. But they all get the same scope mounting treatment because when something isn't going right on paper or when something goes haywire while trying to make a shot on an animal, my scope mounts and rings are never a question in the back of my mind.

The amount of recoil isn’t the deciding factor of whether to lap or not. It could be the deciding factor for whether to use rosin or not, but the deciding factor for lapping is if both front and rear rings are round and coaxial to each other. If not, lap or get a better set. If they are, don’t waste the time and energy ruining a good set of rings.

 

[Dave M.]

I must admit. I have a 1" and a 30mm lapping kit that is at least 10 years old and I don't remember ever using it. Guess I could go downstairs and check it out. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, reading the Scope pet peeve post got me to thinking(?) Lots of posts on how good/bad lapping rings can be. However, I didn't see any posts on, how to use the tool properly. Is it a no-brainer on using the tool or are there 'tricks'?

Why lap rings as opposed to bedding them? I’ve bedded rings before and I think it’s fairly easy and provides better results than lapping (but this is coming from a guy that has never lapped rings).
Is there an advantage to one technique as opposed to the other??