Is it still a good idea or has CNC machining changed that? Thanks, James
Lapping scope rings
- Thread starter Jacks Grampa
- Start date
I have lapped a lot of rings. Always with good results. Years ago, a master in this area told me that he lapped rings to 50% contact and then bedded them. I presume that he still does it that way. I have bedded rings but but have not seen any advantage over a correct lapping job. Many times I skip the whole thing (for rings) and simply opt for the Burris rings with self aligning inserts. They have a lot of advantages.
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JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
+1 For Burris rings with inserts. But, I only have them on one rifle. None of my other rifles including my competition rifles have the rings or bases lapped or bedded. I sure have beaten lot of lapped and bedded scopes . If you buy quality parts I never saw a reason for additional steps. You buy rings then enlarge them so you need to bed them. To hi tech for me. I get lost in that reasoning. Maybe someone muscled scope rings so felt the need for additional steps.
Good quality rings should not need to be lapped. I use Badger Ordnance and have not had any issues.
AlNyhus
Silver $$ Contributor
Rings can be as precisely made as possible but if the receiver and/or bases are off, the ring/tube fit will still be poor.
I consider the receiver, bases and rings as a single system. When that entire system is right, any scope will perform much better.
For what it's worth. -Al
I consider the receiver, bases and rings as a single system. When that entire system is right, any scope will perform much better.
For what it's worth. -Al
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
Al, I have been around matches for 60 years in various disciplines. I have heard many excuses for a bad shot, or a poorly shot match. I have yet to hear 1 person say I did bad because my rings were not lapped or not bedded. Nor seen anyone point to a spot of contact invoving those items and saying, "See there it is, that caused me to miss that shot because my rings weren't bedded." Improperly tightened, over or under, misaligned, yes but never because they did not lap or bed. Just like I never saw with my own eyes the need to check run out of every round loaded, I have never seen a reason to bed or lap. To me improper lapping might cause the need for bedding. Evidently it is not deemed a problem given the outstanding lifetime warranties given by optical companies.So on this we will disagree.
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
I find it interesting that shooters will go to extraordinary lengths to seek out a reputable gunsmith to true an action and chamber and install a barrel then turn right around and throw bases and rings on straight off the shelf without a second thought.
I've yet to see a set of rings and bases that showed a high degree of contact straight off the shelf but I've certainly seen many scopes with ring marks that obviously weren't correctly mated and aligned. So I lap rings. Does it help? Hard to prove but I don't have ring marks on my scopes so that's reason enough for me.
I've yet to see a set of rings and bases that showed a high degree of contact straight off the shelf but I've certainly seen many scopes with ring marks that obviously weren't correctly mated and aligned. So I lap rings. Does it help? Hard to prove but I don't have ring marks on my scopes so that's reason enough for me.
One of the things that I have commonly seen lapping rings is line contact of the lap at the start of lapping, What this translates to is the scope being bent as the cap is tightened. To me all of the fuss about lapping is a bunch of guys looking for an excuse to skip a step in scope mounting, because they are basically bolt it together and shoot it types. I prefer to listen to people who are top level smiths, like my friend Speedy Gonzales. IMO he knows a lot more about this than you do.
AlNyhus
Silver $$ Contributor
Respectfully......following that line of thinking, what's your advice to those that win with lapped/bedded bases/rings?
-Did they waste their time?
-Would they have won anyway?
-Was the extra confidence in their equipment not a real factor?
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Most factory actions' tops are not straight, and their scope base mounting holes are not perfectly aligned front to back, or side to side. Think about it. If you have a one piece base and the fit is not perfect, when you tighten the base to the receiver it bends the base a little and even perfect rings that are clamped to it will be misaligned, which will stress the scope. (stress bad, no stress good) With two piece bases the chance of their being out of line with each other is increased because their mounting holes have clearance, which means that you would have to run a straightedge down their sides and tops to confirm that they were in line. Also, if you lap rings for one receiver base combo, and want to switch them to another, you should relap them after coloring the inside the insides so that you can see where the lap is cutting. Generally, factory instructions are not for advanced users. For example, no set of instructions that I have seen gets into the finer points of either mounting or adjusting a scope. I think that the instructions that you mentioned fall into that category.
Yea right. (sarcasm) The only way that you know that rings are correct and aligned is to mount them, and run a charged lap through them for a few strokes. Then you know what you have. Anything else is just assuming. I have lapped a lot of rings. Have you?
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JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
Al, I will buy the extra confidence factor. Would they have won anyhow? Absolutely. Too those who,win, Congratulations. On the flip, I have won a fair amount of matches. Did those I beat with lapped rings waste their time?.....LOL, that was a joke. Jeff
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