TPS rings

[huntall]

I purchased a set of TPS-TSR 30mm rings. I also have a Sightron Slll 6x24x50 30mm tube that I was going to mount in the tps rings. When I set the scope in the rings I noticed that the rings seemed to tight for the scope and would probably leave ring markes on the scope. Has anyone had a problem similar to this with TPS rings? This scope fits fine in my Leupold mark 4 rings.
Thanks
Huntall

 

[Baron B58]

I seriously dont think there is anything wrong with the rings; they are manufactured to very close tolerances and the quality is very good. Your bases or receiver top surfaces are probably not true or correctly lined up. The Leupold rings top halves do not make contact with the bottom halves so they probably have a little bit more play which might not be a good thing.

 

[huntall]

I had the rings off the base and was just trying to mount the bottom half of the rings on the scope and the scope needed extra force to push into the base. 30mm=1.181" the scope measured 1.180"=29.9mm and the bottom half of the ring measured 1.174". I ended up mounting the scope and rings to the gun but I bet it will have some type of ring marks.
Thanks
Huntall

 

[Steave]

I've used them on several rifles and never had a problem, as others have mentioned, the tolerances are pretty tight.

 

[flatlander]

I've got four of the SIII 6-24x50 scopes; all are mounted in TPS TSR rings. Haven't seen any ring marks on any of these scopes that've been removed for whatever reason. Also have a SIII 8-32x56, and it's also mounted using TSR rings. No problems with it, either.

Several of my Leupold 30mm VXIIIs are also mounted with TSR rings. These scopes occasionally get moved from one rifle to another, and I've had to move the rings once or twice in the process. Have never seen any ring marks on them either.

I sold a friend a set of TPS TSR rings, and he later complained about the scope slipping under recoil. When I asked him if he'd read the instructions that came with the rings, he admitted that he hadn't. I told him to go back and read them, then start over again. No more complaints - I think he feels a little embarressed.

 

[BoydAllen]

I have mounted 1" and 30mm scopes in several brands of high end rings. They all benefited from being lapped. IMO lapping, and or bedding is the correct way to install a scope on a rifle. The Kokopelli (sp?) lapping bars are excellent, and have produced a great fit for several scopes. I also slightly chamfer the inside corners where the ring halves meet, next to the scope tube. When lapping, I pay particular attention to cleaning the rings after lapping, using alcohol and then a strong liquid cleaner. I know of no better way to identify the more subtle fit problems than to make a few passes with a charged lapping bar. Rings that may have been round when they were manufactured, may be distorted when tightened on their base(s). One of the better Benchrest gunsmiths in the world once told me that he generally laps rings to at least 50% contact, and then beds them. If you read Tony Boyer's book, you will see that he pays a lot of attention to scope mounting.

 

[gbee]

I purchased a set of TPS rings and TPS base for a rifle I just got finished building. I was really unhappy with the workmanship of their product. All the edges were sharp and the tapped holes had grit of some sort in them. On one set of the rings there was a mismatch from the top and bottom half of the ring approx. .020". The other was mismatched approx. .010".
I contacted them about the issues I had with the rings, they told me to ship them back and they would take a look at the rings. But I had to pay the shipping.
So I just deburred them myself retapped the holes. Set them up in a mill and cleaned up the mismatch on the rings. Then sandblasted them and re-blacked them. My dad said I was to picky. I guess if you machine parts for a living you notice piss poor workmanship alittle more.

 

[BoydAllen]

You are not too picky. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Nomo4me]

TPS rings were a very snug fit (as halves) on my SIII 10-50x60. Being the careful sort I removed them and took some 600 grit paper backed by a wine cork and carefully deburred all edges that might contact the scope.

Buggers still put ring marks on my $$$$ scope
It's the only time since I was a poor dumb teen that I've ring-marked a scope.
I got them for free but wish I had paid for better rings -woulda come out ahead.

 

[BoydAllen]

Time for you to buy a lapping bar.

 

[fdshuster]

I always lapped my scope rings and would still get ring marks at least to some degree: the reason I've since been using nothing but the Burris Signature Zee rings. The ability to use the off-set inserts to keep the windage and elevation close to center is another advantage.

 

[Steve Blair]

My dad said I was to picky. I guess if you machine parts for a living you notice piss poor workmanship alittle more.

As Boyd said, you are not too picky. When Boyd noted the attention that Tony Boyer pays to scope mounting, it underlined the point that being picky is what it takes to win.

 

[BoydAllen]

If all the edges and corners are taken care of, and the rings are properly lapped, the only source that I can see for ring marks is residual lapping compound that was not completely cleaned from the rings, after lapping. Another cause could be over tightening which can distort the ring, pulling the edges into the scope as the outer edges of the cap gap are brought together. What did your marks look like?

 

[DEC]

I am not inquiring specifically to the TPS rings, but rings in general.

One of the better Benchrest gunsmiths in the world once told me that he generally laps rings to at least 50% contact, and then beds them.

I have been looking into the process of ring lapping, but what is bedding?

I have also used the Signature Zee Rings on a Sightron scope. They seem to be working just fine. I liked the idea of the softer material in contact with the scope as well as the ability to add some slope into your scope mounts.

 

[280Ackleyrized]

Bedding is Just what it says. Using a thin layer of accraglass, or marine tex or devcon between the bottom of the base and the top of the receiver to ensure 100% solid contact between the two and eliminate the chance of anything shifting.