Burris ring rant

powdergun

powdergun

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I've just got to let off a bit of steam here.

For one reason or another I've used burris Zee rings with the plastic inserts. I felt it protected the scope and the rings were strong and sturdy.

I've mounted at least five scopes with these rings. Every bloody one allowed the scope to slip. And now I've had screws break for a second time during a shooting session. All the rings were mounted correctly. The torque was done correctly and I know what I am doing. Compare this to the four rifles I have with cheap ($10) tasco rings that have never failed after hundreds of rounds.

Conclusion : I am stupid and slow that it took me 5 sets of rings to realize an inevitable conclusion. These rings are over priced pieces of crap and never again.

I know that many of you have had success with this product but I just needed to vent. Thanks and have a great season:)
 
Have 'em on three of my rifles, including a 300 WM, and have installed on two other WSMs. Not even a hint of slippage on any of them.

However, have had one scope damaged due to misalignment caused by poor machining on the rifle's mounting surfaces. Signature rings, were they available at the time, would have prevented this.

I never use anything other than an allen wrench to tighten screws on any ring set up. Don't have a proper torque wrench, which is even better.

Work great for me...at least so far.

:confused:
 
Some people learn at different speeds than others. I'm lucky that I was never struck by the desire to cheap out and use these rings as a poor man's sloped scope rail. Other guys have and have claimed great success with them. But to me, if you are standing in the hardware store and staring at the tools, why buy a screwdriver to do a crowbar's job?
 
I've had issues with the plain Z rings. Poorly machined threads in the lower ring resulted in a stripped screw at first use. Also, I find it difficult to determine how snug the ring to base screw actually is - I've had the rings come loose with a fair amount of torque applied. If you look at the design, the screw actually causes the ring to bend/crush to seat on the base. Not such a good design in my opinion.
 
Usually the only reason the signature "Z" rings would slip is that there was still a little bit of oil on either the ring or the plastic bit. I have used these rings on many, many rifles including M-14's and never had one slip yet!

Scott
 
Im not too supprised to see a problem with this product. This has nothing to do with the rings, its just inevitable that someones experience would be s**tty with any product out there, regardless of the quality. Allthough its odd you have had such consistent bad luck.

I just recieved some and they looked a bit intimidating at first but after getting to know them, I cannot wait to see what kind of damage/internal corection its going to save me.
 
I've used several sets of Signature Zee rings. Never have any of them slipped, nor have any of the ring screws broken. Although to be fair, they did upgrade their ring screws a while back.
 
Compare this to the four rifles I have with cheap ($10) tasco rings
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be interested in getting some of those Tasco rings for $10.00 - where are you finding them? Are they for "weaver" style bases?


If the scopes are slipping in the inserts try a little rosin powder on the inserts first. Should stop the problem - although I have never experienced this issue.

I can think of a lot of other ring designs that I won't use now cause of problems like Warne, Kesselring, the original Redfield dovetail style and various clones like Leupold, Weaver "saddle rings" (the ones with screws on one side of the cap only) but never had a problem with the Burris Signature "Zee" rings fwiw
 
Degrease the rings and inserts well- I use aerosol brake cleaner.

Torque the bolts evenly and till they don't budge anymore. Hardware is tougher then the torx bit you will use.

Yes, I have broken a bunch of torx bits and twisted the supplied wrenches - very tough hardware and material used in the rings.

When all is clean and tightened properly, scopes do not move....PERIOD.

I consider them the best scope design on the market today. The fact that you can also shim your scope is a wonderful bonus.

I have likely used a dozen or more sets of both 1" and 30mm even on 300RUM boomers with big heavy target scopes.

NO slips, no problems, no marks, no stress on scope tubes.

All I can say is if the scope slips in these rings, the install was at fault.

Jerry
 
I have used just about every set up going except conetrol over the years and I reach for Burris first.

I've never had any issues, I really like them.
 
i consider them the best scope design on the market today. The fact that you can also shim your scope is a wonderful bonus.
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I've never had any issues, I really like them
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x2!


incidentally I "believe" that Sako had the idea to use self centering inserts first ... but didn't patent them -- the fact that Burris picked up the concept and applied it very quickly demonstrates a great deal of insight on Burris' part!
 
I use these exclusively now myself, I have expensive tactical rings still in the packaging on the shelf I am not interested in using.

Just so impressed with them it's hard to see that others have problems. Maybe a bad run of machining , it does happen.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
I use these exclusively now myself, I have expensive tactical rings still in the packaging on the shelf I am not interested in using.

Just so impressed with them it's hard to see that others have problems. Maybe a bad run of machining , it does happen.
Click to expand...


I bought my first set three months ago. They were so oversize I could not even use them. Poor first impression for me.
Have one shooting buddy that swears by them. So myself, I believe they have poor QA issues at the factory.
 
I have used them, and they slipped on me too. I reinstalled them three times using a torque wrench and they held up pretty well after the third time. After a year or so they slipped again. I use have been using Badger Ordinance aluminum rings for the past year, no issues, surperb machining, solid.
 
I've installed about 6 sets of these, on 30-30 to .300 WM and WSM, Remingtons, Vanguard, Marlin and Tikka. Never a problem.

1) Make sure surfaces are clean and dry.

2) Set the scope with bottom inserts in place.

3) Set top inserts, then ring cap, turn screws until starting to snug. Then cross tighten gingerly. Insure even gap between cap and base on each side. There definitely should be a gap, otherwise they're being over-torqued, and thus bending the upper ring flanges, which in turn will distort the circumference of the cap and screw up proper seating of the insert...which no doubt will likely result in slippage. Don't use anything larger than the Allen wrench provided, assuming one does not have a proper torque wrench. There's no need to go gorilla on these screws!

4) I look for relatively even protrusion of the inserts on front and rear of ring, and that the cap is sitting squarely to the lower ring base, and am not satisfied until achieved.

5) If using dovetail rings with rear windage adjust: When getting "on paper" during first sight in, to adjust for right/left after the shot, first loosen the front ring cap screws, then adjust rear windage screws, then re-tighten front cap screws. This allows for the scope to pivot in the front rings relative to the rear adjustment. This is critical in that it prevents torquing the scope. Save for Sako Optilocks, no other ring design facilitates this. Front dovetails are a very tight pressure fit and will NOT compensate for adjustments at the rear windage screws! Thus, torquing of the scope tube, with all its totally negative implications, is a virtual certainty...unless you happen to be using Burris Signature rings!

Think about that front dovetail for a moment. When you twist it into place...hopefully with a piece of wooden doweling...and you take it as far it will go, is it exactly 90 degrees perpendicular to the base/scope alignment? Or is it, due to manufacturing imperfections, 90.3 degrees? Or 89.5 degrees? How can you even tell??? And if so, what's this doing to your scope's tube when you tighten down the rear ring caps and thereby effectively force the scope to twist into shape???

Whatever the issues with alignment between front and rear drillings for scope bases, or the imperfections of mounting surfaces on the rifle...and these are more common than we probably know, and in the first place attested to by the need to lap rings at all...Signature rings, if properly installed, will automatically compensate and prevent twisting/torquing on the scope.

...no lapping required.

Not to mention they don't leave freakin' ugly ring scars on your damned expensive scope, or God forbid, even actual indentations!

Frankly, IMHO, this system/design is so slick and well thought out, it makes everything else somewhat obsolete.

I read posts in which guys use glue, tape, silicone, probably even bubble gum, not to mention sanding of surfaces, and I'm thinking, REALLY??? If I have to resort to stuff like that, I'm after a better set of rings!!! Not to mention lapping that removes protective finishes specifically designed prevent or encumber corrosion/rust/whatever in the first place.

FWIW.

:)
 
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My theory with mounting a scope has always been that the less joints you have between the scope and rifle, the better. I like the Talley lightweights for this reason. I also like the European rail mount system, though very expensive and limited in scope choices.

Never had an interest to try the Burris rings as you have an extra joint btw the inserts and rings ,which is unnecessary,IMO.
 
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