Lapping Rings?

Dimitri

Dimitri

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I know there are other topics of this issue on the site but I was wondering.

What is the preferred method to lap rings? Kits people recommend perhaps? Maybe if I am really lucky a kit that can be had in the GTA? :confused:

I did the light test on the rings when I dropped in the scope, and I know my rings fit the scope like a glove originally so I am going to guess I'm going to need to do alittle bit of lapping. :(

Dimitri
 
If you do lap, can you do me a favor? fire 3 10 shot groups as is, then lap until you feel happy, and fire another 3 10 shot groups and let me know if it got better, or worse?

I buy good rings (Nightforce, badger), and have to think that the mill they use is much more precise then anything I can do with a bar.

That said, if it actually works, let me know. My voodoo cup is only about 2/3 full at the moment.
 
I made these rings as a matched set, I know they are dead nuts to each other within a thou at the most. The scope when on the rings doesn't sit flush.

I know they need lapping. Cause unless your willing to send me a new Trijicon Accupoint when I screw this one down and it bends alittle I'd rather stick to lapping first instead of worrying about my scope bending and breaking. ;)

Dimitri
 
Have your friendly gunsmith do it or buy some Burris Signature rings and you don't need to lap.

Or just snug them up and don't worry about marking the scope tube or in an extreme case damaging the scope. It works for some. :rolleyes:
 
I just picked up this rifle from the gunsmith that installed the bases for me. :runaway:

And Burris Signature Rings wont fit on this type of mount. :)

Dimitri
 
carbonrod said:
I buy good rings (Nightforce, badger), and have to think that the mill they use is much more precise then anything I can do with a bar.
Click to expand...
It's not about the rings, it's about the system. The rings could be perfect, but the bases cocked. The bases could be perfect, but the rings made it past QA off-centre. And so on. And it's not about accuracy so much as damaging the scope and/or affecting the adjustments.
 
Dimitri said:
What is the preferred method to lap rings?
Click to expand...
In a word, "lightly".

Having said that, Brownells: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=976

You might be able to borrow one from someone locally, or just buy a used one on the EE and sell it when you're doing - makes it like a rental.
 
My appologies Dimitri. I did not know the origin of the rings.

acrashb said:
It's not about the rings, it's about the system. The rings could be perfect, but the bases cocked. The bases could be perfect, but the rings made it past QA off-centre.
Click to expand...
yeah, good point. I have never had a scope that I could detect was out of line in its mount before I torqued it down.

acrashb said:
And so on. And it's not about accuracy so much as damaging the scope and/or affecting the adjustments.
Click to expand...
Sure, but If when I unmount the scope, there is no damage, and I can not detect it when I am shooting, I don't need to lap. I do care less about cosmetics then some. My guns are going to get wet and muddy, and frozen anyway. If they can't handle it, I would not use them.
 
acrashb said:
And it's not about accuracy so much as damaging the scope and/or affecting the adjustments.
Click to expand...

Exactly. :)

carbonrod said:
My appologies Dimitri. I did not know the origin of the rings.
Click to expand...

No problem, and I normally don't lap rings, (I use one piece bases 99% of the time) but the forward base (or the rear base) is sitting alittle off. Not much but enough to make me think it would be beneficial to lap the rings.

Dimitri
 
Dimitri, There is an unususual method that laps the bases instead of the rings. I tried it once on a Mod 70 that had the mount holes drilled out of alignment. It used to happen quite a lot on Remingtons and Winchesters.
A now deceased friend suggested to me that if the rings were square on the scope, it might be prudent to lap the bases instead. He was right, there's usually lots of extra metal on the bases and clamp portions of the rings to get away with this. We just applied some lapping compound to the bases and clamped the rings around a length of 1in round stock and slid it back and forth on the bases until there wasn't any more binding.
It worked very well and that scope/mounting job has never given me any trouble in the last 10 years.
I agree that it's unconventional to regular methods, but it's also an option that is valuable and over looked. I don' know how often I've seen rings lapped in to the point that they are always troublesome or have only one of the rings actually doing 90% of the holding.
 
1 inch or 30mm diameter drill rod and some lapping compound will work depending the the scope tube dia. Having a fancy handle is nice but if you're only doing on or two?
 
If you have machined the rings so well, why destroy all that work lapping them?

Machine or lap the bases to fit your action and leave the rings alone.

If you lap the rings, you have now ensured that the rings will only fit in this one application and may not be reuseable if the rings are ever removed. Also, if the lapping causes the rings to go elliptical, you may be plagued with a 'loose' scope.

Lapping rings has never struck me as a good idea and why I use Burris Sig rings exclusively.

Now if someone were to come up with UNDERSIZED rings that you would lap to a perfect fit. THAT would be interesting. But why bother when the Burris rings solve any and all issues without the work or costs?

Bases are usually way less money then rings...

Jerry
 
The bases were 90$ and are "original" for this application, while the rings were 75$ to anodize (the only cost to me to make them).

These rings were made to fit the old single dovetail Parker Hale bases, so there will probably never be a rifle that I will use these bases and rings on again. :)

Dimitri
 
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Thanks guys, I figured it out.

Decided to take a good hard look at the mount and ring (forward one) and after abit of work I got the scope sitting good without the need to machine or lap anything. I should have thought of this sooner. :runaway:

Thanks again! :D

Dimitri
 
Gunsmith didn't blue/red loc-tite the front base (I'm going to figure he was assuming that adjustment may be needed he planned ahead for me :redface: ), so I unscrewed it, wiggled it around till the scope rings lined up then my windage adjustment (per my laser bore sighter) was dead on. :D

Dimitri
 
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