Lock-tite or not ?

JPC1

JPC1

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There's always a first time... and I'd like to get it right...

Should lock-tite be used when mounting a scope ?

If so, on the base mounting screws only, or the rings as well ?

Thanks,
J.
PS. Remington 700 SS + Bushnell 6500 + Burris bases/rings (rear windage/front dovetail)
 
Yes, loctite.
Base screws only.

BTW, there is a grade of loctite for screws smaller than ¼", has anyone ever used it? Does it make a difference?

I use the ordinary blue stuff 'cause I have it.
 
It is not really required if you clean the screws and holes and then lubricate the screws and torque them tight...

If you feel you need to use Loctite, use the blue user removable Loctite on base screws only. Make sure the screws don't bottom out first... You can Loctite a screw in place and the mount can still be loose if you don't know what you are doing...

Ring screws never need Loctite and will only cause headaches down the road.

You should also be aligning and lapping your rings before mounting the scope...
 
Thank you for all the quick responses !

Guntech: The rings came with two little stickers which the instructions say to stick to the bottom half of both rings. Personally, I found that part a little dubious. You just mentionned lapping. How is this achieved normally... if not using "stickers" ?

Lastly, how about a drop of blue on the two windage adjustments ? Good ? Bad ? Silly !?
 
JPC1 said:
Lastly, how about a drop of blue on the two windage adjustments ? Good ? Bad ? Silly !?
Click to expand...

Both bad and silly

Another pointer is to always remove the bolt when putting on bases and then making sure no loctite leaked into the receiver
 
JPC1 said:
Thank you for all the quick responses !

Guntech: The rings came with two little stickers which the instructions say to stick to the bottom half of both rings. Personally, I found that part a little dubious. You just mentionned lapping. How is this achieved normally... if not using "stickers" ?

Lastly, how about a drop of blue on the two windage adjustments ? Good ? Bad ? Silly !?
Click to expand...

Actually I forgot to mention this... I like doing it on the windage screws of Leupold/Redfield style bases so when you remove one screw to remove the scope, the other screw does not move when the tension is released.

Lapping involves using a round bar the same diameter as the scope tube and lapping compound in the rings... a few laps show you if the are close to alignment... for starters lapping will remove the sharp edges that mark you scope tube up... properly aligned rings are important.

Pay your gunsmith to properly mount your bases and rings and lap the rings and mount the scope and ask if you can watch the procedure... I usually charge $30 when I do this...

If you use Burris Signature rings (they have a self aligning insert) no lapping is required and the scope tubes are never marked...
 
I got the solid steel "standard pair" rings with the Trumount universal bases. Those are the rings that came with the stickers...

Yeah, I guess it would be the thing to do, to pay to get it done, but I'm one of those guys you enjoys sitting down with my toys, and see if I can manage. Nah, I will give this baby a go myself and see how it turns out. The "gunsmith" is on my way to/from the range anyway... ;) ...in case of emergency.

I just spent hours last w/end doing a barrel "break-in"... for the first time... and that went well, although time consuming.

Thanks again.
 
I have used blue loctite on all of the scope mounting system screws (rings and bases) and just bases .... they all remove easily enough if necessary and the loctite seems to prevent them from rusting in place. I have mounted scopes without any loctite that seemed to stay mounted solidly just as well though.

Personally -- if it isn't going to be moved around a lot I would go ahead and loctite all the screws. It seems to me that most military rifles with scopes mounted have the ring screws staked in place fwiw
 
When I don't have any loctite and to cheap to buy some, I use my wife's nail polish... I find it works just as good, and it comes in all kinds of colours :)
 
Overland said:
Yes, loctite.
Base screws only.

BTW, there is a grade of loctite for screws smaller than ¼", has anyone ever used it? Does it make a difference?

I use the ordinary blue stuff 'cause I have it.
Click to expand...

Loctite 222 (purple) "Small Screw Threadlocker" is written right on the bottle. I've used it for years on a variety of applications including sights and scope mounts with very good success, never an issue breaking free until I choose to do so. FWIW, a bit of heat will soften Loctite to help break a screw free if you're fighting with a bad combo of tight and a messed up screw head.

Cheers
 
JPC1 said:
Yeah, I guess it would be the thing to do, to pay to get it done, but I'm one of those guys you enjoys sitting down with my toys, and see if I can manage. Nah, I will give this baby a go myself and see how it turns out.
Click to expand...

Good luck, I hope you don't damage an expensive scope learning...
 
Now now guntech I love locktite! Especialy on hex head screws. I drill out 50 to a hundred a year at 15 bux a pop. On top of that guys always gotta do the Tim Taylor thing and try to avoid the gun plummer. They wreak rings, bases, heck I have even seen a few scopes with their plastic parts melted. Lets not mess with the econemy now Mr guntech! LMAOROF Rod
 
I hate the adjustable rings. I want to be able to take the scope on and off and be sure it will hold zero. If things are so far out of whack that you think you need adjustable rings, using shims is a better option. On heavy recoil rifles, I use blue loctite on the base and ring screws. I have found that even a moderate recoil rifle like 35 Whelen can lose zero if all the screws are not loctite. Be careful not to over-torque those little screws, if they strip out the holes you can get in big s--t.
 
Thanks for all the replies. The scope is on tight. I have good groups. I`m happy. Thanks again for steering this beginner in the right direction.
 
there are many forms of locktite if you go to your machine tool supply shop they should have a book on locktite and the proper one for the job i have never used locktite on a scope befor and i have had one come lose on me and its a pain so locktite on the mounts makes sence to me but im just new at the working on my owne guns thing but i use locktite all the time at work and found if you take the time to find and use the proper one it is worth the time
 
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