Rings.. cheap vs expensive

With the current changes in supply and trade, offshore manfs are able to offer more and more products directly to Canada...

For fun, I bought a set of Alum rings that looked very high quality and looked like some name brand stuff. To my surprise, what showed up were the same quality of ring without branding. The cost was 1/4 what is typically sold at.

If these rings fail with use, I will certainly update BUT so far, they installed with the same quality and confidence I would have as the name brand set it sure looks like.... and the performance in the field has been the same.

Just be careful and selective but the market place is definitely changing.

Jerry
 
Mysticprecision said:
With the current changes in supply and trade, offshore manfs are able to offer more and more products directly to Canada...

For fun, I bought a set of Alum rings that looked very high quality and looked like some name brand stuff. To my surprise, what showed up were the same quality of ring without branding. The cost was 1/4 what is typically sold at.

If these rings fail with use, I will certainly update BUT so far, they installed with the same quality and confidence I would have as the name brand set it sure looks like.... and the performance in the field has been the same.

Just be careful and selective but the market place is definitely changing.

Jerry
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That has been my experience lately as well Jerry. Modern manufacturing can produce inexpensive parts that are precise and of high quality.
 
Correct... but I was trying to indicate that the offshore manfs that make many of the fancy brand stuff, are now offering some products direct to us. From their prospective, they are making incrementally more money so why not.

If tariffs start, I expect to see a whole lot more of this

Jerry
 
eco said:
View attachment 886591well, it's on.. talleys worked out ok. Thinking now I should have gone with taller rings, only a sheet of paper gap in the front. (I know it looks off in the picture bcz of the angle while I was hovering over it)
Decided not to go with the rail but one piece instead.

Setting up my 10/22 now, for that one went with the cheap Amazon stuff for a bushnell scope. Seems completely fine and hits the paper reasonably accurate.
Click to expand...

The recommendation is a minimum of 1 mm or 1/16 (which is just over 1 mm). It really depends, for hunting it is probably fine but for range shooting where you shoot more, the barrel will heat up and you may not like the result.
 
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scianna54 said:
The recommendation is a minimum of 1 mm or 1/16 (which is just over 1 mm). It really depends, for hunting it is probably fine but for range shooting where you shoot more, the barrel will heat up and you may not like the result.
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Is it heat transfer you are worried about? Or actual contact between the barrel and the scope objective?
 
I've got some Vortex Pro LOW rings (that ride on 1) Factory mount or 2) CZ 0* rail ) that I bought back in 2020 (1) and 2022 (2). Both are holding Cabelas Cov-4 6-24x50 FFP-SF scopes on 1) Savage B-22 FV and 2) CZ-455 Lux SS. The B-22 FV objective only has 1/16" clearance (or a hair less) and No probs for 5 seasons. The CZ has ca 1/4". And I torqued them both to 16 "#.

B22 Pic.jpg
 
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None of my rings are over $20.
Sometimes I lap em just because Im bored and its winter.
They're all practically using the same 6061.
No scope is moving with the proper torque.

If you disagree, keep coping with your $100+ rings :D
 
eco said:
View attachment 886591well, it's on.. talleys worked out ok. Thinking now I should have gone with taller rings, only a sheet of paper gap in the front. (I know it looks off in the picture bcz of the angle while I was hovering over it)
Decided not to go with the rail but one piece instead.

Setting up my 10/22 now, for that one went with the cheap Amazon stuff for a bushnell scope. Seems completely fine and hits the paper reasonably accurate.
Click to expand...
What cartridge is the xb?
 
Mysticprecision said:
With the current changes in supply and trade, offshore manfs are able to offer more and more products directly to Canada...

For fun, I bought a set of Alum rings that looked very high quality and looked like some name brand stuff. To my surprise, what showed up were the same quality of ring without branding. The cost was 1/4 what is typically sold at.

If these rings fail with use, I will certainly update BUT so far, they installed with the same quality and confidence I would have as the name brand set it sure looks like.... and the performance in the field has been the same.

Just be careful and selective but the market place is definitely changing.

Jerry
Click to expand...
Exactly. That reminds me of my ex getting these deals on some high end bags years ago (each usually $1-2k). Same factory, same line, same material, just wouldn't get brand stamped. Factory ran overnight for the unbranded stuff once bosses left for the day. The workers lived on site. Worked like slaves. Typical Chinese manufacturing. It was like 5th of the price for the non branded.
Info confirmed with the person that would fly over to China and make the deals and ship them back.

My biggest issue is the machining, and how true the ring halves are cut. But even cheap cnc machines these days are capable of decent work. Down to a 100th of a mm...
 
Grizzlypeg said:
Is it heat transfer you are worried about? Or actual contact between the barrel and the scope objective?
Click to expand...

I can't actually see the gap but if only a thin piece of paper fits in, I would be worried about the heat from the barrel if he shoots more than one or 2 rounds in short order. A barrel also moves during shooting so this may also be a concern. Personally I would not take the gamble.

The problem with scope rings is that low, medium, high, extra high or whatever differs from brand to brand.

Better use a calculator like this one and do your homework:

https://www.scopedout.com.au/ring-height-calculator/
 
I picked up a box with about 50 different ring sets that come with the "knock off" Air Soft scopes, which can be purchased for around $100 from Amazon.
All of the rings were made from anodized aluminum, very sturdy, and the IDs were right where they should be. All of the were machined true to the axis of their bores, so if the rifle is D&T ed true, set up and sight in should be minimal.

All of the rings were new in white cardboard boxes, and I have no idea where they came from. They were purchased at a "garage sale" just outside of Vernon at a house along highway 6, for $20 for the whole box.

Those rings are worth every penny. they came in three different sizes, 1inch, 30mm and 34mm.

What appear to be identical rings are being offered at big box stores and some LGS for $70-$100.

I've come to the conclusion, for my purposes, these rings exceed my needs, and if I'm going to order another set of rings, I will order one of the airsoft scopes from Amazon, just for the rings and use the scope on a 22. Kills two birds with one stone and I don't have to go to the store, and it comes in the mail in three days.
 
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Can-down said:
I understood, my point is for some items it's not even "worth" making garbage anymore..... which is a good development.... :)
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The Systems that lets an offshore manf sell direct, is also the reason crap manfs drop out of the market very quickly. Free shipping, no questions asked returns AND penalties... you will go broke selling crap.... however, sell good stuff at a good price...$$$$$

Also, there is a changing culture in the offshore consumer. They are also sick of buying crap and having to screen all sorts of vendors. As they get more affluent, they also appreciate that what they buy works as offered and offer good value.... and oh are they brutal on their ratings.

so we are finally weeding out the quick buck manfs... and what will survive are far fewer options but much better quality.

Just look at optics

Jerry
 
My thoughts on purchasing darn near everything.
High end pricey items you are buying a name, something to show off with. These items you can brag how much you paid for said item, the upper echelons of society do this. You are getting sizzle and the steak here.
Mid range you get good quality items with good service and support. Often the best value, most bang for your buck. You are buying steak.
Lower range stuff sometimes exactly the same as midrange but no warranty or service. Can be decent quality but sometimes you’re rolling the dice. Small steak but may not be cooked to your specifications
Bottom barrel stuff. You can brag how good of deal you got. Usually being cheap costs you $. This is minute steak that may give you indigestion. If a guy doesn’t have the means to buy good gear this might be your only option but I’d say you are better off saving up your $ to buy better gear.

Just my opinion on buying pretty much anything. Nothing is perfect sometimes one gets lucky, gets a smoking deal on top tier stuff.

I also like to support Made in Canada or at the very least CDN companies. Not an easy climate here in Canada to survive in business. 🍻
 
For anyone who is interested: Ordered a scope online as well as rings. Got the scope before the rings and Tomorrow was going to be Range Day. I have 20mm rings but this rifle has an 11mm dovetail. What's an impatient guy to do?
3D printed a pair of rings I found on thingverse.com. Didn't expect much.
To my delight the scope functioned, zeroed and tracked just fine.
Now: 1) This was on a 22LR, 2) This worked for one day - would it work for longer -maybe but likely some fatigue in the plastic would require re tightening and would eventually wear out in ?months ? years. Anyways - fun experiment.
 
I recently purchased a set of $35 Leupold Rifleman rings from Bass Pro.
They had no logo or markings on them and looked and felt exactly like the $12 pair I bought on Amazon.
 
Apek said:
For anyone who is interested: Ordered a scope online as well as rings. Got the scope before the rings and Tomorrow was going to be Range Day. I have 20mm rings but this rifle has an 11mm dovetail. What's an impatient guy to do?
3D printed a pair of rings I found on thingverse.com. Didn't expect much.
To my delight the scope functioned, zeroed and tracked just fine.
Now: 1) This was on a 22LR, 2) This worked for one day - would it work for longer -maybe but likely some fatigue in the plastic would require re tightening and would eventually wear out in ?months ? years. Anyways - fun experiment.
Click to expand...
I’m surprised no one’s made them yet. Some of our new fall protection harnesses will have “plastic” “carbon” idk d rings and anchor attachments. 10to1 safety ratio if I remember right
 
I used many different rings and bases over the years... ended up using Leupold as my cheapest set up. The dual dovetail is super solid and as stable as it gets for a very reasonable cost.
 
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