Rings?? What do I need to know about them. Thanks
- Thread starter Brappp306
- Start date
Well, a very important thing to note is that some rings only work with certain mounts, so you need to make sure they're the same style.
Next is size, there's 30mm and 1 inch rings and you can do horrible things to a scope trying to tighten a 30mm ring onto a 1" tube.
Then there's height. Most types of rings come in Low, Medium, and High and that is an indication of how high above the mount the center of the ring is. What height of ring you need is determined by the objective lens of your scope, that's the last number in most scope specifications such as 3-9x30 which is most stereotypical hunting scopes. Trying to fit an 40 or 50mm lens in a low ring just isn't going to work unless your mount and/or rail results in the scope being higher than normal above the bore. I believe I have Leupold PRW medium 1" rings on my Leupold Mark AR Mod 1 3-9x30 and the objective lens is a bare millimetre away from the barrel. Low rings just plain would not fit, or I would bend my scope trying to force them on. I can't even fit a scope cap on there because there's no room. I don't mind it, but I'm sure it would drive some other people crazy.
Now if you want to get really picky, some folks(ATRS) say that rings with 1 screw per side are a better choice because it's easier to get them torqued evenly compared to multiple screws per side. Makes sense.
As a note for torquing scope screws, and screws in general, when you tighten one, it is essentially pulling down on that side which means the other side may tip up, or nearby screws might suddenly be loose. As such, you may need to leapfrog your way around the screws to touch them up and try to keep them even. My recommendation is to keep switching from one screw to its opposite, trying to keep them even. If you tighten one all the way down at first your ring will be quite a bit tilted in that direction. Go slow and check often.
I had to go over my Leupold ring screws four or five times before I was satisfied. Otherwise you tighten them all and by the time you're done the first one is now 10 in/lb loose so you have to tighten it a bit and then the second screw is now 7 in/lb loose and on and on.
As for brands, all of the major big name brands are generally decent. Leupold gets my vote because that's the brand I bought. Other ones should be fine as well. As long as you pick the right style and size and height.
Wait a minute, this is CGN, go use the search tool, noob!
Next is size, there's 30mm and 1 inch rings and you can do horrible things to a scope trying to tighten a 30mm ring onto a 1" tube.
Then there's height. Most types of rings come in Low, Medium, and High and that is an indication of how high above the mount the center of the ring is. What height of ring you need is determined by the objective lens of your scope, that's the last number in most scope specifications such as 3-9x30 which is most stereotypical hunting scopes. Trying to fit an 40 or 50mm lens in a low ring just isn't going to work unless your mount and/or rail results in the scope being higher than normal above the bore. I believe I have Leupold PRW medium 1" rings on my Leupold Mark AR Mod 1 3-9x30 and the objective lens is a bare millimetre away from the barrel. Low rings just plain would not fit, or I would bend my scope trying to force them on. I can't even fit a scope cap on there because there's no room. I don't mind it, but I'm sure it would drive some other people crazy.
Now if you want to get really picky, some folks(ATRS) say that rings with 1 screw per side are a better choice because it's easier to get them torqued evenly compared to multiple screws per side. Makes sense.
As a note for torquing scope screws, and screws in general, when you tighten one, it is essentially pulling down on that side which means the other side may tip up, or nearby screws might suddenly be loose. As such, you may need to leapfrog your way around the screws to touch them up and try to keep them even. My recommendation is to keep switching from one screw to its opposite, trying to keep them even. If you tighten one all the way down at first your ring will be quite a bit tilted in that direction. Go slow and check often.
I had to go over my Leupold ring screws four or five times before I was satisfied. Otherwise you tighten them all and by the time you're done the first one is now 10 in/lb loose so you have to tighten it a bit and then the second screw is now 7 in/lb loose and on and on.
As for brands, all of the major big name brands are generally decent. Leupold gets my vote because that's the brand I bought. Other ones should be fine as well. As long as you pick the right style and size and height.
Wait a minute, this is CGN, go use the search tool, noob!
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Quality components share low tolerance and are worth the money, I think.
Nightforce, Ferrel, ATRS, TPS, NEAR, etc.
It's a lot of cash, but they hold their value and last a lifetime. Plus it's a component you don't have to worry about causing shooting issues.
Precision shooting isn't cheap. I wish it were!
Nightforce, Ferrel, ATRS, TPS, NEAR, etc.
It's a lot of cash, but they hold their value and last a lifetime. Plus it's a component you don't have to worry about causing shooting issues.
Precision shooting isn't cheap. I wish it were!
Be cautious that when tightening ring screws that you dont crush the scope tube - many scopes have aluminum tubes - some strong - some not so much. This is not good for obvious reasons and can prevent a variable scope from "varying" the power.
Look carefully at the Burris "ZEE" Signature rings. These have a feature that was first used on the Sako/Tikka rings involving a spherical plastic bushing in the ring that accomodates varying tolerances in the rifle receiver/bases/rings and permits a stress free mounting of a scope - the Burris version also has various eccentric inserts to accommodate significant variances (which are not uncommon in some firearms). The "ZEE"" style also have "cross bars" that prevent recoil from effecting the position of the rings on the bases - this is a good thing to ensure repeatability of zero.
This information is repeated dozens of times on this site but bears understanding before you spend many hundreds of dollars on the "specialized" systems. The only other system I know of that approaches the convenience of the "Signature" style is EAW ... who's rings and bases are very expensive but deservedly so due to the extensive machining that makes them convenient. Good luck
Look carefully at the Burris "ZEE" Signature rings. These have a feature that was first used on the Sako/Tikka rings involving a spherical plastic bushing in the ring that accomodates varying tolerances in the rifle receiver/bases/rings and permits a stress free mounting of a scope - the Burris version also has various eccentric inserts to accommodate significant variances (which are not uncommon in some firearms). The "ZEE"" style also have "cross bars" that prevent recoil from effecting the position of the rings on the bases - this is a good thing to ensure repeatability of zero.
This information is repeated dozens of times on this site but bears understanding before you spend many hundreds of dollars on the "specialized" systems. The only other system I know of that approaches the convenience of the "Signature" style is EAW ... who's rings and bases are very expensive but deservedly so due to the extensive machining that makes them convenient. Good luck
- Location
- West Quebec
alberta tactical rifle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- calgary alberta
The inserts used on the Sako/Tikka/Burris rings do solve the problems associated with poorly machined rings in a great and cheap manner.
If ring makers would bother to make rings that are precisely made, these band-aid cures would not be required.
The rings we make will not allow for any tube crush and when the scope is properly installed in our rings there is a gap that you won't be getting a piece of paper between as it is less than .001.
Many ring makers leave .050 gap per side which makes it very likely to crush the scope tube.
My biggest ##### with Burris rings is that they are NOT Weaver standard and they are NOT Picatinny standard. Their cross bolt is waaaay to skinny and threads into 1 side of the ring with dinky and typically poorly installed threads.
OP , best advice. IF you plan to spend good $$ on optics also plan to spend good $$ on rings and rail, by that plan you will never fail. More importantly you will not be damaging the optic or having issues with repeatability of shots.
- Location
- West Quebec
Yes but they work and you don't need a mortgage to get them..
alberta tactical rifle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- calgary alberta
1 should not need a mortgage to buy decent rings, if they do this is the wrong hobby anyway. If 1 is mounting a cheap optic then cheap rings may be in order. When spending $1500.00 plus on optics $150.00 for very high quality rings does not seem outrageous to me. YMMV
Agreed - however I disagree that it is a "bandaid" cure - both Sako and Burris have developed a very well thought out and executed solution that is affordable
Agreed - and caution MUST be used with the amount of torque applied to the securing screws
Not my experience but agree that occasionally it is "fiddly" to get the cross-bolt screws to start threading in a "Zee" ring .... bigger crossbolts would be better ... but they are strong enough and larger diameter would increase the ring height unnecessarily.
Thats an amazing accomplishment -- and you should be commended! I have measured scope tubes with my Starrett 120 that vary more than that front to back.
