Scope Alignment Rod
- Thread starter Danny Boy
- Start date
Brownells Inc. at Montezuma, Iowa 641-623-4000 sells a set of aluminum scope alignment rods (item # 080-730-000 Catalog #54) for $23.28US. This is from their 2002 catalog so the price might have increased since.
They are made of aluminum, comes in 1" as well as 30mm diameters and they are perfect for alignment scopes. You just line up the two opposing points and any misalignment is revealed. My Remington 700VS required several thousandths of shimming before the front and rear rings are aligned.
You might still be able to get Brownells to ship these items to Canada, just add in the GST at the border.
They are made of aluminum, comes in 1" as well as 30mm diameters and they are perfect for alignment scopes. You just line up the two opposing points and any misalignment is revealed. My Remington 700VS required several thousandths of shimming before the front and rear rings are aligned.
You might still be able to get Brownells to ship these items to Canada, just add in the GST at the border.
You can also go to a metal supply house - most reasonably sized urban centres have them, and buy some 1 inch aluminum bar stock, or 1 inch cold rolled steel bar stock. Failing that, any local machine shop, or millright shop, should have some laying around. This stuff is dimensionally correct enough to be used directly without machining - probably what Brownells sells to the public...
I went to my local machine shop, and they gave me a piece - too much bother to write up an invoice!
I went to my local machine shop, and they gave me a piece - too much bother to write up an invoice!
If you just want to check alignment of the scope and mounts, a 3 ft piece of 1" dowel will work. I found a good straight piece at Home Depot.
I drop it in the mounts after tightening them down. Don't need to put the caps on. Look to see if the dowel aligns with the front of the barrel. Rotate the dowel to check for any error for a less than straight dowel.
Any mis-alignment is obvious with the 3 ft extension the dowel gives you.
Now if you are trying to check the mounts for bearing surface on the scope or lap them in, you will need either the proper alignment tool or a piece of drill rod. Seems to me a 3 ft section of 1" drill rod was around $30. Cut in half and split it with a friend and it's not too much money.
I drop it in the mounts after tightening them down. Don't need to put the caps on. Look to see if the dowel aligns with the front of the barrel. Rotate the dowel to check for any error for a less than straight dowel.
Any mis-alignment is obvious with the 3 ft extension the dowel gives you.
Now if you are trying to check the mounts for bearing surface on the scope or lap them in, you will need either the proper alignment tool or a piece of drill rod. Seems to me a 3 ft section of 1" drill rod was around $30. Cut in half and split it with a friend and it's not too much money.
I built my own years ago from a couple scrap pieces of IHCP...(induction hardened, chrome plated) 1" rod. IMHO, the commercial ones are built kind of backazzwards. The pointed ends are totally rediculous. Make them with flat ends and nice sharp, but burr-free edges. MUCH easier to line up the edges of the rods by feel than lining up two points by sight....I can't believe they actually sell those pointy things...and people actually buy them....
I just made a lapping tool. Went to a local small machine shop owned by buddy, got him to cut off 12 in. piece of 1 in. polish rod, took it home, cut gooves in it like the one in Brownells, put handles on, works great. To check ring alignment, apply a small amount of lapping compound, give it a few strokes, and voila. Works great. Ditto on the thumbs down for the pointy rods!
- Location
- In the middle of gopher country
IF...........
One chooses to use a 1" wood dowel to align the rings.
Then epoxy beds the scope proper into the rings.
It's not a big deal.
Don't forget to use a good release agent on the scope when bedding!!!!
I find that epoxy bedding gets rid of all the other problems that can be associated with aligning a scope.
Lateron
One chooses to use a 1" wood dowel to align the rings.
Then epoxy beds the scope proper into the rings.
It's not a big deal.
Don't forget to use a good release agent on the scope when bedding!!!!
I find that epoxy bedding gets rid of all the other problems that can be associated with aligning a scope.
Lateron
- Location
- In the middle of gopher country
Casull
Most definitely!!!
The good part is that all one has to do is rough up the epoxy, after it's set, with 50 or 80 sandpaper just a bit. Enough to create a bite. Then there is no need to tighten the crap out of your rings.
For bedding material I've used JB Weld with great success.
You don't need much to bed a scope.
Lateron
Most definitely!!!
The good part is that all one has to do is rough up the epoxy, after it's set, with 50 or 80 sandpaper just a bit. Enough to create a bite. Then there is no need to tighten the crap out of your rings.
For bedding material I've used JB Weld with great success.
You don't need much to bed a scope.
Lateron
- Location
- In the middle of gopher country
Epoxy bedding a scope...
www.varminthunters.com/tech/scopebedding.html
www.varminthunters.com/tech/scopebedding.html
