Tightening without Torque Wrench

Quarter turn before it strips ( I guess that's close to the Calvin method ). Alternatively, there's German torque. Güdentite, also referred to as güdenschnugen. Seriously, holding the Allen key with the tips of your fingers will work, but the only way to know for sure is a torque screwdriver.
 
tighten it until it snaps, then extract it and tighten the rest just a little less.

Call it the Calvin method.

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I miss Calvin and Hobbes...I use the good ole German method of goodentight myself.
Then again I fix things till they break, then I use a torque wrench.
Tight Groups and Equal Torque,
Rob
 
I used German Torque for many years and never squished a scope. Then I bought a torque-limiting screwdriver and don't have to worry about whether my German pronunciation is accurate. But if you're buying a torque wrench or screwdriver make sure that you buy good quality. I learned my lesson when my Princess Auro 1/4" torque wrench #### the bed and my blind faith caused me to overtighten (and damage) a set of rings (picatinny where they clamp onto the base). Buy once, cry once. If you cook a $100 set of rings or squish a $500 scope you were way better served to buy a good tool in the beginning.
 
Picked up the Can Tire one for less than $20 in December.

Reg $30.
h ttp://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/stanley-6-piece-screwdriver-set-0573639p.html#.Vr87TYGvCBY
 
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20 inch-lbs:
Hang a 5 lbs weight off an Allen key 4" from the axis. Or 10 lbs off 2 inches. Or 20 lbs off 1 inch, etc.

Cheap but cumbersome.

I bought a wheeler FAT torque screwdriver from Ellwood Epps for abut $60 and havent looked back.

I used to just hand tighten but somehow squished a $300 scope without realizing
 
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just use the allen key to make it snug with a couple drops removable Loctite and you are good to go

forget the torque screwdriver.

What did you do before they started listing torque settings for scope rings? Keep doing that.
 
If you have worked on small machinery and auto parts you soon develop a "feel" for what is right.

But if that isn't the case then a small torque wrench is a good investment, and cheap (especially in a 1/4" drive)
 
If you lap the rings ahead of time, getting the screws at the exact torque is even less important, and you'll never have another scope with a ring mark ;)
 
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