Torquing Scope Ring Screws

[Jonnyofalltrades]

Those are excellent rules of thumb to go by. Just remember that they only apply to steel screws, threading into steel. Throw anything else into the mix and all bets are off. Aluminum flips those rules into reverse, more or less.

 

[South Pender]

Update. I contacted Talley about this issue and got a very quick email back. They say their torque recommendations apply to the screws as they arrive with the rings. So whatever Talley does with their screws. May be different with other scope mounts.

 

[Canuck65]

Canuck65 - where did you get those torque numbers? I just looked on Warne website - they are suggesting 25 inch pounds torque maximum for their base screws into a steel receiver and 15 inch pounds maximum into an aluminum receiver - that is MUCH lower than what you posted? Another reference that I have - from the Weaver scope installation kit - says 30 inch pounds torque for base screws into steel receiver and 20 inch pounds into aluminum receivers - so is higher numbers than Warne posts. But Warne is clear for installer to refer to the firearm maker for specific torque numbers for the base screws - Weaver says to refer to "Owners Manual" - I understand the Warne website posting is to indicate what they consider to be maximum torque when installing their bases, and the Weaver pamphlet to indicate what they "recommend" for their units, if nothing found in "Owners Manual".

You definitely do need to reduce torque for aluminum. For the ring-scope connection I’ve always used 20”lbs and never once had an issue. The numbers I listed above were what I have always used (without issue) for steel rings and steel bases. If you’re using aluminum bases or if you have an aluminum or brass receiver, use what the manufacturer says, and definitely use loctite when mounting the bases to the receiver. The issue here is that the screw is stronger than the receiver and you’ll strip out the threads pretty easily.

 

[Al Bear]

Torque shmorque. Been using latex bands taken from the fingers of white latex gloves ... for over 20 years. Tighten until snug and nothing will move. Upside is you never have to worry about ring marks on your scope tube. Downside is ... say after 10 years you want to change scopes ... then you may have to cut new bands.

 

[Grain]

Torque shmorque. Been using latex bands taken from the fingers of white latex gloves ... for over 20 years. Tighten until snug and nothing will move. Upside is you never have to worry about ring marks on your scope tube. Downside is ... say after 10 years you want to change scopes ... then you may have to cut new bands.

You use the 'latex bands' between the rings and scope?

 

[m1008]

You use the 'latex bands' between the rings and scope?

Schmidt and bender has a similar recommendation

Not sure about glue maybe they mean rosin like spuhr and other companies

 

[Grain]

Schmidt and bender has a similar recommendation View attachment 684852

Not sure about glue maybe they mean rosin like spuhr and other companies

Interesting, thanks.

 

[Al Bear]

You use the 'latex bands' between the rings and scope?

Yes.

 

[Grain]

Yes.

Cheers

 

[bearhunter]

You use the 'latex bands' between the rings and scope?

I've used this method and it works well, but after several years, the latex can get dried out and become rock hard, requiring acetone to remove it from the scope body and rings.

I had one rifle where I had to warm up the bases to get the hardened latex to soften enough to remove the scope.

 

[pathfinder76]

I use rubber cement.

 

[South Pender]

I've never felt the need to use latex bands or rubber cement on the scope rings. As I mentioned earlier, I shake some rosin onto the rings to improve traction (suggested years ago by Greg Warne and by others since), and that has kept my scopes from moving, including on my 9.3x64 rifle that produces recoil much like a .375 H&H. I've never had a scope move in the rings.

The most common torque advice I've seen re scope mount screws is 25 in-lbs. for the base screws and 15-20 in.-lbs. for the ring screws. Swarovski recommends 2 Nm (17.7 in.lbs) for ring screws, and less if less is recommended by the scope-mount maker, but not more. They are mute on base-to-receiver screws as their concern is with damaging the scope tube. Their 2 Nm recommendation for the ring screws is well below the 3 Nm recommended by Schmidt & Bender, as noted above by m1008, although S&B may feel that using a piece of latex glove on the lower ring allows for greater screw torque.

 

[guntech]

Torque shmorque. Been using latex bands taken from the fingers of white latex gloves ... for over 20 years. Tighten until snug and nothing will move. Upside is you never have to worry about ring marks on your scope tube. Downside is ... say after 10 years you want to change scopes ... then you may have to cut new bands.

I have used powered rosin in the rings for over 50 years... scopes do not shift... no need to over tighten any screws...

 

[Mike Webb]

I worked as a millwright for 30 odd years and several engineers and factory reps have told me torque values are always assumed to be dry unless specified otherwise. Lubricated threads will end up roughly 30 percent tighter than dry when torqued to the same value. I degrease the screws first in ring screws personally.

 

[B]

Industry standard to torque any fastener is lubed....not dry.
.

Straight from my trades manual, all torque specs are for lubricated threads. My trades manual does not cover tightening rifle scopes but as a general thing I have never heard otherwise from anyone who knows their stuff.

 

[South Pender]

That's interesting, Mike and B. Two completely different views on this. It would be nice if the scope-mount makers specified lubed or dry with their torque recommendations. That figure of a 30% tightness difference is interesting and helpful. I think that, until the scope mounting instructions specify lubed or dry, I'll just use the torque values recommended with the screws as they come with the mounts.

 

[Mike Webb]

Straight from my trades manual, all torque specs are for lubricated threads. My trades manual does not cover tightening rifle scopes but as a general thing I have never heard otherwise from anyone who knows their stuff.

Guess I don't know my stuff then. Depends what "lubed" is taken to mean. Light oil is different than Molypaste or Neverseez.0

 

[Potashminer]

That's interesting, Mike and B. Two completely different views on this. It would be nice if the scope-mount makers specified lubed or dry with their torque recommendations. That figure of a 30% tightness difference is interesting and helpful. I think that, until the scope mounting instructions specify lubed or dry, I'll just use the torque values recommended with the screws as they come with the mounts.

At least one does - go here: https://warnescopemounts.com/blog/torque-and-scope-mounts-proper-torque-specs-for-scope-rings/

About 2nd screen worth down, they say "Manufacturer’s toque specs are based on dry threads ..." I suppose someone could argue with what Warne posted, or what that means - what could Warne know about it anyways - they are just in the business to sell stuff ...

 

[South Pender]

At least one does - go here: https://warnescopemounts.com/blog/torque-and-scope-mounts-proper-torque-specs-for-scope-rings/

About 2nd screen worth down, they say "Manufacturer’s toque specs are based on dry threads ..." I suppose someone could argue with what Warne posted, or what that means - what could Warne know about it anyways - they are just in the business to sell stuff ...

That's really helpful, Potashminer. It contains a lot of wisdom and parallels suggestions made elsewhere over the years, such as torque for base-to-receiver screws (and use of thread locker). The one thing I'd now do differently re thread locker is to use the purple, rather than blue, version, but that's a very recent and minor change on my part. I suppose if one wanted to pick a nit or two, he could ask about what is meant by "dry screws"? Should we understand this to mean the screws as they come with the rings without any lubing, or does it mean really bone dry via de-greasing? I think, until further notice, I'll understand it as the former.

 

[B]

FWIW I only ever use purple loctite, and don't lubricate anything. I can't think of a time when my method was not sufficient to keep everything in place.

Considering the forces at play I don't see the point in lubing threads here. If I were torquing a flange on a 1440psi separator I'd default to the standard...