For the last few years, I have been lapping the rings on every scope I mount. But back when I was ignorant, I didn't.

How important is it with good quality rings like Talley's?

You can have the best rings made but if they are installed on bases that are not in alignment they will not line up with each other.

Lapping helps solve that problem if it exists. If it doesn’t exist then lapping is a waste of time, in my opinion. It ain’t gonna hurt anything, but if the rings line up it ain’t gonna help anything either.

I don't lap rings anymore for the simple reason that I use the Burris Zee Signature rings.

However for the few rifles that I don't have the Signature rings on I don't lap them because if I move them to another rifle, which I do often I'd have to lap them again and each time I'd be removing critical contact metal.

$bob$

I lap on the big boomers....not on the smaller guns. I also, after lapping and cleaning, put a VERY thin layer of rubber cement on the inside of the rings and let it dry. Scopes don't move a bit.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
I lap on the big boomers....not on the smaller guns. I also, after lapping and cleaning, put a VERY thin layer of rubber cement on the inside of the rings and let it dry. Scopes don't move a bit.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

Lapping rings mates them to the lap not your scope. If you doubt this apply some inletting white to rings after they have been lapped and see how well they mate to your scope tube.

If mating the rings to a particular scope is what you‘re after you can skim bed the rings and get a perfect fit to your scope that will give you maximum contact for holding the scope in place.

fyj,
I have never heard of anybody doing that before although it makes sense! Do you employ that technique ofen!

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
fyj,
I have never heard of anybody doing that before although it makes sense! Do you employ that technique ofen!

Yes, and I know several others who do also. However, I do not swap scopes and rings around. Once I match a scope to a set of rings those rings stay with that scope. That practice may not be something that would work out for everyone.

will give it a try

quote:

Originally posted by fyj:

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
I lap on the big boomers....not on the smaller guns. I also, after lapping and cleaning, put a VERY thin layer of rubber cement on the inside of the rings and let it dry. Scopes don't move a bit.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

Lapping rings mates them to the lap not your scope. If you doubt this apply some inletting white to rings after they have been lapped and see how well they mate to your scope tube.

If mating the rings to a particular scope is what you‘re after you can skim bed the rings and get a perfect fit to your scope that will give you maximum contact for holding the scope in place.

fyj,

What do you use for the skim bedding?

A friend here in OZ uses Devcon titanium.

Blair.

Blair,

Mostly Devcon liquid steel, but I’ve also used Acra Glass with good results. Same technique and same material works just as well for getting a perfect match between the bases and the receiver.

Just have allot of Q-Tips and solvent handy to wipe away the ooze, and use a good quality paste wax as a release agent on the scope and the receiver.

fyj,

Thanks for the advice



Blair.

Sorry guys....just got back to this thread. Yes, I've used the "rubber cement" method for all my rifles (6) from 9.3 up. I've found it works well. The lapping evens up the rings as stated...not the scope, but the cement sort of gives them an even bearing surface that closes any minor gaps. All I know is that my scopes don't move. And yes, I don't swap them around.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

Ledvm: I lap all my scope rings and have for quite a number of years now!
The reasons are numerous and well worth the small investment in time and the small initial investment of my purchase of lapping tools by both Russ haydon's Shooters Supply and Kokopelli.
Both work well for me.
I have a close friend who has a huge precision reamer that is made for "reaming" rings - for when they are really out of "whack"!
Along with a careful lapping job I also take the time to make sure the rings are as near perfectly "perpendicular" to the bore of the Rifle as possible (before lapping).
And I set the scope in the ring bottoms before lapping to bore sight the ring alignment before lapping. This of course is done with a properly "centered" set of scope adjustments.
These few steps pay dividends for the careful Rifleman during the shooting life of his Rifle scope combo and when they go to sell that scope and get another.
I have never enountered a problem on those few very rare occassions that I have moved "lapped" rings onto another Rifle. No worries there.
Keep lapping - my advice. It's well worth it.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Even if your rings and bases are machined to 1/10 a RCH you receiver most likely isn't. Lapping is usually good time spent.....................DJ

I've been lapping rings for almost 20yrs now and consider it standard for any rifle in which I'm looking for accuracy. Its surprising to people when I show them how much out of kilter their rings are. The rubber glue and silicon sealer from an auto parts store work great to ensure non-slippage.

I don't lapp scope rings.

I align the two Weaver bases with each other and the barrel bore with epoxy between the bases and receiver.

The quality of the job when done is checked:
1) Edge of both mounts should touch a flat surface with no light showing between the edge of the Weaver mount and the flat surface.
2) Top surface of both Weaver mounts should fit flat on a flat surface with no wobble or light showing under the mounts.
3) A scope that has vertical and horizontal adjustment in the center of their range should have the cross hairs on a target that is bore sighted.

The (4) 6-48 screws and holes in the receiver are cleaned of cutting oil with alcohol, dried, and coated with Loctite 242 and torqued down.

I believe the results are functionally superior to lapping the rings.