I just installed new Leupold STD bases and rings on my buddy's Remington 7600 (30-06). I've used the STD on many rifles through the years and had no issues.

We shot about 7 shots and had the rifle sighted in at 50 yds. The next 2 shots at 100 were off the target. Then noticed the rear ring had slid 1/2 " forward off the rear base. The base windage screws had loosened.

Tightened everything down again. Used a coin (quarter) on the windage screws. Within 3 shots, same thing happened. Snugged everything down..real tight yet again.. and we then checked the windage screws after every shot... and found they were just not holding up under recoil.

I haved used the STD's for 7600's on a .308 and 7-08 and they worked great.

Before I contact Leupold... and I missing something ? Any suggestions ?

Thanks... Rob

That is unusual indeed. Check the edges of the component that tightens up against the ring and make sure they are not damaged or the edges are not rounded off. This is exactly why I use either the dual dovetail version or the quick detatchable set-up. The dual dovetail rig is bulletproof as there is nothing to come un-done.

Thanks for your response.

Exactly right... I found the dual dovetails when mounted correctly don't need base windage screws.... the adjuster on the scope can easily handle it.

Besides, it appears the front ring is doing all the work on the STD's... the rear hardly anything.

Another lesson learned.

I dunno, it sounds to me like you're not tightening the windage screws enough initially. They need to be TIGHT! I use a large oversized hollow ground screwdriver to tighten mine.

I think once they shoot loose and move under recoil, it damages the "ears" on the base that the screw heads clamp into. Once that occurs, you can throw the base away, because they'll never tighten up right again.

My brother did a similar thing on his 375 H & H. He brought it over after wards and I put a new standard base and ring set on it for him and it's been going strong ever since. I have one on my 338 Win mag, and on my 375 H & H, no problems with either. I DO locktight the windage screws on the bigger calibers.

Just my experience only...

Something doesn't add up here. In order for the rear ring to be a half-inch forward of the base, then the entire scope must have slipped. This means that the front ring failed to hold the scope. Look first at how securely (or insecurely) the scope is being held by the front ring.

The rear ring base on a Redfield-type conventional mount is NOT supposed to hold against any forward movement. It is simply not designed that way. Besides, the little windage screws can easily be broken, bent, or distorted if torqued down with a large screwdriver. But no matter how tight you make them, the little half-moons simply WILL NOT hold against fore-aft movement -- that is the job of the immobile front ring.

Bottom line: Check the grasp of your front ring on the scope -- it is the only thing that keeps the scope immobile fore-aft!

Thanks to all for your replies.

After reading them, I need to revisit both the front and rear ring screws. My buddy tightened them after I installed the base and front ring dovetail. I have a feeling they are not tight enough and the scope is sliding forward due to recoil.

Thanks... Rob

quote:

Originally posted by robco:
Thanks to all for your replies.

After reading them, I need to revisit both the front and rear ring screws. My buddy tightened them after I installed the base and front ring dovetail. I have a feeling they are not tight enough and the scope is sliding forward due to recoil.



Thanks... Rob

I think you're on the right track.

Stonecreek... You must be an investigative engineer.

I don't want to beat a dead horse with this thread, but the more I think about it, I agree with you that the front ring screws are the problem. The scope itself must be sliding forward and bringing the rear scope ring with it. The rear base windage screws are not designed to prevent this from happening and hence can't stop it.

Come to think of it, I've enountered loose base windage screws before with STD's...and only noticed they were loose when shots started stringing. The scope was still secured firmly by the scope rings and didn't slide.

I'm not really sold on the STD's... my preference with Leupolds is the DD's, but they are not offered for the 7600.

I'll go over these STD's again, and if not satisfied, I'll get him to switch to Warne bases and rings.

Thanks again. Rob

You don't mention what kind of scope you are using (not that it should matter). However, a very large, heavy scope with a gloss finish would be a little harder to hold in place than a smaller scope with a matte finish. At any rate, if the front ring is torqued down appropriately on the scope then that ring should hold it against all but the most severe recoil. A .30-06 shouldn't budge it.

A couple of thoughts: First, have the rings you are using been previously honed or lapped? Someone could have been overly aggressive in this process and ended up simply making the "hole" too large. Second, do the rings have any lubricant inside them? The rings (and scope tube) should be totally dry. And one more thing: Make sure that you don't inadvertantly have 26mm rings made for "European"-sized tubes, rather than the American standard 25.4mm (1-inch) rings.

Stonecreek...I believe the scope is a Nikon 3x9 Monarch with a matte finish. (I don't have the rifle in my possession). The rings are new. When I look into it again sometime before the weekend, I'll insure the scope rings are free of any lubicant.

Oh yeah... the 26mm rings. You must be a Sako guy too. Those old style Sako ringmounts with the recoil stop pin... set up on Sako dovetails... now that's sure locks things down. Recoil only tightens the whole setup.

Yes, I do happen to be a "Sako guy", now that you mention it.

A couple of years ago I bought what appears to be a an unfired Sako .223 with a Leupold Compact mounted in original Sako rings. The rings were higher than necessary, so I bought some Leupold ringmounts to lower the scope and remounted it. To my surprise, when I dismounted them, I found the Sako mounts were 26mm rings. I put them up on ebay and sold them to a guy who itched to mount a European scope on his Sako. I think I got $105 for them, so I came out smelling rosey on the deal.

Since the gun was unfired, I have no idea if the 26mm rings would have held the scope in place. But being a very lightweight scope on a very light-kicking caliber they might have done fine.

Stonecreek pin-pointed the problem.

The front rings were not tightened down enough, causing the scope to slip forward... taking the rear ring along with it (off of the rear base).

Like he said the rear windage screws are not meant to hold against fore/rear scope movement.

All is good... Thanks for all the responses !

Hey, I learned something too.

Thanks.