I just swapped scopes on a couple of rifles, and when I took the scope off the one, I noted oil (or grease) under the rings. Although the top half of the ring was snug on the scope, when I removed it, there were absolutely no marks. I found that rather surprising, for what I think are pretty obvious reasons.

Now the question: do any of you guys do this as a matter of course, and if not, why not? The receiving rifle is not a hard recoiler, and I used a drop of oil (spread very thinly) on the rings before I mounted the scope. I will shoot it later this afternoon, so I should know if the scope moves before the day is out...

Answers? Ideas? Previous experience one way or the other? Recommendations?

I've never heard or thought about oil or grease on the rings. I could see it getting in there from cleaning, oiling of the rifle, but I wouldn't put it there intentionally.

I have used use friction tape on the ring halves. No scratches and no slipping.

Now I lap the bottom ring halves, clean it all up and install the scope.

Jeremy

Well you can machine a surface to .001 with a lathe or mill. You can grind a surface to .0001. I think there about ten or more (-0's) behind a molecule of oil. With that in mind, those little buggers don't need Visas and passports to travel. It's sort of the same logic that finds your kids marbles or pet hamster under every piece of furniture in your house. Oil is gonna get in there anyway. But I use the tape method to check for scope movement.

Yes there will be oil under the rings. What is the issue?

I keep everything dry when installing a scope..Over time oil will work in everywhere if you use it profusely...I don't oil the outside of my guns I just wipe them down with one of those silicone cloths for the most part..wax them in the winter if hunting in snow or inclimate weather..I oil and action very little, try to keep things dry as possible..In Idaho its not unheard of to freeze the oil in the rifles action and lock things up! Keep your bolt and trigger dry. I oil them when they go to storage after hunting season sometimes. Oils a good thing, but too much oil is very common mistake among shooters and hunters IMO.

If you have REAL STEEL rings, having some oil under them is a good thingy. Water will go anywhere oil will go. Actually it will go more places. If you like aluminum rings, then it's a non-issue. Except you're off my my Christmas card list. Aluminum is for airplanes. Guns are for shooting airplanes down.

I started using a Torque wrench when I go the 416 Rigby & that ensured correct mounting of the scope without any marking or movement.

If you oil your rifles barrel even lightly it is inevitable that some oil will seep under the rings. If you store the rifle vertically with butt on ground, the oil will flow because of gravity - even a very tiny amount will move down under the rings. Basic physics!

I would never oil the rings. I might give it a quick wipe with Break free or Eezox - very very thin film as a rust preventer.

I have used a thin piece of paper as a friction tape & it works well.

Some of the Lynx / Parker Hale rings are die cast steel rings and have tiny ribs inside the rings. They accumulate with oil over time. I use paper for those as well. I think Millet rigs are similar.

I used Warne rings for a CZ 416 Rigby and did not use any oil. The scope stayed in place for over 400 rounds. No problems.

I always use oil on my steel rings, for over 50 years now, and never had a scope slip. And I do not shoot light kicking rifles either. I don't want rusted rings. I do have to hunt in the rain and snow, so that is the only way to prevent rusted rings. And some of my scopes are steel too; they do need oil. Don't be afraid of it.

The respected gunsmith Jack Millar used some sort of oil or grease under the rings when he mounted the steel Kahles scope on my 338WM about 1980. It never moved and must have been there 21 years before I had reason to remove the scope for refurbishment. There was no rust underneath.

Oddly enough, after a half a dozen years or more, most of the cheaper, non-mineral oil gun oils out there will polymerize and become a thin film of brittle plastic under the rings. I have torn off hundreds of scopes over the years with these micro thin, transparent sheets of plastic between the rings and scopes. So if you can wait long enough, oil is probably as good as epoxy.

If I think that the scope slipping might be a problem I use rosin on the rings. Rosin solder flux is in a solvent that evaporates fast. Just paint a little on the inside of the rings. Fine powder works too.