Stuck magnification ring on Leupold

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24 February 2002, 22:41

Wachtel

Stuck magnification ring on Leupold

On my brand new Leupold 1-4x20 the magnification ring is almost stuck

. I can turn it but it's *very* difficult and it will be impossible to do on a cold hunting day. The scope is mounted on a CZ 550 with the Warne medium high QD mounts. Before mounting the ring turned easily without excessive force.

I had help from a gun-smith installing the scope. Is it the scope itself or could the problem be in the mount (to tight)?

I've put less than 20 rounds through the rifle so far.

25 February 2002, 00:25

<LiMe>

hello...

on my leupold, i had the same problem. it was difficult to change manification. The thing I did was to sit infront of the TV an turn it for maybee 20minits... Now I atlest think that itï¿½s easier to change... Looks like it is much oil or someting that need to be "smoothen" up..

MVH peter

25 February 2002, 01:25

<Gary Rihn>

quote:
Originally posted by Wachtel:
Before mounting the ring turned easily without excessive force.
I had help from a gun-smith installing the scope. Is it the scope itself or could the problem be in the mount (to tight)?

I'd say you have just about answered your question. If it *was* OK, and now isn't after mounting, something happened to it at that stage.

25 February 2002, 04:38

Wachtel

I tried loosening the screws of the rear mount a bit with no reaction. Then I said to my-self that I couldn't use it as it was so ... made a lot more turns and finally the ring got loose.

There was still a bit of resistance in the middle of the range but by slowly tightening the mount again and alternating with twiddling the ring back and forth a few times it's now a lot better. Still tight around 2,5 though ...

25 February 2002, 05:55

Yukoner

my guess is that you slightly colapsed or bent the the scope tube when tightening your rings. This will happen if your rings and bases are not in alignment. The same thing happened to me and so now i always use a scope alignment and ring lapping tool.

Daryl

25 February 2002, 08:28

Ray, Alaska

I agree with Daryl on this one.

You may want to remove the scope and then turn the adjustment ring to make sure it does not bind. If it still does, send it to Leupold with a clear explanation of what the problem is and get it fixed. It should not be loose to turn, but instead firm and smooth all the way from low to high magnification.

Before you reinstall it, find what the problem is with the mounts and rings.

25 February 2002, 09:40

Wachtel

Many thanks for the advice!

I loosened all screws, both on the forward and the rear mount, until the scope was free. The ring then turned smoothly

I then tightened all screws very gently and was careful to do it in small increments while alternating between the front and rear mount and the upper and lower screws. I made the last turns firm but not brutal.

Now the magnification ring functions perfectly

I'll have a talk with that gun-smith Now it's just a matter of sighting the rifle in once again. It will be interesting to see how much of a shift this operation caused.