Mounting a Rifle Scope

[DenialPN]

I've searched the archives and couldn’t find anything with the basic process. I’m posting this to help myself but to also help those that are like my self and have been mounting scopes all wrong for a long time.
What is the process or procedure for installing rings and placing an optic in them?
For years all I did was throw on rings and slap the scope in them. Just locktite, tighten, and shoot.
Now I know that this is in correct but how should I be mounting optics? What should I be doing?
Thanks Matt

 

 

[Couzer]

See YouTube Video below 

[maximus]

check this

 

[trphyhntr]

11 hours ago, DenialPN said:

I've searched the archives and couldn’t find anything with the basic process. I’m posting this to help myself but to also help those that are like my self and have been mounting scopes all wrong for a long time.
What is the process or procedure for installing rings and placing an optic in them?
For years all I did was throw on rings and slap the scope in them. Just locktite, tighten, and shoot.
Now I know that this is in correct but how should I be mounting optics? What should I be doing?
Thanks Matt

 

 

You can still do it ghetto rigged like that tbh. 

[L Cazador]

I've mounted more than 20 scopes in the last three months. Most for hunting rifles. Some that were previously mounted too but not correctly. First let me start by saying there some tools you will need. If you don't have these tools stop right there and let a professional do the job properly. Here's the long process. Tools:

1). An inch pound torque wrench

2), A lapping bar and lapping compound

3). A leveling system

4) An optical bore sighter or collimator

Start by checking screws for the base to see if they're correct length. Simply done by putting the two front screws on the base or bases one at a time. Start with the very front screw first. After you've torqued the first screw usually 35-40 inch pounds of torque for base screws, try moving the base side to side. If you can do this, the screw is too long and you have made contact with the barrel threads it will cause the screw to loosen as you shoot your rifle. Next remove that screw and thread the next screw on the front and repeat the process above. You will have to trim screws on a grinder if too long or replace if too short. Once you determine both front screws are of proper length, move on to the rear screws to check for proper length. This is easy as you'll be able to remove the bolt and with a flash light see where the screw ends are from underneath. When you have verified all the screws are of proper length, mount the base to the action. If needed apply blue thread locking compound to the screws. Next process is to find the proper orientation of the scope on the receiver. You should have an equal amount of space between the rings and the adjustment turrets and you should also have three to four inches of eye relief at the rear. You can loosely place the top half of one of the scope rings to keep the scope in place while you're doing the orientation. Mark this position with masking tape on the scope tube. Next remove the ring top and scope and lock the bottom half of the scope rings to base using 35-40 inch pounds of torque. You're now ready to check ring alignment with the lapping bar. Apply a small amount of lapping compound to the rings and rock the bar back and forth till you see the bright spots where contact is being made. If these spots are equally consistent in contact there is no need to go any further, level and mount your scope and sight in. In the twenty or more scopes that I recently mounted, all needed further lapping to achieve at least 50% contact. Once done with lapping mark your rings for proper orientation if ever removed. I put a little tic mark with a center punch on the front upper and lower half of the front ring and two tic marks on the upper and lower halves of the rear ring. Next place an orientation level on the base and level the rifle in a vise and lock it. Next place the front level on the barrel and orient it with the rear level on the base. Remove the base level and replace the lower ring halves as they were oriented before. Place the scope on the lower ring halves and then add the upper halves leaving them loose till scope is properly leveled. Place the rear level on the scope elevation turret and orient and level with the level on the barrel. Now tighten the scope rings leaving equal amounts of gap between the ring halves. You can be very exact using a feeler gauge to do this. Now you're ready to bore sight. If you run out of adjustment either vertically or horizontally, you will have to start over and maybe insert shims to successfully bore sight. Scope manufacturers ask that you not tighten scope rings to more than 25 inch pounds as greater torque can result in erratic scope adjustments or damage to scope. I use the Level, level by Wheeler. See video on Midway USA. By the way, the scope brands and ring brands I recently mounted were Nightforce, Leupold, Vortex. There was one AR style rifle and two custom rifles. Glad to answer questions.

[Cambow]

I bet there are some good videos on YouTube as well.

 

[AZJoshua]

Curious what scope you would suggest for a .223 bolt? Looking to have some fun at 200 - 300 yards in the $400 maybe $500 range 

[Saguaro]

On 11/17/2022 at 10:21 PM, AZJoshua said:

Curious what scope you would suggest for a .223 bolt? Looking to have some fun at 200 - 300 yards in the $400 maybe $500 range 

I have an old Leupold Vari x III 4.5-14x50 from the late 90s on mine.  It’s one of the best scopes I have for the ranges you mentioned.  It’s been discontinued long ago, but if you find something in that power range from a good company like Leupold, Zeiss, Swarovski etc, you should be good.  Steiner has a few too but most I mentioned are going to be around $700.  Used scopes are never a bad idea if they are known to not be counterfeit.  That usually means buying from someone you know a little.  I’ve had good success before doing that.

As far as mounting a scope, it’s important to have all the tools Cazador listed.  I have several of different types and it always helps to level it to death before torquing it down.  That’s where it may help to have an odd level to place at random places to double check.  Scope mounting is one of my favorite things when using all tools available and being patient when going about it.

 

[L Cazador]

On 11/17/2022 at 10:21 PM, AZJoshua said:

Curious what scope you would suggest for a .223 bolt? Looking to have some fun at 200 - 300 yards in the $400 maybe $500 range 

A bolt gun in 223 will be pretty easy recoil on the scope. Lets' qualify your question first. What is the size of the target you will be using this combo on? Depending on target size a finer reticle may be required, and lower-end scopes can have thick reticles which can block out your target. A $400-500 is now considered and lower end scope. Several things that lower end scopes will exhibit; one is less resistance to recoil before damage occurs. Most lower end scopes will not take a lot of rounds of ammo before they fail. This shouldn't be much of a worry with the 223. If recoil is a concern, pick a scope with a good warranty and a quick return after repair. Next low-end scopes have pretty thick reticles and when you get to 300 yards that's going to present a problem on small game. Then there is the problem of parallax at longer range. You may need an adjustable objective, which most lower end scopes may not offer. Then there is the problem of minutes of elevation and windage. When shooting longer ranges keep in mind that you need an adequate amount of windage and elevation to make use of the most important part of the scope which is the middle of the working range of the scope. Once you reach the outer limits of scope adjustment things become pretty unpredictable. Finally, there's the question of power on the high end and only you can qualify this by experience. I hope this all helps because in the end you're the one can answer your question. Sometimes waiting till you have the funds for a better scope can be the best decision! Sorry for the delay in posting this.

[Zeke-BE]

I do everything in this vid and I use the foam technique.  I lay in a prone and have the gun in my shoulder where it feels comfortable and move scope forward or back until sight aligns.   My back doors are glass sliding and I aim at the block walls where the blocks are level.  I level the scope reticles on the block while the gun sits comfortable in my shoulder.    

[Lucafu1]

I use the wheeler professional leveling kit. I used to use their level level level kit but the professional one is worth it. I also use their fat tq wrench. After that I remove the bolt, find something I can see 50 yards away and aim it there (in some sort of vice or where it can't move), then adjust the cross hairs. I will hit somewhere on paper at 100 and go from there.

[AZJoshua]

Thanks for all the info guys, I decided to spend more and went with a Leupole VX-3HD 4.5 -14 x 40 CDS. Range time!