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tools and equip needed for scope mounting?

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Optics Apprentice
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    Posted: June/23/2009 at 16:47
I'm planning to start doing my own scope mounting, boresighting, etc.
 
I have no experience with this.  What equipment do I need to do it properly?  Any suggested publications?
 
Thanks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 17:14
How "right" do you want to do this? You can buy some of the lapping and reaming kits.  You could just get a piece of round bar stock trued to 1.0000 from your local like minded machinist.  There are a thousand guys that would tell you that, that is not needed, but you never know until you check the rings.  A small machinist square, a reticle level, a small torque wrench,  a  *Flat* piece of metal (used for a gauge and to lay some sand paper on to true), machinist blue, some taps and stud extractors would round out the deluxe kit.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 17:31
Plus, to add to Silver's list of tools, I would add a gunsmith screwdriver set with HOLLOW GROUND screwdriver bits, a good set of Allen (hex head) wrenches, and a good set of Torx head drivers.  If you get a nice professional screwdriver set as described above, they will often include some Allen and Torx bits in the kit.
 
Also, I would highly recommend one of these "EXD" reticle leveling tools, available from Brownell's:
 
Thanks to forum member "Sakomato" for turning me on to this tool.  I bought one, and it is the best device I've seen for helping you orient scopes so the reticle is perfectly level.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 18:29
 Good recommendations above.
 Also- as Rifle Dude suggested but I need to underscore- don't use L-shaped Torx or ALLEN wrenches unless you absolutely have to.
 Get good screwdriver-handled ones, such as Brownells carries,
 They are twice as fast to use and five times less awkward than the L-shaped cheapies.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sholling Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 18:53
Just off the top of my head.
  • A gun vice comes in handy for holding the rifle level while you work. I have a Tipton's Best, however there are better available for the same price I just can't remember who makes it. The regular Tipton gun vice doesn't do a good job of keeping the rifle level. 
  • A torque driver to properly torque down mounting screws. This needs to be in inch-pounds not foot-points. I like the Utica TS35 that's commonly available used for about $40-50. It's not a bad idea to have a TS100 as well for those situations requiring more than 36 inch-pounds of torque.
  • Precision screwdriver bits. The good ones are hard and often chip so you'll go through a few of more popular sizes.
  • A ring lapping kit (1" and/or 30mm) is a very good idea. It let's you to true up the rings and make them perfectly aligned. It also reduces the chance of ring marks and scope movement.
  • Small levels (2) to level the scope to the rifle. I don't like the level, Level, Level and just use a couple that I got from Harbor freight.
  • A good boresight. I have both a laser and the magic Leupold pocket boresight. I find that I use the Leupold 90% of the time.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 18:54

I would only emphasize that if you do use Torx screwdriver heads then you should definitely get a torque screwdriver handle. It's too easy to over-tighten ring screws if you don't know how much torque you're applying.

This is one actual advantage of the L-shapped Torx wrenches. They are designed so you can't apply too much torque to the ring screws.

Also, if you're going to buy a collimator get the best one possible. The cheaper ones aren't as god as bore-sighting.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 18:58
Originally posted by John Barsness John Barsness wrote:

I would only emphasize that if you do use Torx screwdriver heads then you should definitely get a torque screwdriver handle. It's too easy to over-tighten ring screws if you don't know how much torque you're applying.

This is one actual advantage of the L-shapped Torx wrenches. They are designed so you can't apply too much torque to the ring screws.

Also, if you're going to buy a collimator get the best one possible. The cheaper ones aren't as god as bore-sighting.

 
You must not know the same farmers I do, John!
 
Point well taken though....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300S&W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 19:16
  I read somewhere?? when using the L-shaped wrenches you alternately tighten the ring screws until when pushing on the wrench with one finger the wrench flexes. This puts them  in the appropriate torque range. I've been doing it for yrs this way(since reading the article)and have had no slippage or damaged scopes. Maybe I can locate that article in my junk room. SOMEONE told me they had read the same thing,said they had a torque wrench and would test this out.  Whistling
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 19:54
RONK,

Yeah, some farmers might those L wrenches in a Vise-Grip so they can really tighten 'em down!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 20:00
three pound hammer, electric metal saw, acetylene torch...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote helo18 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 22:59
Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

three pound hammer, electric metal saw, acetylene torch...


Why not a little c4 while you are at it KB?

I second Rifledudes suggestion of the EXD reticle leveling device.  I have one and love it.  Easy to use.  Great investment.  A torx driver in inch pounds is an absolute must.  I also find the lapping kit very useful.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote One Shot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2009 at 23:14
I am a gun smith Its good to know there pepple that know how to mount a scope, because I seen some bad scope mounting, If you dont know how ask good first step pass-thru
one shot one kill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sandracer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 12:02
I like to use a piece of shafting the same diameter as the scope tube to slide between the rings and make sure they are on the same plane! Also I have these turned down to a point and use one in each ring to make sure the points align. I have seen scopes put in a bind from not having the rings aligned. The shaft will also work well to turn in the front ring on the Redfield type. A guy brought me his rifle with the complaint " I can't turn the power ring on my new VXIII". He turned in the ring with the scope, then tried to adjust windage with the rear ring. When I took loose the rear windage screws the power ring would adjust! Another thing you can do is tap the shafting and mount a handle in the middle to use with valve grinding compound to lap in the rings.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 12:33
With most things, I'd be inclined to say if you don't do it often, take it to someone with the tools. But every scope I ever had mounted at a gun shop or sporting goods store always had uneven gaps on either side of the rings, although they did a decent job of reticle leveling and boresighting.

If you have a Rem 700 action and a 30mm scope you can take the lazy and expensive way out and get a one-piece mount like the NightForce. I went that route last time and it fit like a glove and no worries about alignment or lapping the rings.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 19:15

One Shot,

I am sure we would all appreciate hearing your comments. Good to have a pro here!

One addition I wanted to make is that I have tested using a screwdriver with Torx heads along with a torque driver to see what happens. In my case if I grip the screwdriver handle only with the thumb and first two fingers of my right (strong) hand, the torque applied usually is around 15 inch-pounds, the normal minimum advised by most mount manufacturers.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 20:17
Originally posted by helo18 helo18 wrote:

Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

three pound hammer, electric metal saw, acetylene torch...


Why not a little c4 while you are at it KB?

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 21:11
I've often wished I had a better set of tools for scope mounting.  I bought one of these last year and like it so far.
Warne Torque Wrench Warne Torque Wrench
Stock # - TW1
$19.95 
Add Warne Torque Wrench to Cart 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 21:24
These are great kits for lapping and making sure your mounts and rings are square. 

John is a great guy to do business with as well. 

http://www.kokopelliproducts.com/acckit.htm


Edited by supertool73 - June/24/2009 at 21:25
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 21:54

Of the tools so far discussed I would rate a good collimator first, as it makes aligning a scope with the reticle centered a lot easier. This is pretty much essential--though if you can bore-sight a scope this is almost as good. Trouble is, most of us can't poit a scope (with the rifle in a vise) toward something 100 or more yards away. And some rifles can't be bore-sighted.

Centering the reticle is essential. If it's off much in some scopes then not onloy the adjustments but parallax will be a problem. I recently tried to center a scope in the collimator that didn't have much adjustment range. While turning the vertical adjustment KI could see the crosshairs make a snake-shaped turn! A collimator reveals many faults in mounting--and adjustments.

But one thing not often mentioned is that many collimators aren't lined-up right. The better ones are adjustable. Once you get a good rifle sighted-in, you can also "sight in" the collimator, which believe me makes things a lot easier.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote One Shot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/24/2009 at 22:21

Thanks John I dont know abought the pro part Whacko silver and rifle dude are right abought the tools needed most hunters dont have the right tools you could spend as much on tools   just to mount scops as what a  nice scope would cost.

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