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Steel or Alum.? |
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Cabnetdude
Optics GrassHopper Joined: January/14/2010 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Posted: February/11/2010 at 18:13 |
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I am looking for pros & cons on steel vs. aluminum rings. Specifically in the Leupold Mark 4. SWFA has them both listed for the same price. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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There is no practical difference that I am aware of.
You can make an argument about different heat expansion coefficients, but it is really not important. ILya
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Weight is the only real difference. Aluminum is of course lighter, given mounts of the same size. The strength of a mount system has as much to do with design as materials used.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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austin243600yd.
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/09/2010 Location: russellville,AR Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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my friend had aluminum rings on his 243 thay wernt strong enough to hold the sope in place i have gone thru 4 sets of aluminum rings on my 243 finally i ordered a lupold steel one pice base and steel ring for it now it couldent be any more accurate steel is alot stronger and if ur goin any higher than a 223 go for the steel
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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try talley aluminums then, guys here have them on their .300wbys |
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Cheap aluminum vs cheap steel is something completely different when you talk quality aluminum vs quality steel its a different game. Heck a cheap steel base may be weaker than a quality aluminum. You get what you pay for with bases up to a certain extent. IMO at least. I find it hard to believe that a 243 knocked 4 sets of good rings but i guess it could happen
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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the .243 isnt exactly a heavy recoiling rifle |
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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yep
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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I have aluminum on my 45-70 and all I shoot are very heavy loads. Never had a single problem. You guys must have been using those $10 aluminum junk rings.
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Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.
"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own." |
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Sandracer
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/11/2009 Location: Eastern Oregon Status: Offline Points: 141 |
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My brother-in-law bought a 300 Wby in a model 70 Classic when they first came out and couldn't find a base for the express action. We put on a pair of Weaver bases that would fit the back holes and a cheap Tasco aluminum set of rings. This was supposed to be temporary until something better was available, well they are still on the beast! I'm not saying that setup is any good, but he's killed a pile of bucks and bulls with it.
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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is it anything like this??
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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steel seems to be the right answer for me most of the time.
I will say that my Badger Max 50 ultra high rings probably weigh more than my scope.
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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In quality materials, alloy steel has an approximately 0.03% higher shear yield point than aluminum. A much higher shear strength is available using ductile iron, but I don't know anyone making rings out of it...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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To say "steel is a lot stronger" is not necessarily true. All aluminum rings are not created equal. It all depends on the alloy used and how it's manufactured. If rings are made out of a quality aircraft alloy (6061 T6, 7075 T6, etc.), forged and/or machined from billet, then they are virtually as strong as steel rings.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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eurolynn
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/24/2010 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 179 |
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I don't know if this helps make a point or not, but here we go.
I knew a German fella, who had a Brno in 416 Rigby, and a 1-4x Leupold mounted on top, held by plain 'ol Weaver rings. He said the scope hasn't budged in over 10 years, and it had a few trips to Africa under it's belt (so to speak) and countless wild boar drive hunts. The top mount design is by far my favorite scope ring. They are like me, ugly but usable. And they are aluminum. I know someone who has Simmons scope rings, BIG MISTAKE! Just like all 3-9 scopes aren't equal, all aluminum rings aren't either. The only time I use any other ring, is if the Weavers are not practical. When I get the Mauser back, I will mount the Vortex with them if tube length allows. If I have to, I will use the only steel rings I like, and that is the Burris Zee ring series. When it comes to bases (Weaver style) I have used Weaver aluminum, and Warne steel. I am confident with both |
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Dale Clifford
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: July/04/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5087 |
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any force large enough to affect either type of the rings will have trashed the scope long before that, and probably the gun and maybe the shooter. Al offers the advantage of lighter wt.
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Lowglow
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/14/2010 Location: MO Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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I'm no expert, but I'm a retired Low Observable Guy from the USAF and I have a lot of experiences with metals regarding heat expansion and radar cross sections and so fourth.
Steel rings are nice, but on an Aerospace application if it is subjected to vibration and extreme weather changes and is subject to expansion and shrinkage a lot more than Aluminum. I, myself would use an Aluminum Alloy of 6060 or above for scope rings over steel, but I think when it comes down to it, it will depend on your usage and I'm only guessing but I'm willing to bet in the near future we will start to see Carbon fiber Scopes and Rings. |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Retired, you are of a certain "timeframe". Do much work with AFOTEC?
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Lowglow
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/14/2010 Location: MO Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Nope, but have been out to Kirkland a lot on TDY, for Cross tests, I retired from Whiteman AFB in Mo from the 509th BW off the Bat winged B-2.
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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I spent a different career working with AFOTEC. All the B-2 stuff I was involved with was at Edwards. Never made it to Whiteman.
You don't think the carbon fibers will be too brittle for rings? Seems like they would have to be excessively large. However, I have not kept track of progress there in a while...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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