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Steel or Alum.?

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    Posted: February/11/2010 at 18:13
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 01:10
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.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 05:42
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote austin243600yd. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 09:34
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 09:36
Originally posted by austin243600yd. austin243600yd. wrote:

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

try talley aluminums then, guys here have them on their .300wbys
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 09:41
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 09:43
Originally posted by SVT_Tactical SVT_Tactical wrote:

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

the .243 isnt exactly a heavy recoiling rifleLight It Up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 09:45
Originally posted by pyro6999 pyro6999 wrote:

Originally posted by SVT_Tactical SVT_Tactical wrote:

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

the .243 isnt exactly a heavy recoiling rifleLight It Up
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 09:56
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sandracer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 10:16
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 10:30
is it anything like this??



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 11:32
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. Whatever

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 12:35
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 13:07
Originally posted by austin243600yd. austin243600yd. wrote:

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
 
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote eurolynn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/12/2010 at 20:34
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/14/2010 at 09:16
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lowglow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/16/2010 at 18:10
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/16/2010 at 18:13
Originally posted by Lowglow Lowglow wrote:

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.

Retired, you are of a certain "timeframe".  Do much work with AFOTEC?  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lowglow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/16/2010 at 18:21
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/16/2010 at 18:27
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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