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Mounting riflescopes...DIY or leave it to a "pro"?

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boy412 View Drop Down
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    Posted: March/31/2010 at 11:35
I am assembling my first rifle...a real tack driver I hope! Chose a Savage 12 LRPV and a Nikon Monarch X 2.5-10x44 scope, EGW base and Burris XTR rings. Now I'm trying to decide if I should try and mount this myself or have a gunsmith do this. I have the Wheeler Engineering kit, but no vise.

After reading the horror stories about what various "professionals" have done to people's scopes/rifles I am very nervous about trusting my new gear to a stranger. I don't know any reputable smiths in the area so that is compounding my anxiety.

Everyone seems to have their own method for mounting scopes, but if I follow the basic method (like what Larry Potterfield does in his Gun Tec videos) will I be OK on my own? I'll probably end up with a vise anyway to help with maintenance and cleaning, but it seems to me that I'd need a pretty expensive one (like the Tipton "Best" vise) to properly mount a scope.

Thoughts?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 11:41
do it yourself check your work with the elevation adjustment test
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rjtfroggy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 11:53
 All you need is a padded bench vise and a good level. Then just have at it, remember to use a torque driver(in/lbs) and tighten properly.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boy412 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 11:56
"< ="utf-8">elevation adjustment test"

Would you mind elaborating on that a bit? I Googled it but came up with nothing.

Have the Wheeler torque driver. I do most of the work on my car and understand the importance of adhering to torque specifications!

Thanks...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 11:59
i mount my scopes with the use of my lead sled, seems to work fine as long as the table is level.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 13:06
Originally posted by boy412 boy412 wrote:

"elevation adjustment test"

Would you mind elaborating on that a bit? I Googled it but came up with nothing.
 
In other words, when you are zeroing your rifle after mounting the scope, as you move the elevation adjustment up and down, you should get a perfectly vertical shift in point of impact (group centers) on target.  This tells you whether you mounted your scope level.  If your scope isn't level, you will get both a vertical shift along with some horizontal shift in group centers when adjusting the scope's elevation knob.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 14:44

You can do it!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boy412 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 14:48
Originally posted by RifleDude RifleDude wrote:

In other words, when you are zeroing your rifle after mounting the scope, as you move the elevation adjustment up and down, you should get a perfectly vertical shift in point of impact (group centers) on target.  This tells you whether you mounted your scope level.  If your scope isn't level, you will get both a vertical shift along with some horizontal shift in group centers when adjusting the scope's elevation knob.

That makes sense. At what distance are we talking about here?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 15:29
Read the post at the top of this section. It has some good info:

http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=21267
Reaction time is a factor...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boy412 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 15:53
Yes, I had read that post. That's what got me nervous about taking my rifle to a gunsmith in the first place! With my luck I would encounter "Mr Screwdriver".

:)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/31/2010 at 17:39
Originally posted by boy412 boy412 wrote:

Originally posted by RifleDude RifleDude wrote:

In other words, when you are zeroing your rifle after mounting the scope, as you move the elevation adjustment up and down, you should get a perfectly vertical shift in point of impact (group centers) on target.  This tells you whether you mounted your scope level.  If your scope isn't level, you will get both a vertical shift along with some horizontal shift in group centers when adjusting the scope's elevation knob.

That makes sense. At what distance are we talking about here?
 
It doesn't matter, except it will be easier to notice any horizontal shift in your group centers as you adjust elevation the further you are from the target. 
Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fishingfool Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/01/2010 at 00:11
I have the same rifle base and rings the scope is a SS16X, I was also a little worried about mounting it but no problem, my sixth shot at 100yds and I was in the bull,go for it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pcrage Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/01/2010 at 12:59
DIY with a good boresighter... have done it many times with great success.  put a little blue loctite on the base screws though...not scope screws....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cowski Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/04/2010 at 00:43
on a bolt action pull the bolt and look through the barrel and adjust the scope.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Drifter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/06/2010 at 20:18
It's not rocket science. Just buy yourself one of the Wheeler Engineering Professional scope mounting kits, either the kit for 1" tubes, the kit for 30mm tubes or the kit that has the stuff for both, then get yourself a Wheeler FAT Wrench, or similar like the Weaver version of it, then get yourself a Tipton's Best Gun Vise and have at it.

The only think you have to be careful of is where you put the rings and how tight you tighten them and NOT over tightening them....



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boy412 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/07/2010 at 08:46
Vise is on order, and I already have the Wheeler kit (which includes the FAT wrench...great deal). Thanks for all of the advice and tips...I think I should be in good shape.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boy412 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/08/2010 at 19:13
Originally posted by Drifter Drifter wrote:


The only think you have to be careful of is where you put the rings and how tight you tighten them and NOT over tightening them....


OK. Have the vise and am ready to crank on this. First, two additional questions:

1) This EGW base I bought came with two different length screws...a short pair and a longer pair. Which go where? I'm going to assume the longer ones go in the back, as the holes in the receiver seem to be deeper there.

2) Where on the Picatinny rail should I put the scope rings? They really could go almost anywhere! The rings are Burris XTR (low) in this case.

Thanks!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Drifter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/09/2010 at 01:43
Sorry, not familiar with the mount or what you're mounting it to to know which screws go where. Maybe put them in before doing anything and see which fit where?

I'd also suggest getting and using some Uncle Mikes Gun-Tite (Loc-Tite for guns).

Also, don't over use/do the lapping compound. It doesn't take much and if you reapply what you first used, it tends to go a long way...


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boy412 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/09/2010 at 14:31
Bore-sighting a .223 is a real pain in the arse! Its really hard to see anything at the end of that barrel. I think I have it pretty close...at least enough to get on paper at 25 yards.
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