Aluminum Rifle Scope Mounts Absorb Barrel Harmonics?

[Blair Castle]

I was told from my bolt action rifle receiver company vendor today that I would want to keep the aluminum mounts that came with the receivers and not use the stainless ones I ordered from another vendor due to vibration absorption. Huh? I'm looking at using these stainless scope mounts, stainless rings and stainless receiver for a couple of reasons mainly, dissimilar metal reaction to salt spray environment. aka TX coast, FL coast and WA coast where I hale from. (The aluminum light fixtures on the outside of my beach home in WA have been eaten unrecognizably along with other exterior fixtures.) I'm outside a lot!!!
McMillan is the stock choice just saying. Caliber is 338 Lapua stainless barrels.

So the manufacturer of the receivers basically said;
steel mounts and aluminum rings or
Aluminum bases and steel rings.
I have a half dozen M5 Steiners 34mm

 

[6.5SH]

What receiver and mount is this?

 

[Blair Castle]

Kelbly's with stainless Murphy Precision bases

Buckeye Optics 34mm Stainless Picatinny Rings

The Kelbly's are great people to work with BTW

SS Bix'n Andy Tacsport works for triggers.

​

 

[Blair Castle]

I held off putting links in cuz I'm not sure if it's allowed..............

 

[Blair Castle]

Recently, they added a monolithic receiver with an integral picatinny scope base but stated, it should be used with aluminum rings.

 

[Blair Castle]

 

[Raffy]

That is interesting. I wonder how they came to that conclusion? Anyhow, if you were to use aluminum rings that were powdercoated or whatever the black paint is on the seekins PMR rings, as well as others like that, would that not mitigate the reaction between differing metals in the humid salty environment?

 

[Raffy]

I held off putting links in cuz I'm not sure if it's allowed..............

Im not the boss, of course, but I say link it up! Let's take a lookie!

 

[ShtrRdy]

That is interesting. I wonder how they came to that conclusion? Anyhow, if you were to use aluminum rings that were powdercoated or whatever the black paint is on the seekins PMR rings, as well as others like that, would that not mitigate the reaction between differing metals in the humid salty environment?

The black finish on aluminum is called anodized. It's a hard finish.

 

[308pirate]

Ask them to show you the finite element analysis and vibration testing that validates their claim.

Otherwise I call typical gun industry bullshit.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

You aren't going to get electrolytic corrosion between rings and rifle... unless you treat it appallingly badly and have installed things really poorly with gaps, etc... that stay wet. Otherwise, the odds of electrolytic action are minimal. And, yes, in areas like WA coast where there is a lot of salt air, etc. it is certainly an issue in outdoor things where humidity and temp swings, etc. are a constant. But your rifle will presumably be kept in a climate-controlled house or locker most of the time.

As for your rifle being in a 'salt spray' environment, are you really in salt spray or more concerned about a humid salty environment that your rifle will be in when you shoot it. But good cleaning and care will prevent those issues.

And I can't imagine that there are "vibration absorption" or attenuation issues with aluminum rings? That just seems strange. If those recommendations were to come, I'd expect them from a scope maker... not the action maker!

I'll be following this with interest!!

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[spife7980]

Don’t sweat it. If there was a problem we would have discovered it by now.

 

[BenW]

Aluminum has less stiffness than steel, so it will flex more under the same load, but you won’t get damping (what absorbs vibration) from either.

 

[Blair Castle]

You aren't going to get electrolytic corrosion between rings and rifle... unless you treat it appallingly badly and have installed things really poorly with gaps, etc... that stay wet. Otherwise, the odds of electrolytic action are minimal. And, yes, in areas like WA coast where there is a lot of salt air, etc. it is certainly an issue in outdoor things where humidity and temp swings, etc. are a constant. But your rifle will presumably be kept in a climate-controlled house or locker most of the time.

As for your rifle being in a 'salt spray' environment, are you really in salt spray or more concerned about a humid salty environment that your rifle will be in when you shoot it. But good cleaning and care will prevent those issues.

And I can't imagine that there are "vibration absorption" or attenuation issues with aluminum rings? That just seems strange. If those recommendations were to come, I'd expect them from a scope maker... not the action maker!

I'll be following this with interest!!

Cheers,

Sirhr

"Quinault is the rainiest place in the rainiest forest in the Lower 48. Annual rainfall averages 140 inches, nearly 12 feet a year, which dumps almost 2 billion gallons of water on each square mile of the encircling rain forest, which may well be the most efficient moisture blotter on Earth"

I'm close

 

[Steel head]

"Quinault is the rainiest place in the rainiest forest in the Lower 48. Annual rainfall averages 140 inches, nearly 12 feet a year, which dumps almost 2 billion gallons of water on each square mile of the encircling rain forest, which may well be the most efficient moisture blotter on Earth"

I'm close

And has some big steelhead!

I have fished and shot guns extensively in the area.

Only had issues with the famously crappy finish on my 870.
All my reels and rifles with a respectable finish showed no issues.

 

[THEIS]

"Quinault is the rainiest place in the rainiest forest in the Lower 48. Annual rainfall averages 140 inches, nearly 12 feet a year, which dumps almost 2 billion gallons of water on each square mile of the encircling rain forest, which may well be the most efficient moisture blotter on Earth"

I'm close

Hi,

But that is not 12 feet of salt water a year or that rain forest would not be green for too long.

There is absolutely no reason that rings and mounts cannot be the same alloy...especially in regards to vibration absorption, lolol

If there was then how in the world has the unimount (mount & rings in single unit) became so prominent in the shooting industry????

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Red_SC]

I'm looking at using these stainless scope mounts, stainless rings and stainless receiver for a couple of reasons mainly, dissimilar metal reaction to salt spray environment. aka TX coast, FL coast and WA coast where I hale

You’ll still have dissimilar metals, it will just be between your stainless rings and aluminum scope tube now. Regardless, the surface treatments should control the galvanic corrosion as several people have said.

 

[Blair Castle]

You’ll still have dissimilar metals, it will just be between your stainless rings and aluminum scope tube now. Regardless, the surface treatments should control the galvanic corrosion as several people have said.

Ring True Tape

 

[6.5SH]

If you are still finding it necessary to lap rings you should be looking at another brand or a different mount on any modern rifle.