Impossible to Level Scope Ring Caps Accurately?

[Buck Wilde]

I'll probably get flamed to death for using the word "lapping," but here goes.

I was putting some rings on an Athlon scope for a squirrel .22 tonight. Like a lot of rings, these have 4 screws each on top. That means it's possible to have all 4 corners of the caps at different heights, and there is no way to measure their heights accurately.

So if you get in there with your lapping tool and get everything true, and then you take the screws out, put the scope on, and put the screws back in, how is it possible that you will get the caps back on exactly as they were before you lapped them? If you can't, isn't it pretty likely you'll throw off all your lapping work?

This looks like a softball for anti-lappers.

 

[Jrb572]

Are they quality rings?

 

[Buck Wilde]

Not really. I don't want to go dig out a rifle with Seekins rings. Wouldn't they have the same problem?

 

[Nik H]

I think you are just playing with us!

 

[Jrb572]

Are you afraid that they are going to damage your scope? If not I’m going to tell you what you don’t want to hear

 

[Buck Wilde]

I don't care what the answer is. I'm not worried about the scope. I just wondered. I'm going to use it as it is regardless.

 

[Jrb572]

Don’t waste your time lapping the rings

 

[Buck Wilde]

I'm not. These are cheapos. I just wondered about the principle. I'm not asking for advice. Just wondering whether it's possible to keep rings true after taking out and reinserting 4 screws. I don't care one way or the other. It just seemed interesting.

 

[Jrb572]

I'm not. These are cheapos. I just wondered about the principle. I'm not asking for advice. Just wondering whether it's possible to keep rings true after taking out and reinserting 4 screws. I don't care one way or the other. It just seemed interesting.

Got it sorry misunderstood what you were looking for.

 

[Coejro]

The scope tube then becomes what keeps the rings “true”. It’s imperfect but better than nothing if the rings need it. I always saw lapping as more to align two sets of rings not ensure ring cap/base were “trued.” But a used pair of Seekins can be found for $75, so I just don’t lap anything.

 

[diggler1833]

I'll probably get flamed to death for using the word "lapping," but here goes.

I was putting some rings on an Athlon scope for a squirrel .22 tonight. Like a lot of rings, these have 4 screws each on top. That means it's possible to have all 4 corners of the caps at different heights, and there is no way to measure their heights accurately.

So if you get in there with your lapping tool and get everything true, and then you take the screws out, put the scope on, and put the screws back in, how is it possible that you will get the caps back on exactly as they were before you lapped them? If you can't, isn't it pretty likely you'll throw off all your lapping work?

This looks like a softball for anti-lappers.

In short; it isn't possible to guarantee that each screw is back to the same .001" of depth that it was while you were lapping. The bottom half though should at least be more correctly aligned.

You won't make it perfect, but you should at least make it better.

Then you get to deal with lapping compound and the scope slipping. I attempted this about 20 years ago and remember the results...finally realizing that I needed to use some rubbing alcohol and elbow grease to get all of that crap cleaned off.

I'm not an anti-lapper per se, but I haven't had the need to go that route again in a long time since I started investing in better rings/mounts.