Lap Rings for .22 Squirrel Rifle?

Buck Wilde

Buck Wilde

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Dec 6, 2020
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#1
My Athlon Helos arrived today, and tomorrow, Vortex Pro rings.

I am used to lapping my rings, but I thought smarter people here might have something to teach me: is there any point in lapping rings for a .22 that will not be used at distances longer than 100 yards?

I know I'll end up lapping them no matter what. It will bother me if I don't.
 
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#2
Your choice, I usually lapp rings for most rifles. Although I do not remember if it's been done for my accurate 22s.
It's one of those things, it may not be necessary for the 22 LR, but if it gives you confidence and peace of mind, by all means do it...it's your rifle.
 
#14
Well, you've said yourself that you're going to do it, so I'm left a bit curious at what you hope to "learn" as you put it, or why you would bother if you aren't going to alter your plan no matter what you hear. But you're gonna do what you're gonna do.

I'll tack on to what many others have said: If you buy quality parts (and all the components you've mentioned are sufficiently "quality") then lapping is unnecessary. I've used PMR rings, among many others, and have never been hampered by ring quality or damaged a scope using them.

And squirrels at 50-100 yards are VERY large targets, relative to what my PRS22 rig can deliver.
 
#15
IMG_7806.jpeg
 
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#16
This is kind of interesting. I'm watching a MidwayUSA video, and the rings the dude is lapping are extremely rough. I don't think I've ever seen rings that badly machined.
 
#19
Wonderful to hear all sorts of helpful and cheerfully-provided viewpoints. The consensus here is pretty clear.

I was not totally sure I should do it, but I gave it a whack. I looked around. Seems like precision shooters are fighting about this all over the web. I started thinking maybe the pro-lappers were right.

I had some thoughts, which I'm sure will be received with all sorts of gratitude and respect.

First of all, how does anyone know a scope ring's registration on the mount is repeatable? I had to take the rings off to clean the lapping compound off, and it made me wonder if I was undoing all the work I had just done. Maybe I was.

Second, it's not easy to keep the compound from getting on threads when you remove the caps to check the work. Once the compound is in there, how do you get it out? Seems like that grit would do its best to embed itself in aluminum, and then you have threads that may not torque accurately due to the grit increasing the friction. I worked pretty hard to clean everything, but I don't know whether the rings are attached exactly the way they should me.

I used a sonic cleaner and brake cleaner to clean the grit out. Don't know if it actually worked.

Anyway, it's always fun to play gunsmith, and I'm sure none of this will matter much at 50 yards.

Maybe I'll just buy Seekins next time, as I have in the past.
 
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#20
Can't tell if your serious, or just trolling?

If serious reread every comment above that says don't need to anymore.

If trolling, once you get done lapping your rings clean everything with acetone then bed the scope in the freshly lapped rings with jb weld. Best to bed the rings to the rail or reciever as well just to make sure it's going to stay aligned.
 
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#27
The "troll" thing is asinine. I asked some questions, looked at advice I got here, looked at advice I saw elsewhere, and did something someone here doesn't do. And I said I wasn't sure I had done the right thing. Believe it or not, this is not trolling. This is normal. But I am aware the shooting community attracts a lot of unpleasant people. If you want to be part of a gun forum, you have to expect rudeness along with old wives' tales, bad physics, bad engineering, and lies about how well people shoot.

As for the condescension about not being an expert on lapping, nice job for a moderator, Rob01. Are you planning to block new registrations from everyone who doesn't know everything you know? If so, you should call this forum something like "OnlyExpertSnipersAllowed.com." Does Frank encourage you to crap on people who don't know everything?

Did you know forums die without new members?

I pay for videos, I support the site, I recommend the site to others, and a MODERATOR is rude to me. Now there's a business plan.

If you want, I can post links to about 200 posts on other forums in which people who claim to be as smart as you are swear lapping is important. Maybe you can tell me how I'm supposed to know who is right.

troll.JPG
 
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#28
Buck Wilde said:
The "troll" thing is asinine. I asked some questions, looked at advice I got here, looked at advice I saw elsewhere, and did something someone here doesn't do. And I said I wasn't sure I had done the right thing. Believe it or not, this is not trolling. This is normal. But I am aware the shooting community attracts a lot of unpleasant people. If you want to be part of a gun forum, you have to expect rudeness along with old wives' tales, bad physics, bad engineering, and lies about how well people shoot.

As for the condescension about not being an expert on lapping, nice job for a moderator, Rob01. Are you planning to block new registrations from everyone who doesn't know everything you know? If so, you should call this forum something like "OnlyExpertSnipersAllowed.com." Does Frank encourage you to crap on people who don't know everything?

Did you know forums die without new members?

I pay for videos, I support the site, I recommend the site to others, and a MODERATOR is rude to me. Now there's a business plan.

If you want, I can post links to about 200 posts on other forums in which people who claim to be as smart as you are swear lapping is important. Maybe you can tell me how I'm supposed to know who is right.

View attachment 8588068
Click to expand...

Man you got your panties in a bunch tonight huh? Did I even mention you in my post? Nope. A generalization on someone who thinks they need to lap. So save the paragraphs of trying to talk me down and feel guilty as it’s not happening.

You can do as you like but remember you are the one asking. I got a lapping bar I can sell you though. It has low miles and hasn’t been used in almost 20 years. 😉
 
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#29
Buck Wilde said:
My Athlon Helos arrived today, and tomorrow, Vortex Pro rings.

I am used to lapping my rings, but I thought smarter people here might have something to teach me: is there any point in lapping rings for a .22 that will not be used at distances longer than 100 yards?

I know I'll end up lapping them no matter what. It will bother me if I don't.
Click to expand...

Since you already stated you're going to lap them, apparently you're not ready to listen to what others may have to say!
 
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#31
A few ways to think about it

Hard core BR guys lap and sometimes epoxy the scope in the rings

Modern rings and quality scopes dont need it

We just had 3 sets of higher priced rings that let the scope slips so they were sent back and they were out of spec

If you action isn’t perfect then the rings aren’t going to line up.

Some BR guys believe single piece mounts may put stress on the action and cause stress

Last but not least..who cares you can’t shoot the difference. Slap on a set of rings and shoot. Personally I’m a one piece mount guy for no reason other than I am
 
#33
In the past Remington, Winchester, Savage, etc. receivers and the available bases (two piece) you "could" have some mis-alignment. Lapping would take care of the difference in height, and if front or rear base was tipped forward or backward.
Recently dug this out of the safe, Winchester Pre-64 Model 70 .308. Sent the 3X12 Schmidt und Bender off to get refurbed. And believe it or not I had lapped the rings in 25 some odd years ago, no ring marks on the steel tube, shoots great. These are Leupold's quick release rings and bases. I was tempted to get a Murphy Precision Pic rail and replace the existing set up, but decided I like the vintage look. It depends on what you have on the bench. If you're dealing with older rifles, two piece rings and bases and have a clue........:)
IMG_3243.JPG
 
#34
Buck Wilde said:
Maybe I'll just buy Seekins next time, as I have in the past.
Click to expand...


This right here. You can't be serious? You bought vortex rings made by Seekins and are now going to buy Seekins?

You do you. I've seen a pile of rings ruined by old timers that insist on lapping them. I just slap them on, snug the screws by hand, install the scope, then torque them to the base. Never had one scope with ring marks or that slipped in the rings.
 
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#35
chevy_man said:
This right here. You can't be serious? You bought vortex rings made by Seekins and are now going to buy Seekins?

You do you. I've seen a pile of rings ruined by old timers that insist on lapping them. I just slap them on, snug the screws by hand, install the scope, then torque them to the base. Never had one scope with ring marks or that slipped in the rings.
Click to expand...
Far as I know, the middle-grade Vortex rings are not made by Seekins. Is that wrong? I went with Pro, not Precision.
 
#36
brianf said:
A few ways to think about it

Hard core BR guys lap and sometimes epoxy the scope in the rings

Modern rings and quality scopes dont need it

We just had 3 sets of higher priced rings that let the scope slips so they were sent back and they were out of spec

If you action isn’t perfect then the rings aren’t going to line up.

Some BR guys believe single piece mounts may put stress on the action and cause stress

Last but not least..who cares you can’t shoot the difference. Slap on a set of rings and shoot. Personally I’m a one piece mount guy for no reason other than I am
Click to expand...
Your three sets of rings wouldn't have been fixed by lapping.

Single peice mounts and unbedded bases can put stress on the action.

If our base doesn't line up, that's why we bed it instead of lapping rings. So it doesn't put stress on the action or scope and rings are lined up.
 
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#37
Lapping rings is an ambiguous topic. Grinding compound is taken as media for those not familiar. 800 # lapping compound and a proper bar will just touch the finish and tell you more than the name of the parts.
 
#38
Buck Wilde said:
My Athlon Helos arrived today, and tomorrow, Vortex Pro rings.

I am used to lapping my rings, but I thought smarter people here might have something to teach me: is there any point in lapping rings for a .22 that will not be used at distances longer than 100 yards?

I know I'll end up lapping them no matter what. It will bother me if I don't.
Click to expand...
Why the fuck are you asking if you're doing it anyway?

Fucking fudds......
 
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