So I ordered a 30 mm lapping tool today for my soon to be received SWFA scope for my .308 bolt gun. My question is that I have three AR's with 30 mm rings and one piece mounts that came with the 1" inserts that I am using because I am running Nikon 1" tube scopes on them. Is it really necessary to lap those kind of rings or do the inserts (plastic of some sort) take up the slack, especially since I am only shooting my AR's out to 300-400 yds. max?
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Rifle Scopes lapping rings?
- Thread starter tomcat mv
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If they are aluminum definitely not! I assume w/ your lapping kit you can only lap the rings and not the inserts. Many variables there; so I wouldn't do it.
I absolutely concur that quality rings are important, however, I have had a few rifles over the years with two piece mounts that were a little "off" from the factory. So I have always checked alignment and lapped the rings. Even the most precision rings will not be aligned if the bases are off. My original post was that I am new to these one piece AR mounts with the inserts and just wasn't sure whether to be concerned or not.
The best scope lapping kit I could find was from Precision shooting accurizing Kokopelli gunsmithing tools. Lot's of great info on scope mounting. I think I got their referral from one of the bench rest sites (6mmbr maybe). It is a fantastic kit and come in all sizes, including 34mm. Don't buy one of those sets with the two cone tip alignment rods - what a joke. You can make those tips touch at any angle and tells you nothing about being concentric.
You could try wrapping some thin tracing paper around your scope (1 layer), then mark the inside of you rings with a sharpie, then slide the scope a little and see where the color rubs. This might tell you if things are way off or not.
You could try wrapping some thin tracing paper around your scope (1 layer), then mark the inside of you rings with a sharpie, then slide the scope a little and see where the color rubs. This might tell you if things are way off or not.
The best lapping kit I could find was from kokopelliproducts. I got their info from 6mmbr.com. They have all sizes 1", 27mm, 30, 34, 35. lot's of good info on scope mounting, etc.
Don't get one of those sets with the cone tip alignment bars. You can make those cones touch at any angle and they tell you nothing about your rings being concentric. You can use aluminum round stock, or your scope - wrap a thin sheet of tracing paper around the tube, then mark the inside of your rings with a sharpie (or similar) slide the scope in the rings a little and you should get the ink transfer at the contact surfaces. You may be surprised what you find (good & bad).
Don't get one of those sets with the cone tip alignment bars. You can make those cones touch at any angle and they tell you nothing about your rings being concentric. You can use aluminum round stock, or your scope - wrap a thin sheet of tracing paper around the tube, then mark the inside of your rings with a sharpie (or similar) slide the scope in the rings a little and you should get the ink transfer at the contact surfaces. You may be surprised what you find (good & bad).
Nor from conversations with people who don't understand having the worlds best rings doesn't mean shit if the thing you're mounting it to isn't perfectly aligned. Other than being perfectly misaligned... Which you could lap out...
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but at least you can get it to a point where it won't be detrimental to the optics.
Not by lapping the rings.
The point of my earlier post was that lapping the rings has nothing to do with the base. You might need to lap a ring if, as with some of the early Nightforce NXSs, the scope tube diameter is over-spec by more than a few thousanths at one ring, but not the other.
If you want to lap your rings, lap your rings. But I strongly recommend against giving a ring to a lap dancer. Only tears will follow.
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