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Rifle Scopes Lapping rings

wildbill9ball

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 3, 2010
147
0
56
Avondale ,AZ
So i took the rings (badger ordinance max50 rings) off my nightforce NXS and no ring marks . The scope looks new .They were on for about 1000rds. So i think becouse I lapped them and got 100% clean up they did not leave any marks.
 
Re: Lapping rings

I lap al my rings. I will never so a scope mount without lapping first. I use 220 grit Wheeler compound first, then polish it up with 320 grit. Going any higher is not necessary. If you buy good rings, have a good scope, lap said rings, use red loctite, and torque to spec, you will NEVER have a problem with the scope going out of calibration.
 
Re: Lapping rings

I lapp every set of rings that I mount,unless they are bad enough to require bedding.I use the tool from Sinclair.Lots of guys on this site don't lapp,so its an opinion thing. Pete
 
Re: Lapping rings

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wildbill9ball</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So i took the rings (badger ordinance max50 rings) off my nightforce NXS and no ring marks . The scope looks new .They were on for about 1000rds. So i think becouse I lapped them and got 100% clean up they did not leave any marks. </div></div>

I have lapped rings in the past with the device from Sinclair. If I recall correctly, the intructions reccommend lapping for about 70% coverage.

Anyone have oppinions on this? I'm always trying to learn.
 
Re: Lapping rings

I've lapped 2 sets of rings so far, and I am a believer.

one of them was the Steyr SSG dovetail quick detach rings. Before lapping, they weren't quick detach. I had to undo the levers and tap the rings back in order to detach the rings from the action. After lapping, the sucker slides right off:

SSG006%20038.JPG


So imagine what caused the rings to bind in the dovetail. The rings weren't truly concentric. and when tightened, the rings were bending the scope body. ouch.
 
Re: Lapping rings

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: slowr1der</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've never lapped rings, but then again at the same time, I'm not dealing with any super high end equipment like many here are. </div></div>

I think the low end equipment would benefit the most from lapping.
smile.gif
JUST DO IT!
 
Re: Lapping rings

I've lap all my scope mounted rings on all my rifles. It is true that rings not perfectly inline will cause the weakest component to distort,bend or become damaged. Your weakest component in this case is most likely your scope.

And another thing, we all know how metal reacts with extreme temperature fluctuation (from +90 to -0), if your scope is under flex stress from mis-aligned rings, your zero cannot be guaranteed when an important shot is needed.

I too use Sinclair lapping tool kit. I personally believe for the cost, it has saved me hundreds of dollars on scopes that I have dismounted and found perfect without any damage. Scopes that I no longer needed and sold which netted me top dollar.

Most of us have removed scopes from ring mounts which were not lapped, just to find some sort of mark or damage to the scope body.

Do yourself a favor and lap your rings in properly and you will thank all those who have contributed to this topic.

By the way, please do not ask how to lap your rings, the instructions included on a lapping kit is easy to follow and works 100 percent of the time if you follow them.

Keeping Your Cross-hairs On Target
Rick
 
Re: Lapping rings

why is it no one has considered that the problem in some cases may not be the rings, but the scope not being perfectly round and perfectly straight?

Lapping and using an alignment tool sounds great. Then the rings are perfect to THOSE specs.

What if your scope does not match those specs?

Seems to me that some rings are just shitty to being with and made so poorly that something like this is bound to help.

Perhaps the answer is using quality to being with? anyone out there lapping badger rings? just curious.

I'm about to do another build with seekins rings and don't plan on lapping them. If I was using a 40 dollar set of rings maybe that would be a good move.
 
Re: Lapping rings

I have never spent the money for a lapping tool, but I did break the edges of some steel 30 mm rings, the machining made the edges sharp and I could tell there might be a potential problem.
After reading this thread, I may have to spend some money on a lapping tool.
SScott