I just got a new scope for my rifle and cant find the the torque specs for the Mark 4 rings I already have on my rifle. Anyone happen to know what they are?
Rifle Scopes Leupold Mark 4 ring torque specs?
- Thread starter InTheWeeds
- Start date
Re: Leupold Mark 4 ring torque specs?
Leupold recommends 65 inch lbs for connection to the base, are you talking about that or the ring spec to secure the optic?
http://www.leupold.com/tactical/products...-torque-wrench/
Leupold recommends 65 inch lbs for connection to the base, are you talking about that or the ring spec to secure the optic?
http://www.leupold.com/tactical/products...-torque-wrench/
Re: Leupold Mark 4 ring torque specs?
Im talking about the ring halves. The torx screws..
It took about 40 in/lbs to remove them and they left some pretty knarly marks on my old scope.
Im talking about the ring halves. The torx screws..
It took about 40 in/lbs to remove them and they left some pretty knarly marks on my old scope.
Re: Leupold Mark 4 ring torque specs?
Ha, found this.. SOunds like a typical Leupold answer...
"<span style="font-weight: bold">What is the Proper Amount of Torque for Torx Screws?</span>
The tightening of Torx screws on Leupold products is not best explained in terms of inch pounds or any other torque measurement. Specific torque measurements are generally only found on items that are both under the control of the same manufacturer, as in the case of the Leupold Mark 4 ring cross bolt, for which 65 inch pounds are recommended for proper installation. In cases where Leupold screws are being installed into other manufacturers products, as is the case with all firearms, we advise that screws be tightened until secure. This is always best done by feel; if the screw feels securely snug, it generally is. "
Ha, found this.. SOunds like a typical Leupold answer...
"<span style="font-weight: bold">What is the Proper Amount of Torque for Torx Screws?</span>
The tightening of Torx screws on Leupold products is not best explained in terms of inch pounds or any other torque measurement. Specific torque measurements are generally only found on items that are both under the control of the same manufacturer, as in the case of the Leupold Mark 4 ring cross bolt, for which 65 inch pounds are recommended for proper installation. In cases where Leupold screws are being installed into other manufacturers products, as is the case with all firearms, we advise that screws be tightened until secure. This is always best done by feel; if the screw feels securely snug, it generally is. "
Re: Leupold Mark 4 ring torque specs?
Not sure what leupold says but I torque mine to15 inch lbs. and have had good luck.
Sounds like yours were way to tight.
Here is a link to some torque specs. (they are saying 20 max on 8-40 ring cap screws)
http://www.opticstalk.com/torque-specs_topic18389.html
*****just to be safe call Leupold tomorrow, I am sure they would be happy to tell you. You also may want to consider replacing the screws just to be on the safe side.(I bet they would give them to you if you asked nicely, I know they gave me some as did night force!)
Not sure what leupold says but I torque mine to15 inch lbs. and have had good luck.
Sounds like yours were way to tight.
Here is a link to some torque specs. (they are saying 20 max on 8-40 ring cap screws)
http://www.opticstalk.com/torque-specs_topic18389.html
*****just to be safe call Leupold tomorrow, I am sure they would be happy to tell you. You also may want to consider replacing the screws just to be on the safe side.(I bet they would give them to you if you asked nicely, I know they gave me some as did night force!)
Re: Leupold Mark 4 ring torque specs?
I got a Wheeler Fat Wrench the other day and the recommended torque is 18-20 (wet) and 35 (dry) on bases; and 28-30 (wet) and 60 (dry) on rings. I thought that was probably too little on the bases and too much on the rings. I hope the torque wrench is better than the instructions.
I got a Wheeler Fat Wrench the other day and the recommended torque is 18-20 (wet) and 35 (dry) on bases; and 28-30 (wet) and 60 (dry) on rings. I thought that was probably too little on the bases and too much on the rings. I hope the torque wrench is better than the instructions.
The Wheeler Fat wrench is bad ass, you will love it!
One of the Vortex guys told me one time 12-15in/lbs. Been running with that , no problems.
^^^I'm sure judgedelta would've appreciated that if you told him 9 years ago when he posted it.^^^
Sorry, I didn't see the date, just replied to the question.
I trust in 9 years he figured it out.
My 12-15# could be a bit on the light side? I'm sure the vortex guy said that for the same reason load data starts light.
I may up it a bit, but I don't currently shoot anything even approaching moderate to heavy recoil. Good advice, thanks.
I recently purchased the Leupold Mark 4 rings and the manufactures recommendations that were included in the package recommended a torque of 65 in-lbs for the base screw and 28 in-lbs for the Torx screws on the rings. They also recommended not to use any oil on the threads.
I've seen that before also, 25-30# for Leupold, I thought that was pretty heavy.
But.............. if you think about it,it kind of makes sense. Traditional Leupold dovetail mounts use small rings with two screws per ring. Those mounts and rings were around LONG before the newer style tactical one piece mounts with monster rings and six screws per ring. Time to break out the old physics book: 25# on two screws holding a ring with 1/2" of bearing surface vs 18# on six screws holding a ring with 1" or a bit more of bearing surface?????
I stopped in at Vortex in August to swap out a scope and the guy told me 15-18# ( inch #'s of course) is their torque spec. That's what I use.
Direct from a prior reply to me from Leupold customer support:
"The torque is 28 in/lbs for the screws that secure the ring top to the ring bottom"
The base screw is 65 in/lbs
Now, Leupold said 28 on the rings, but these rings were to hold a Vortex Viper and Vortex says 18 in/lbs so I went with 18 and the scope hasn't moved when mounted on a .308
Hope this is helpful.
Too many people are getting hung up on the torque spec being based off of the material of the cap screws, the thread pitch, and whether or not there's some form of lubrication in there-admittedly I was one of those people (coming from the auto mechanics world).
A few months ago I was trying to get some torque specs for some rings and decided to call Vortex to see what they said and he told me something that I hadn't considered; it's not on the screw material or the thread pitch. MOST quality scope caps will ruin a scope tube regardless, so it's not ON the cap screw material, thread pitch, OR who makes the scope caps-it's on the scope's manufacturer. What will THAT TUBE hold up to? That's what he told me to pay attention to, not the scope rings screws. He told me most Vortex scopes can take 18 lb/in and hold tight without ruining the scope tube. If your rings should theoretically be at 22 pound inches, but the scopes tube will start to deform at 20, then guess what...
I never considered the tube's strength that low down in the torque range until Vortex told me to stop at 18. From here on out when I need further specs I won't call the ring's maker I will call the scope's maker to see what their scopes like. I wouldn't want to deform an expensive scope.
A few months ago I was trying to get some torque specs for some rings and decided to call Vortex to see what they said and he told me something that I hadn't considered; it's not on the screw material or the thread pitch. MOST quality scope caps will ruin a scope tube regardless, so it's not ON the cap screw material, thread pitch, OR who makes the scope caps-it's on the scope's manufacturer. What will THAT TUBE hold up to? That's what he told me to pay attention to, not the scope rings screws. He told me most Vortex scopes can take 18 lb/in and hold tight without ruining the scope tube. If your rings should theoretically be at 22 pound inches, but the scopes tube will start to deform at 20, then guess what...
I never considered the tube's strength that low down in the torque range until Vortex told me to stop at 18. From here on out when I need further specs I won't call the ring's maker I will call the scope's maker to see what their scopes like. I wouldn't want to deform an expensive scope.
I had this happen 2017 when I switched to a new Vortex AMG in Seekins rings on a Remington 700. Got everything leveled and torqued the cap screws @ 20 in#.
Shot 3" + groups. Called vortex, spoke to Scott. I ended up torquing the cap screws to 25 in # and the rifle went back to normal, shooting under MOA.
On my 40XBKS I put a DMRll on it in Seekins rings & torqued to 20 in #. Zeroed the rifle & fired 50 rds., took the rifle home, checked the cap screws and they loosened a little. Torqued them back down & they've been fine since.
Shot 3" + groups. Called vortex, spoke to Scott. I ended up torquing the cap screws to 25 in # and the rifle went back to normal, shooting under MOA.
On my 40XBKS I put a DMRll on it in Seekins rings & torqued to 20 in #. Zeroed the rifle & fired 50 rds., took the rifle home, checked the cap screws and they loosened a little. Torqued them back down & they've been fine since.
TL;DR
The 1/2" nut goes to 65in/lbs the 8-40 ring top screws go to 28in/lbs. Thats the spec provided in the instructions for Mark 4 rings. I know that the cheaper chinesium optics like vortex dont like anything higher than 18 as it causes tracking issues and the cheap aluminum they use cant handle it.
Ive used that torque spec on Khales, NF, Leupold, Schmidt and Tangent Theta's with no tracking issues or ring marks.
The 1/2" nut goes to 65in/lbs the 8-40 ring top screws go to 28in/lbs. Thats the spec provided in the instructions for Mark 4 rings. I know that the cheaper chinesium optics like vortex dont like anything higher than 18 as it causes tracking issues and the cheap aluminum they use cant handle it.
Ive used that torque spec on Khales, NF, Leupold, Schmidt and Tangent Theta's with no tracking issues or ring marks.
18-20 lbs max is industry standard unless otherwise stated by manufacturer I believe. Just repeating what I’ve read before. I will say that higher torque will potentially mark the scope if that’s a concern to you.
I always thought that kind of went without saying, but it is a good point to make. The ring manufacturer has no idea what you are mounting in their rings. I know they all have torque specs, but I found that somewhat amusing. But I'm sure there have been many more than one person who used an extension on a torx or allen wrench to tighten scope rings. Or dare I say a breaker bar???????????????????
Back to my first post, ( quality) big wide rings with 6 screws should hold a scope very securely with 18# of torque.
As far as the cheap Chinese aluminum point, I would think that has more to do with wall thickness than the grade of aluminum. I though they were all made out of 7075 T6 aluminum???
OK, there are THREE (3), not one, not two, and not four, but THREE sets of screws/bolts that have torque values. This entire thread of experts mentions only two, which tells me you're not really experts. So, if anyone actually has the information for mounting Leupold Mark 4 glass with Leupold Mark 4 bases and rings, steel (not aluminum which may be different), it would be greatly appreciated by oh so many people that Google search this info. Bonus points for both steel and aluminum specs. Here they are, impress us: 1. Base to receiver torx screws, 2. The torx screws for the top ring halves to the bottom ring halves, and 3. The bolts on the bottom of the rings that secure them to the base. Oh, and if you're going to reply with something snarky because I'm frustrated that so many people don't know S, but they insist on spewing their nonsense that we have to sift thru, don't bother 'cause you'll only prove my point. Thank you, and I sincerely mean that.
