Rifle Scopes Nightforce UL 34 rings with Steiner 5-25 issue

[458win]

My new Steiner 5-25x56 showed up today and I played with it a good part of the morning everything worked flawless. Got to the house and mounted it on the 408CT. I was using nightforce UL 34mm 6hole rings. Well everything squared up looks great take it outside and left focus knob wont turn...WTF? Called Steiner they said send the scope back in. Had to go back to work, just got home a bit ago. Pull the scope out of the rings and everything works fine!!! ??? The top piece of the NF rings did dig into the scope slightly (why wont burris make SIGNATURE ZEE 34mm Rings) but not any worse then I have seen other ring marks. Nightforce doesn't recommend lapping there rings.

I tried leaving the rings finger tight to the base to see if something was off there but as soon as I tightened down the top halves the focus knob gets very "gritty" turning it. By tightened down I don't mean torqued down just snug.

Is this a Scope problem or a Ring problem? (I put a square on the base and its as level as can be)

 

[steve123]

Try putting the rings at a different location on the tube and see if that helps. The best rings I've used are the American Rifle Co rings. They wrap around the tube instead of clamping from top to bottom.

 

[458win]

123,

Now I am worried something might be messed up internally in the scope. Before I set the rings in a different location I want to make sure Steiner says nothing wrong with the scope. Just looked at the ARC rings...think I am returning the NFs and getting a set of M10's!

 

[ronas]

If I'm not mistaken, Premier once had a problem like that. The rings could be tighten no more than 15" lbs. I think the tube on newer models was made larger, on the inside, ever so slightly. I was decribed to me as a stacking or tolerences that caused the problem. Your problem sounds similar if not identical.

I need another new 5-25 but the more I read the more it seems I should just get another Premier.

 

[458win]

Great... Well aside from this focus issue I am very pleased with the scope, the glass is phenomenal.

 

[AIAW]

Damn that's shitty, but it happens. If it makes you feel better, I had to drill on my S&B 5x25 elevation cap when I got it out of the box in order to loosen a sealed set screw that was set too tight from the factory (wouldn't let me zero due to the reticle still moving when the turret cap was loosened). Luckily they authorized over the phone for me to do it myself rather than sending it in. From the description it really sounds like friction inside the tube somewhere. Like Steve said, you can try mounting a little different and see, although it sucks to have to do that with a brand new scope. Hopefully they get this straightened out for you one way or another.

 

[ronas]

as soon as I tightened down the top halves the focus knob gets very "gritty" turning it. By tightened down I don't mean torqued down just snug.


It might also be that something was simply not put together right. Like a screw inside is not tightened right and when the parellex knob is truned something is handing up or slipping.

If it's brand new you should be able to send it back to the vendor,and get a new one. I would think your satisfaction is guaranted at least for the firsrt 30 days.

Please keep us posted. I'm very interested in one of those scopes myself.

 

[supratt96]

I just got a Steiner Military 5-25x56 with NF Ultralite rings earlier this week. Mounted it on my TRG-22 and no problems. The focus ring turns the same as it did before I mounted it.

I have two other scopes mounted with Nightforce rings and have been completely satisfied with them.

The problem you described shouldn't happen no matter where on the tube you have the rings mounted. Do you happen to have a different set of 34mm rings you could try to rule out the possibility of faulty rings?

 

[00bullitt]

Nightforce Rings are held to very tight I.D. tolerances and inspected prior to being packaged. I'd be hesitant to believe it was an issue with the rings, but it is always a possibility. If you believe them to be an issue, please contact our Customer Service Team at (208)476-9814 ext. 201 to request an RMA. If we find them to be faulty, we will replace them without issue.

It sounds as if the tube wall thickness surrounding the focus lens assembly which would be in the tube about 1-2" forward of the adjustment saddle could be out of spec and pinching off the focus lens within the tube and prohibiting movement.
You should be able to torque the rings to 25 inch pounds without having any impediment to the parallax focus adjustment. The lens in question is most likely operated by a cam type mechanism that moves a lens for and aft for a total of .120".

 

[458win]

I do not have another set of rings to try. However I do not believe it to be the rings at all but something internally with the scope that is just a fraction out of kilter. Scope is going back to Greeley for Warranty... will keep updated on the outcome.

 

[Bluejazz]

Tag for future reference. I have the same scope, so interested in what you find out.

 

[458win]

Scope went back to Steiner (Colorado). They gave it a going over and said I had the NF rings tightened to much and scope spec's out otherwise. Should be back today and ill get it mounted in the ARC rings that I ordered. Hopefully all is well. Will reply back with findings.

 

[Bluejazz]

That is disconcerting that the rings could cause that when you stated that you did not over tighten.
Makes me wound how thick there 34mm tube is and how delicate these need to be treated. I have never had a problem with a NXS even when the rings were tightened to 20 inch #.

 

[458win]

My findings also is I have never had a problem with NXS despite how much you tightened the rings down. There are some faint "crimp" marks on the steiner from the rings but I have seen much much worse on other scopes However looking forward to using the ARC rings and seeing how it does.

 

[Bluejazz]

Do you know what in.# you set them at?
Send me a PM if you don't want to post it.
I would be concerned if the Steiner tube would not stand up to 20in#

 

[jfields]

I have my Steiner 5-25 torqued to 20"#s in Seekins rings and have no problem. I have been purposefully "not nice" to this rig and it seems pretty bullet proof to me. I'll be interested to see how this turns out.

-Shaky

 

[CSTactical]

I have seen this issue with a lot of scopes over the years. Sometimes it is a issue with the rings but most of the time it an issue with the scope. In any case it is an issue that can be overcome.

Good luck.

Mike @ CST