After doing scope level I do a reticle (the vertical line) test. Hang dark string with a lead weight at the end against a white wall (gravity ensures perfectly vertical) and while the rifle scope is level, check the reticle against the string. If it’s not matching up I set the reticle to match the string. Presto, a perfectly leveled reticle! Especially useful if you use a BDC reticle.
He didn't lap the upper halves or the rings. The bottom halves are in full contact with the tube. the uppers could still have high spots creating pinch points to the tube.
A critique on the torquing from 2:37 to 2:44. Fasteners must be moving as they move up to and stop at a torque setting to know that they are actually at that setting. The rear mount's fastener was torqued properly, as the fastener was moving and stopped when the 45 in-lb torque setting was reached, but since the front mount's fastener did not move before the torque handle clicked, all you know is that the front fastener was already torqued to an unknown value that was 45 in-lb at minimum (but is likely over that by some unknown amount, which might or might not matter, depending on how much). For example, if the fastener had been torqued to 60 in-lb by using the screwdriver, the tool would click at any torque value below that, including the 45 in-lb here.
It could actually be lower torque too. Static friction is higher than dinamic friction, so for the torque measurement to be truly accurate you need to have it moving. So yeah, it should be noticeably lower to start with anyway.
I'll tell you a quick story. My first rifle I bought with my own money was a Ruger M77mkii all weather chambered in .223. Zytel boat paddle stock, stainless and all that. I remember being younger and wanting this gun chambered in 7.62x39mm. It turns out Ruger only made just over 100 of these rifles exclusively for Davidsons with the wood inserts. If you can find one BUY IT. I could afford both, but hindsight being as it is I wish I would have sold most of my guns and bought 3-4 of these when they were more available. This is the perfect Georgia hunting rifle for anything and everything you want.
Looks like a nice one. Was looking for one in 30-06 like you had in another vid, but gave up and got the new version synthetic stock w/matt stainless. Not scoped yet, scope shopping is a headache. Was leaning towards the 3.5-10x40 VX3i leupold. Any idea what glass they use in what models? Is it all Japanese for example? Not sure if Burris is still any good. I think they need to get with the program and catch up to the times with their scope offerings. Not sure about Vortex after i saw a Viper reticle break sadly. That crap shouldn't happen in a scope in that price range. Thats what youd expect out of a barska junker or something but not a mi/high end hyped up vortex.
Iraqveteran8888 I've got 2 in this exact setup with the zytel boat paddle stock and the wooden enlays in 7.62x39. I'm going to sell one what should I ask for it?
Use the lapping rod when mounting the rings man. Keep the rings loose and apply downward pressure on the lapping rod while torquing the rings. It will greatly help with ring alignment right of the get go
Chad, you know I love you but use the center of the bubble. If the levels are little different in size, the front bubble may be a little bigger than the back. Center of the bubble is always level no matter what size bubble :) Love you, mean it! :)
I use the magnetic levels on the reciever and scope as well, but I also like to tie up a plum across the room as an extra reference point. A lot of the scopes I've had to mount for people weren't of the best quality and I don't trust that the scope caps are perfectly level to the reticle. As long as the reciever is level, the reticle should be plum if the scope is straight. It maybe a useless extra step but it's extra verification.
Great video. The only question I have is how can you be sure your reticle is perfectly vertical this way? Just because the turret cap is level doesn’t mean the reticle is. You’re putting a lot of faith in the connection between that cap and the reticle inside the scope.
I've never lapped my rings or used alignment tools but I can see how it would be beneficial in getting a perfect solid mount. Love the way you zero. I do similar except I normally boresight and then get it dead on with a shot or two at 25 yards. Then take it out to 100 yards and fine tune if needed. Then test at 200 yards for final confirmation. I normally have a rifle zeroed and confirmed in 6-8 shots. Sweet rifle, I have a friend with the same model in 243.
Thanks for the video. I have never ever used a scope, even after 30 years in the military, shooting on Post Teams and more. I am going to mount my first scope to my new 308.
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this but a small rubber band rapped under the scope with both ends strapped to each end of the level as it sits on scope caps will help sometimes . Great video anyway . Love the inserts in the stock .
One thing that could really help dial in the lapping is using a feeler gauge to check for consistancy and help you focus on problem areas. Then confirming it once more when the optic is sitting in the ring.
Much appreciate y'all... I'm mounting a Athlon 8-34x56 30mm FFP. It's a really nice scope perfect for my Texan; it's an Airforce Texan SS .457 air rifle that shoot's up to 300 grain bullets @ 350 fpe. I'll be putting 250 grainer's through the eye of a deer this coming year with that think I was doing it @ 50 yards with a red dot sight that I was using on my AR (M4).
gees i've just mounting my scopes and firing until i hit center. just got a mossberg 6.5 creedmore and threw on the scope by eyeballing everything. will see how it works up to 500 yds. thanks for all the technical tips.
Thank you so much, I have a new rifle and scope on order and your conciese instuctions allow me to feel confident that I can tackle this. And BTW, like everyone else here, I would also love to have that Rifle.
I certainly hope you guys plan on doing a video with that gun, it is definitely one of the most beautiful bolt action rifles I have seen...and for it to shoot a round that is significantly cheaper to buy than for most guns is a huge plus. Well, until you get into the really "gourmet" cartridges in 7.62X39. Judging by the serial number, I have one from the same year and exact configuration...1991.
So what you should do, is gently install the lapping rod & bases loosely slowly tighten them & THEN remove the lapping rod , you will find an almost perfect alignment, then & only then do you lap the mounts , install the scope prior to removing the mounts to insure they stay in the same spot, also the crosshairs don't need to be perfectly level, just use your eyes, using a level may actually be crooked to your eyes, the center will always be the center
I have leveled a scope on a picatinny rail by using a straight shanked wrench between the rail and a flat on the bottom of the scope. I just twist the wrench and the scope until shank is flat against a slot in the rail and against the bottom of the scope. And then tighten it down like you do. No vice or level required.
I'm somewhat new to this channel so what I'm about to say might sound ridiculous. However, I'll say it anyway. Holy shit do these guys know what they're doing. A lot of these other "gun" channels on RUclips seem like a bunch of product advertising. You can tell they just barley know enough to get by and pull it off. On the other hand the information found on this channel is triple A. Props for doing this right. Not just the scope mount, but the whole damn channel.
So I just bought a Tikka T3x Hunter 7mm-08 rifle and a set of two piece low Talley rings specked to the rifle ( no bases required as they are integral to the top of the Tikka rifle ) The manufacturer states that no lapping is required … 🤔 I would still like to check the concentricity of the rings before mounting up my Leupold scope . They must have a great deal of confidence in their machining tolerances to make such a claim that no lapping is required , and I’d say even more confidence in this guy right here who’s doing the mounting job lol 😆
On the Ruger if you will lay the lapping bar in the rings then snug up the rings you will have less, sometimes much less lapping to do. BTW I like your trigger technique.
I love the information you have provided us and I will try to remember it as I adjust my scope on my rifle. This bolt action rifle had been put away after the gunsmith had adjusted the rifle for one hundred yards and it still didn't work. Before that I tried adjusting the scope old school without it being correct.
super video I just found with my first shots with a new rifle the first 2 shots at 10 -20 meters help me save time and ammo with eliminating the lateral deviation completely and cranking the dope to where it will make sense at 100 meters and pick it up from there.
First, you should lap with the top ring halves ON, lightly snugging them every minute or so (this will help get better surface area contact and will remove burs). Secondly, when you use loctite you are having a wet torque value which should be approx 15% less than the real (DRY) torque value. This video is how an amateur would mount a scope, not how a pro would.
This is good info. On another note,I recently have installed three different "DED NUTZ" rings on base mounts(one piece bottom) and after mounting,the zeros were almost dead on and required less final zero than any other rings and mounts I have used. Not quite as pretty as some others.
You guys should do like a walk through or over view of your collections i think it would be really cool to get to see all the different stuff you guys have.
Yep! You know in France, people are really surprised when they learn how easy it is to buy a gun totally legally. So i try as much as i can to spread info about it. And by the way it seems to work! I own a 22lr a 222Rem and a 243Winchester as precision riffles and a Maverick 88 for self defense...
I have a Leupold scope, (suppose to be high quality), where the turret and cap surfaces are not square with the reticles. Use a plumb bob with the reticles, and hope your rails or machined surface with a bubble is square with the bore.
I just use Burris Signature Zee Rings with Posi-Align ring inserts. These provide perfect self alignment with super tight permanant scope fastening. Finally, when you can afford to upgrade to a better scope the original scope shows no misalignment damage gouges.
I see a lot of people commenting on not lapping with the top of the rings on. It can be done either way. You have to be very careful with the tops on so as not to over lap and tighten as you go. Or you will ruin the rings. Lapping again is now frowned on by many of the top ring manufacturers and will void thier warranty. Lapping the bottom carefully only will allow the rings to "cradle" the scope evenly. Proper torque on the ring caps is biggest killer of scopes most people do. EACH manufacturer has a specific inch pounds of torque, it is surprisingly less than many people realize. It gives a professional touch to make the gap between the base of the rings and cap even on each side, that is a given for all professional gunsmiths, just like properly aligning the slots on the screws on a custom firearm, it becomes second nature in your work. Going one step further, after mounting the scope and boresighting it. I give the firearm a good wipe down, with a very lightly oiled cloth on the metal, I also made sure that the mounting surface was clean and dry before mounting the scope. I wipe down the stock, and I clean the scope lenses. If you really want to nick pick his video. .. good video, well done.
no company affiliation, but the only thing that is "Simple" about any Leupold Optic is its' warranty. IF is breaks, and it won't, you sent it to them, they send you a new one, no questions asked........great video none the less.
I have shotguns (7) and airguns (16) some of which are target guns. I will be moving into firearms later this year but this is a good tip to make sure my NF, Leupold and Sightron scopes sit better for competition.
I have a Ruger with those same rings. I have all the lapping tools but they might not be the best thing to do right away on those rings. On a high powered rifle like a 450BM or 300 winmag those rings will move, they will find their set point and its usually not how you tightened them. That means you just lapped the rings in a position that they won't be in after a few shots. I think its best to oil the bases and put them in and wiggle them then snug them up. Then fire the gun a few times with the scope off it but the rings on the base. They will settle. Those Ruger calls for 30 inch pounds not 45 on them. And the base screws will loosen unless you use locktite. On those rings if you lap them before they settle means you lapped the rings in the incorrect position. Might be better to use the scope without lapping and only do it once you know they really have settled, that will only occur after shooting.
Chad...I use Burris Zee rings with the plastic inserts. They let you adjust for misalignment by changing out the inserts to correct for left/right/up/down. No lapping required.
I don't know what your background and education as a gunsmith actually is. But this was well done. A couple of things, one. ..machine the sharp points off your alignment bars to a nice machined flat surface. It is more accurate than the points for the two flats to match. Second, some ring manufacturers are no longer advocating lapping thier rings and will void thier warranty. We used to, and still will teach gunsmiths how to lap them, however it is important to know the manufacturer position. Machining tolerance has gotten better, and contact better on quality rings to provide a proper grip on the scope tube. Third, cannot stress enough proper torque on rings. 12 to 14 inch pounds on some max, again check scope manufacturer. Over torque and you crush the tube and can do so and not see it, but you will and it will not adjust proper. And lastly, many gunsmiths use fingernail polish instead of loctite. If you use loctite make sure it is blue, use very very very little. The advantage of fingernail polish is it does the same job, and you can get the screws loose even after many years, and finger nail polish remover, acetone, will work if you have a hard time getting them to break loose. I have seen blue loctite that has been on a long time, at a point that even use off a mill locked down to assist won't break the screw loose and you have to drill them out. Good save on checking the bolt handle clearance you almost missed it. I also have the customer check the eye relief on the high and low power, plus the reticle even using a level. Because some customers hold the rifle in a manner that to them, it is not straight up and down. So I will adjust it to them at thier request for thier peace of mind. They are the customer, it's thier rifle and the customer is always right. That being said, I have very good report with my customers and I can easily work with them and show them and teach them. However I service the customer as I stated. Good job.
The Ruger is one of 5000 made for Davidson's (Gallery of Gun's) by Ruger in 1991-1992 in 7.62 x39 kind of rare to see this rifle lucky to have one myself, excellent shooter with right load and good optics. Good video of a more precise scope mount, but where is the target ...how does it shoot???? Maybe do a video on this rifle? Huh??? please please
Mario Saboni yes cuz I cant find anythang on the internet about my ras 47 idk if it a pos or what but iv never had a issue with it even after bump fireing a drum an a few 30s evry now an then
I think when people grade a AR rifle as lower end or high end your gonna get many answers. Pretty much all the receivers are all made in a handful of forges made to the same spec. Same with barrels, most are made by the same few places. Pretty much all it is, is what name do you want on it. Most are what id call middle range and are better quality than people want to accept, especially people stuck on their over priced brands not saying some aren't or could be junk. Most of the difference is when you get into milled receivers and match grade barrels. Anderson Lowers are forged in same place as the Colts. At least they were, not sure they might use some from other forges too. Check forge marks for the Key slot marking. You can build a gun to shoot just as good as any high end and do it cheaper.
I don’t see that you guys have done a shooting video of this gun yet...would love to see how it does out to 300. Even get silly and try some 600 lol. Because of this video, I found one of these still new in the box. It’s probably the most accurate rifle that I own, at least in the range for which this round is capable. Cheap Golden Tiger 7.62x39 shoots one inch groups or better at 100. I use it on coyotes here on my little 25 acres in Oklahoma. 150 yards and in, they get throat shots without fail.
Great video! I think we all should factor out....or in....in some cases the first shot with a cold bore. Maybe not all, but a lot of rifles shoot a bit off the mark when taking that first shot with a cold barrel. The next shot is where I would place my attention and apparently your rifle is similar to most with that first shot off target just a bit and the next two right on.
Some guys commented about how he didn't lap the top halves of the scope rings but another thing I noticed is how uneven the gaps between the said halves were. I don't know if that makes a difference but me personally, I'd try to get those gaps as even as possible
What prevents the lapping compound from changing the surface dimension of the lapping rod over a given period of time? And you only lapped the ring saddles- not the ring tops.
Just ran into the bolt clearance issue on one of my late fathers guns that I bought from my mother. The way that it's set up, the scope has to be as far back in the rings as possible in order for the bolt to be able to travel far enough to eject the empty casing. There is also a screw on the magnification adjusting ring that interferes with the bolt as well so the magnification has to be set from 3-5x for the bolt to travel far enough to eject the case. If the magnification is at 6-9x I have to reduce it to at least 5x. And lastly, in order to remove the bolt, I have to remove the scope first. Not ideal. The mounting bracket bolts to the side of the receiver and the ring bottoms are part of the mounting bracket so currently, the option available that I'm aware of is to find a different scope with a smaller ocular.
Thanks for the video! I was wondering if you needed to lap the top rings as well? Seems to me if the bottom was that far off wouldn't the tops need to be lapped? Thanks again for another helpful video:)
I always liked that stock. Haven't seen one in a long time. Just used a MOE rifle stock on a AR and after seeing this, Im seeing they kinda have the same look.
You're going to hate this criticism, but........the ONLY way to get your scope right is to line the vertical reticle line up with a free hanging plumb line so vertical = vertical. THEN you put a spirit level ring on the scope body (not the turret for goodness sake!) and get the bubble right while the scope is still lined up with the plumb line. Tighten down. Now, as long as the relationship between the scope and the barrel stays constant (it will if you mounted secure), when you adjust up, the shot placement will go up, etc. BUT the MOST vital thing when you need to adjust aim is to make sure when you're sighting that your vertical reticle line IS vertical.......so check the spirit bubble. If YOU cant left, thinking it is vertical, when you adjust up, you will go up AND left. Cant right and you go up and right, etc. Cant left and adjust left, you'll hit left AND down. So FORGET the pundits rhetoric about lining up the vertical reticle precisely with the barrel bore, it simply isn't important. Just ensure THE SCOPE is perfectly level when you aim!
Turret caps on my VX-2 weren't level with the reticle. On an entry priced optic, I wouldn't count on the caps lining up squarely with the reticle. Ended up dropping a plumb line to get the reticle level, and I don't worry about the turret caps.
Good job but to start with I think I would have snugged the scope it the rings prior to tightening the ring bottoms just to help align them then start the alignment process
This was more complicated than it needed to be. 1. Attach rings *just* snug to lapping/alignment rod. Enough so that the rings can still be moved with a reasonable amount of force. 2. Then attach assembly to the rifle in the same manner. 3. Alternate snugging until everything is firmly attached. 4. Remove Lapping/alignment rod and check alignment. Been doing it this way for over 30 years, and almost never need to lap the rings. If any, it's minimal.
I was wondering why the top halves didn't get laped separately. Vicing the bar and holding the ring. I think to lap while the halves are together would be bad. If it's too slack there wouldn't be even removal. If too tight the bar wouldn't move at all. But yea why not do the tops too
I don't think that the lapping top half of the rings would be that important. The lower portion is the part that is solidly fixed to the rifle. The uppers are just there to hold the scope into the lower half of the ring. He fixed the rings to the rifle, then lapped them to align them. When you tighten them down, I would think the uppers would "give" a certain amount. Really, you could have a flat bar holding the scope in the lower half of the ring and it shouldn't make a difference. It's like putting a U bolt on an axle tube or a steel pipe and putting the U bolt plate on top. When you tighten the nuts down on the plate, it pulls the axle into the U.
The theory is that the top halves are going to flex when you torque them, so lapping has minimal value. Some guys lap the bases and then the tops. My opinion is that on 99% of rifles, with anything shy of match or handload ammo, 99% of shooters would never notice a difference either way. Especially not with 7.62x39, unless you wanna pay $1.50+ for Lapua brass.
its pretty much common sense that the top ring are putting downward pressure on the bottom which are what keeps the scope tube onthe same plane as the bore, its the same reason you dont have to lap rings that are clamshell style like an ADM mount or a AERO light weight mount, so it really doesnt makemuch of difference if any to lap both top and bottom if anything there may be a chance you screw up your tolerance if using a cheap scope mount or something.. but if the master himself Larry Potterfield did, then i wont question it!
Bubbles can, and typically are, slightly different sizes. Your eye can bisect the bubbles perfectly. Best to not use one side of the bubble when leveling.
Thanks for the instruction Chad. I'm one of those guys who's eyeballed his whole life with decent results. I don't shoot any further than 300 yards. What I'm asking is if your rifle is accurate eyeballing, then what's to be achieved by doing it the way a gunsmith would?
Well done Chad. Quick question for you, would it be better to use the alignment tool to check the alignment first then do the lapping procedure on the ring bases? If you had to adjust the alignment after the lapping procedure wouldn't it change how things fit together? Just a thought, not sure if it would matter.
The lapping is really more to ensure you have good contact over the tube. The alignment just squares each mount. Admittedly there is a certain amount of alignment done with the lapping.
That is true but with a150 grain 308 100 yard zero drop should only be about 2” at 200 . Not 8 to 9 “ was wondering if scope was mounted incorrectly. Looks like scope is slightly higher in back then front
great video other than you failed to properly tighten the scope rings bolt down. look at the scape between the front ring for the top portion and the bottom portion, a gap there and the back ring had no gap.
I have talked to Several gunsmith and they don't do it either in fact I was looking for one that does it other than you I haven't found any but I live in Missouri
Thank you for going to the trouble to show a lot of the proper steps. I get friends once in while that ask me to put scopes on their rifles and I say no. All of my tools are packed away and as you have just shown, you can't do the job properly with out the tools.
I just lap until the scope is free to move then epoxy the scope in there. Or lap until free and put a return spring on the scope. Keeping the scope lubed of course. If the scope doesn't freely slide then the tube could be bent.
You should put a drop of blue Lock-tite into each of the slots before inserting the lower rings. I'm miffed that you didn't put the upper rings on for the lapping process at the same time that you did the lower rings. Huh. I guess we all do things a mite differently but we get to the same point eventually. Thanks for the knowledge, Chad.
After doing scope level I do a reticle (the vertical line) test. Hang dark string with a lead weight at the end against a white wall (gravity ensures perfectly vertical) and while the rifle scope is level, check the reticle against the string. If it’s not matching up I set the reticle to match the string. Presto, a perfectly leveled reticle! Especially useful if you use a BDC reticle.
How do you assure your rifle is level? Just leveling the scope without making sure your rifle is level is meaningless.....
@@newenglandrider3189 that kinda goes without saying. I use an ultra precise level that is accurate to .1mm at 1meter. Good enough?
Chad, your instructional videos are top notch, down to earth, and easily understandable. Thanks and keep it up.
yeah he keeps it so classy! lmao
He makes it look easy don’t he
I'm a gunsmith and your video is right on one of the best I've seen on you tube well done at least you know what you are talking about Thank you.
Thomas Pyles Im 16 and i would love to become a gunsmith. I have no way to learn however.
Look into Sonoran desert institute its a good program and offers work studies with gunsmiths.
You're a shitty gunsmith then... He screwed up.
Louie Watson what did he do wrong
He didn't lap the upper halves or the rings. The bottom halves are in full contact with the tube. the uppers could still have high spots creating pinch points to the tube.
A critique on the torquing from 2:37 to 2:44. Fasteners must be moving as they move up to and stop at a torque setting to know that they are actually at that setting. The rear mount's fastener was torqued properly, as the fastener was moving and stopped when the 45 in-lb torque setting was reached, but since the front mount's fastener did not move before the torque handle clicked, all you know is that the front fastener was already torqued to an unknown value that was 45 in-lb at minimum (but is likely over that by some unknown amount, which might or might not matter, depending on how much). For example, if the fastener had been torqued to 60 in-lb by using the screwdriver, the tool would click at any torque value below that, including the 45 in-lb here.
It could actually be lower torque too. Static friction is higher than dinamic friction, so for the torque measurement to be truly accurate you need to have it moving. So yeah, it should be noticeably lower to start with anyway.
ShawnD1027 I think the front one moved a TINY bit
Sir, that is correct. Thanks for pointing it out so I didn't have to.
Thought the same thing
1 minute into this video and I already want that rifle. Stainless...two tone stock...7.62x39...damn...
I'll tell you a quick story. My first rifle I bought with my own money was a Ruger M77mkii all weather chambered in .223. Zytel boat paddle stock, stainless and all that. I remember being younger and wanting this gun chambered in 7.62x39mm. It turns out Ruger only made just over 100 of these rifles exclusively for Davidsons with the wood inserts. If you can find one BUY IT. I could afford both, but hindsight being as it is I wish I would have sold most of my guns and bought 3-4 of these when they were more available. This is the perfect Georgia hunting rifle for anything and everything you want.
There's been a few rifles in the past I wish I'd purchased when I had the chance. Kicking myself in hindsight.
Looks like a nice one. Was looking for one in 30-06 like you had in another vid, but gave up and got the new version synthetic stock w/matt stainless. Not scoped yet, scope shopping is a headache. Was leaning towards the 3.5-10x40 VX3i leupold. Any idea what glass they use in what models? Is it all Japanese for example? Not sure if Burris is still any good. I think they need to get with the program and catch up to the times with their scope offerings. Not sure about Vortex after i saw a Viper reticle break sadly. That crap shouldn't happen in a scope in that price range. Thats what youd expect out of a barska junker or something but not a mi/high end hyped up vortex.
Iraqveteran8888 I've got 2 in this exact setup with the zytel boat paddle stock and the wooden enlays in 7.62x39. I'm going to sell one what should I ask for it?
Eric kremer where do you live?
Use the lapping rod when mounting the rings man. Keep the rings loose and apply downward pressure on the lapping rod while torquing the rings. It will greatly help with ring alignment right of the get go
Just mounted my Vortex Viper on my Tikka T3X using this video! Thanks!
Chad, you know I love you but use the center of the bubble. If the levels are little different in size, the front bubble may be a little bigger than the back. Center of the bubble is always level no matter what size bubble :) Love you, mean it! :)
I use the magnetic levels on the reciever and scope as well, but I also like to tie up a plum across the room as an extra reference point. A lot of the scopes I've had to mount for people weren't of the best quality and I don't trust that the scope caps are perfectly level to the reticle. As long as the reciever is level, the reticle should be plum if the scope is straight. It maybe a useless extra step but it's extra verification.
Great video. The only question I have is how can you be sure your reticle is perfectly vertical this way? Just because the turret cap is level doesn’t mean the reticle is. You’re putting a lot of faith in the connection between that cap and the reticle inside the scope.
I've never lapped my rings or used alignment tools but I can see how it would be beneficial in getting a perfect solid mount.
Love the way you zero. I do similar except I normally boresight and then get it dead on with a shot or two at 25 yards. Then take it out to 100 yards and fine tune if needed. Then test at 200 yards for final confirmation.
I normally have a rifle zeroed and confirmed in 6-8 shots.
Sweet rifle, I have a friend with the same model in 243.
Makes me want to remount my scopes!
Thanks for the video. I have never ever used a scope, even after 30 years in the military, shooting on Post Teams and more. I am going to mount my first scope to my new 308.
Thank you Chad. This was all new to me. I learned a lot. Please keep this kind of video a part of the channel's programming. R
I’m new to distance shooting and you made the process of mounting my optics so much easier! Thank you Chad keep up the great work.
ive been a fan for a while and i just wanted to compliment you on the quality audio and overall production :)
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this but a small rubber band rapped under the scope with both ends strapped to each end of the level as it sits on scope caps will help sometimes . Great video anyway . Love the inserts in the stock .
These "how to" videos are great. Please keep them coming!
One thing that could really help dial in the lapping is using a feeler gauge to check for consistancy and help you focus on problem areas. Then confirming it once more when the optic is sitting in the ring.
Much appreciate y'all... I'm mounting a Athlon 8-34x56 30mm FFP. It's a really nice scope perfect for my Texan; it's an Airforce Texan SS .457 air rifle that shoot's up to 300 grain bullets @ 350 fpe. I'll be putting 250 grainer's through the eye of a deer this coming year with that think I was doing it @ 50 yards with a red dot sight that I was using on my AR (M4).
gees i've just mounting my scopes and firing until i hit center. just got a mossberg 6.5 creedmore and threw on the scope by eyeballing everything. will see how it works up to 500 yds. thanks for all the technical tips.
johnny6148 hack!
Thank you so much, I have a new rifle and scope on order and your conciese instuctions allow me to feel confident that I can tackle this. And BTW, like everyone else here, I would also love to have that Rifle.
Those m77 mkii's are good looking guns. My grandfather has one in 30-06 with the black boat paddle stock.
I certainly hope you guys plan on doing a video with that gun, it is definitely one of the most beautiful bolt action rifles I have seen...and for it to shoot a round that is significantly cheaper to buy than for most guns is a huge plus. Well, until you get into the really "gourmet" cartridges in 7.62X39. Judging by the serial number, I have one from the same year and exact configuration...1991.
Love the laugh after the first shot. It was like pure joy and a I told ya so all wrapped up in one
So what you should do, is gently install the lapping rod & bases loosely slowly tighten them & THEN remove the lapping rod , you will find an almost perfect alignment, then & only then do you lap the mounts , install the scope prior to removing the mounts to insure they stay in the same spot, also the crosshairs don't need to be perfectly level, just use your eyes, using a level may actually be crooked to your eyes, the center will always be the center
I have leveled a scope on a picatinny rail by using a straight shanked wrench between the rail and a flat on the bottom of the scope. I just twist the wrench and the scope until shank is flat against a slot in the rail and against the bottom of the scope. And then tighten it down like you do. No vice or level required.
I'm somewhat new to this channel so what I'm about to say might sound ridiculous. However, I'll say it anyway. Holy shit do these guys know what they're doing. A lot of these other "gun" channels on RUclips seem like a bunch of product advertising. You can tell they just barley know enough to get by and pull it off. On the other hand the information found on this channel is triple A. Props for doing this right. Not just the scope mount, but the whole damn channel.
Shady Brady these guys operate a gun shop.
I'm mounting a Burris 2-7 on my 336 30-30 this week, thanks guys!
BTW we need a Brush Gun Pt. II with 30-30. :)
ive always loved that scope, love the color the look the gold ring just everything, its such a nice looking scope in my eyes
Do you know what scope it is?
The EPL-4 makes for a great optic on a hunting rig. It’s value, toughness, features, and power range cover nearly every base.
So I just bought a Tikka T3x Hunter 7mm-08 rifle and a set of two piece low Talley rings specked to the rifle ( no bases required as they are integral to the top of the Tikka rifle )
The manufacturer states that no lapping is required … 🤔
I would still like to check the concentricity of the rings before mounting up my Leupold scope .
They must have a great deal of confidence in their machining tolerances to make such a claim that no lapping is required , and I’d say even more confidence in this guy right here who’s doing the mounting job lol 😆
On the Ruger if you will lay the lapping bar in the rings then snug up the rings you will have less, sometimes much less lapping to do. BTW I like your trigger technique.
I love the information you have provided us and I will try to remember it as I adjust my scope on my rifle. This bolt action rifle had been put away after the gunsmith had adjusted the rifle for one hundred yards and it still didn't work. Before that I tried adjusting the scope old school without it being correct.
super video
I just found with my first shots with a new rifle the first 2 shots at 10 -20 meters help me save time and ammo with eliminating the lateral deviation completely and cranking the dope to where it will make sense at 100 meters and pick it up from there.
Great video! Would have been cool to see where each round hit after bore sighting
Ruger bolt action 7.62x39. . . im drooling here
Dirtboxhor Same! Sweet rifle.
First, you should lap with the top ring halves ON, lightly snugging them every minute or so (this will help get better surface area contact and will remove burs). Secondly, when you use loctite you are having a wet torque value which should be approx 15% less than the real (DRY) torque value. This video is how an amateur would mount a scope, not how a pro would.
This is good info. On another note,I recently have installed three different "DED NUTZ" rings on base mounts(one piece bottom) and after mounting,the zeros were almost dead on and required less final zero than any other rings and mounts I have used. Not quite as pretty as some others.
You guys should do like a walk through or over view of your collections i think it would be really cool to get to see all the different stuff you guys have.
Never had a problem mounting my scopes using this method. Nice video, as usual! Regards from France... 🇫🇷🎯🇫🇷
Philippe FRATER it's nice to see that not EVERYONE in europe has been completely disarmed yet. happy shooting 😀
Yep! You know in France, people are really surprised when they learn how easy it is to buy a gun totally legally. So i try as much as i can to spread info about it. And by the way it seems to work! I own a 22lr a 222Rem and a 243Winchester as precision riffles and a Maverick 88 for self defense...
I have a Leupold scope, (suppose to be high quality), where the turret and cap surfaces are not square with the reticles. Use a plumb bob with the reticles, and hope your rails or machined surface with a bubble is square with the bore.
I just use Burris Signature Zee Rings with Posi-Align ring inserts. These provide perfect self alignment with super tight permanant scope fastening. Finally, when you can afford to upgrade to a better scope the original scope shows no misalignment damage gouges.
I see a lot of people commenting on not lapping with the top of the rings on. It can be done either way. You have to be very careful with the tops on so as not to over lap and tighten as you go. Or you will ruin the rings. Lapping again is now frowned on by many of the top ring manufacturers and will void thier warranty. Lapping the bottom carefully only will allow the rings to "cradle" the scope evenly. Proper torque on the ring caps is biggest killer of scopes most people do. EACH manufacturer has a specific inch pounds of torque, it is surprisingly less than many people realize. It gives a professional touch to make the gap between the base of the rings and cap even on each side, that is a given for all professional gunsmiths, just like properly aligning the slots on the screws on a custom firearm, it becomes second nature in your work. Going one step further, after mounting the scope and boresighting it. I give the firearm a good wipe down, with a very lightly oiled cloth on the metal, I also made sure that the mounting surface was clean and dry before mounting the scope. I wipe down the stock, and I clean the scope lenses. If you really want to nick pick his video. .. good video, well done.
no company affiliation, but the only thing that is "Simple" about any Leupold Optic is its' warranty. IF is breaks, and it won't, you sent it to them, they send you a new one, no questions asked........great video none the less.
I do target shooting in the UK, never thought to do this!
I have shotguns (7) and airguns (16) some of which are target guns. I will be moving into firearms later this year but this is a good tip to make sure my NF, Leupold and Sightron scopes sit better for competition.
I have a Ruger with those same rings. I have all the lapping tools but they might not be the best thing to do right away on those rings. On a high powered rifle like a 450BM or 300 winmag those rings will move, they will find their set point and its usually not how you tightened them. That means you just lapped the rings in a position that they won't be in after a few shots.
I think its best to oil the bases and put them in and wiggle them then snug them up. Then fire the gun a few times with the scope off it but the rings on the base. They will settle. Those Ruger calls for 30 inch pounds not 45 on them. And the base screws will loosen unless you use locktite.
On those rings if you lap them before they settle means you lapped the rings in the incorrect position. Might be better to use the scope without lapping and only do it once you know they really have settled, that will only occur after shooting.
Chad...I use Burris Zee rings with the plastic inserts. They let you adjust for misalignment by changing out the inserts to correct for left/right/up/down. No lapping required.
I don't know what your background and education as a gunsmith actually is. But this was well done. A couple of things, one. ..machine the sharp points off your alignment bars to a nice machined flat surface. It is more accurate than the points for the two flats to match. Second, some ring manufacturers are no longer advocating lapping thier rings and will void thier warranty. We used to, and still will teach gunsmiths how to lap them, however it is important to know the manufacturer position. Machining tolerance has gotten better, and contact better on quality rings to provide a proper grip on the scope tube. Third, cannot stress enough proper torque on rings. 12 to 14 inch pounds on some max, again check scope manufacturer. Over torque and you crush the tube and can do so and not see it, but you will and it will not adjust proper. And lastly, many gunsmiths use fingernail polish instead of loctite. If you use loctite make sure it is blue, use very very very little. The advantage of fingernail polish is it does the same job, and you can get the screws loose even after many years, and finger nail polish remover, acetone, will work if you have a hard time getting them to break loose. I have seen blue loctite that has been on a long time, at a point that even use off a mill locked down to assist won't break the screw loose and you have to drill them out. Good save on checking the bolt handle clearance you almost missed it. I also have the customer check the eye relief on the high and low power, plus the reticle even using a level. Because some customers hold the rifle in a manner that to them, it is not straight up and down. So I will adjust it to them at thier request for thier peace of mind. They are the customer, it's thier rifle and the customer is always right. That being said, I have very good report with my customers and I can easily work with them and show them and teach them. However I service the customer as I stated. Good job.
The Ruger is one of 5000 made for Davidson's (Gallery of Gun's) by Ruger in 1991-1992 in 7.62 x39 kind of rare to see this rifle lucky to have one myself, excellent shooter with right load and good optics. Good video of a more precise scope mount, but where is the target ...how does it shoot???? Maybe do a video on this rifle? Huh??? please please
you should do a top 5 AK variants video
Mario Saboni yes cuz I cant find anythang on the internet about my ras 47 idk if it a pos or what but iv never had a issue with it even after bump fireing a drum an a few 30s evry now an then
RAS-47 is just american made AK by century arms, its a pretty solid rifle
does anybody have any info on the Diamondback AR 15 would they be more toward the low end or the high-end
I think when people grade a AR rifle as lower end or high end your gonna get many answers. Pretty much all the receivers are all made in a handful of forges made to the same spec. Same with barrels, most are made by the same few places. Pretty much all it is, is what name do you want on it. Most are what id call middle range and are better quality than people want to accept, especially people stuck on their over priced brands not saying some aren't or could be junk. Most of the difference is when you get into milled receivers and match grade barrels. Anderson Lowers are forged in same place as the Colts. At least they were, not sure they might use some from other forges too. Check forge marks for the Key slot marking. You can build a gun to shoot just as good as any high end and do it cheaper.
And #1 would be RK-95!
I don’t see that you guys have done a shooting video of this gun yet...would love to see how it does out to 300. Even get silly and try some 600 lol. Because of this video, I found one of these still new in the box. It’s probably the most accurate rifle that I own, at least in the range for which this round is capable. Cheap Golden Tiger 7.62x39 shoots one inch groups or better at 100. I use it on coyotes here on my little 25 acres in Oklahoma. 150 yards and in, they get throat shots without fail.
Great video! I think we all should factor out....or in....in some cases the first shot with a cold bore. Maybe not all, but a lot of rifles shoot a bit off the mark when taking that first shot with a cold barrel. The next shot is where I would place my attention and apparently your rifle is similar to most with that first shot off target just a bit and the next two right on.
That laugh after first shot............oh my!!!!!
I’ve got 3 M77 s and love them
I have the ruger m77 mark 2 25-06 and I'm in love with it , a true rifle
Some guys commented about how he didn't lap the top halves of the scope rings but another thing I noticed is how uneven the gaps between the said halves were. I don't know if that makes a difference but me personally, I'd try to get those gaps as even as possible
Incredibly useful.
Wish his my recent videos weren't so politicized.
What prevents the lapping compound from changing the surface dimension of the lapping rod over a given period of time? And you only lapped the ring saddles- not the ring tops.
Awesome vid as always. Now i gotta remount my scope. Never took all that into consideration other than making sure the rings were torqued.
Just ran into the bolt clearance issue on one of my late fathers guns that I bought from my mother. The way that it's set up, the scope has to be as far back in the rings as possible in order for the bolt to be able to travel far enough to eject the empty casing. There is also a screw on the magnification adjusting ring that interferes with the bolt as well so the magnification has to be set from 3-5x for the bolt to travel far enough to eject the case. If the magnification is at 6-9x I have to reduce it to at least 5x. And lastly, in order to remove the bolt, I have to remove the scope first. Not ideal. The mounting bracket bolts to the side of the receiver and the ring bottoms are part of the mounting bracket so currently, the option available that I'm aware of is to find a different scope with a smaller ocular.
Thanks for the video! I was wondering if you needed to lap the top rings as well? Seems to me if the bottom was that far off wouldn't the tops need to be lapped? Thanks again for another helpful video:)
Was just going to ask the same thing. Is it enough to lap the bottom but not the top?
Feeler gauges from an auto parts store work really well for getting an equal gap between the ring halves.
I was about to say, be sure the bolt handle clears the scope... I ran into the same problem on a Ruger M77 Mark 2.
I always liked that stock.
Haven't seen one in a long time.
Just used a MOE rifle stock on a AR and after seeing this, Im seeing they kinda have the same look.
the lapping processs can totally be an asmr
You're going to hate this criticism, but........the ONLY way to get your scope right is to line the vertical reticle line up with a free hanging plumb line so vertical = vertical. THEN you put a spirit level ring on the scope body (not the turret for goodness sake!) and get the bubble right while the scope is still lined up with the plumb line. Tighten down. Now, as long as the relationship between the scope and the barrel stays constant (it will if you mounted secure), when you adjust up, the shot placement will go up, etc. BUT the MOST vital thing when you need to adjust aim is to make sure when you're sighting that your vertical reticle line IS vertical.......so check the spirit bubble. If YOU cant left, thinking it is vertical, when you adjust up, you will go up AND left. Cant right and you go up and right, etc. Cant left and adjust left, you'll hit left AND down. So FORGET the pundits rhetoric about lining up the vertical reticle precisely with the barrel bore, it simply isn't important. Just ensure THE SCOPE is perfectly level when you aim!
Turret caps on my VX-2 weren't level with the reticle. On an entry priced optic, I wouldn't count on the caps lining up squarely with the reticle. Ended up dropping a plumb line to get the reticle level, and I don't worry about the turret caps.
Good job but to start with I think I would have snugged the scope it the rings prior to tightening the ring bottoms just to help align them then start the alignment process
id love to see a video on reloading 7.62x39. things like .308 bullets in a .310 bore. subsonic heavy bullets. cast.
I would like to see a video on this rifle the scope was mounted on.
Would you guys consider doing a similar set of videos for mounting a scope on a revolver?
This was more complicated than it needed to be.
1. Attach rings *just* snug to lapping/alignment rod. Enough so that the rings can still be moved with a reasonable amount of force.
2. Then attach assembly to the rifle in the same manner.
3. Alternate snugging until everything is firmly attached.
4. Remove Lapping/alignment rod and check alignment.
Been doing it this way for over 30 years, and almost never need to lap the rings.
If any, it's minimal.
D S i do the exact same thing. Started to wonder if anyone else did too. It just makes sense.
just a question... why didn't you put the top rings on when you were lapping?
I was wondering why the top halves didn't get laped separately. Vicing the bar and holding the ring. I think to lap while the halves are together would be bad. If it's too slack there wouldn't be even removal. If too tight the bar wouldn't move at all. But yea why not do the tops too
I don't think that the lapping top half of the rings would be that important. The lower portion is the part that is solidly fixed to the rifle. The uppers are just there to hold the scope into the lower half of the ring. He fixed the rings to the rifle, then lapped them to align them. When you tighten them down, I would think the uppers would "give" a certain amount. Really, you could have a flat bar holding the scope in the lower half of the ring and it shouldn't make a difference. It's like putting a U bolt on an axle tube or a steel pipe and putting the U bolt plate on top. When you tighten the nuts down on the plate, it pulls the axle into the U.
The theory is that the top halves are going to flex when you torque them, so lapping has minimal value. Some guys lap the bases and then the tops. My opinion is that on 99% of rifles, with anything shy of match or handload ammo, 99% of shooters would never notice a difference either way. Especially not with 7.62x39, unless you wanna pay $1.50+ for Lapua brass.
Larry Potterfield puts the top halves on while lapping so it must be ok.
its pretty much common sense that the top ring are putting downward pressure on the bottom which are what keeps the scope tube onthe same plane as the bore, its the same reason you dont have to lap rings that are clamshell style like an ADM mount or a AERO light weight mount, so it really doesnt makemuch of difference if any to lap both top and bottom if anything there may be a chance you screw up your tolerance if using a cheap scope mount or something.. but if the master himself Larry Potterfield did, then i wont question it!
Very helpful video, gents!😎👍🏻
nice work Chad, that's as good as any of us need.
Bubbles can, and typically are, slightly different sizes. Your eye can bisect the bubbles perfectly. Best to not use one side of the bubble when leveling.
Thanks for the instruction Chad. I'm one of those guys who's eyeballed his whole life with decent results. I don't shoot any further than 300 yards. What I'm asking is if your rifle is accurate eyeballing, then what's to be achieved by doing it the way a gunsmith would?
Well done Chad. Quick question for you, would it be better to use the alignment tool to check the alignment first then do the lapping procedure on the ring bases? If you had to adjust the alignment after the lapping procedure wouldn't it change how things fit together? Just a thought, not sure if it would matter.
The lapping is really more to ensure you have good contact over the tube. The alignment just squares each mount. Admittedly there is a certain amount of alignment done with the lapping.
Solid presentation. This is perfect for anybody mounting their first scope correctly. Good stuff. I really like that Ruger, sexy!
Thanks this helped a lot and actually fixed my scope, I ended up taking it to a local gunsmith as I don't have the tools to do it.
Eric should be buying lunch for doing a pro job on that M77!
Question please. Why was only the bottom half of the rings lapped? Thank you for the video, it taught me something about mounting.
I thought you might use the lapping rod to align the ring bottom halves before properly torquing them in place..
That is true but with a150 grain 308 100 yard zero drop should only be about 2” at 200 . Not 8 to 9 “ was wondering if scope was mounted incorrectly. Looks like scope is slightly higher in back then front
great video other than you failed to properly tighten the scope rings bolt down. look at the scape between the front ring for the top portion and the bottom portion, a gap there and the back ring had no gap.
I have talked to Several gunsmith and they don't do it either in fact I was looking for one that does it other than you I haven't found any but I live in Missouri
Thank you for going to the trouble to show a lot of the proper steps. I get friends once in while that ask me to put scopes on their rifles and I say no. All of my tools are packed away and as you have just shown, you can't do the job properly with out the tools.
Ruger rings should ALWAYS be tightened and loosened at least 3 times to ensure the crossbolt claw has seated correctly.
I just lap until the scope is free to move then epoxy the scope in there. Or lap until free and put a return spring on the scope. Keeping the scope lubed of course. If the scope doesn't freely slide then the tube could be bent.
should talk about setting the optic the right distance from your eye.
You should have tested with those alignment bars before ever lapping , no ? Great videos and thanks !
Hey guys, I was wondering if your going to do a review or maybe just a few videos on the 80% firearms.
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We didn’t see the shots placed, but I guess we’ll just have to take your word for it that it’s “spot on”
Could you guys make a video on your recommended optics in the 300-600 price range?
Being a plumber I know if the bubble is kissing the line it's gonna be about an 1/8th" slope per foot so that actually isn't more precise lol
Yeah haha I thought that was odd too
Thanks Chad! Thanks for making me realize I mounted my scope like a dumbass!
You should put a drop of blue Lock-tite into each of the slots before inserting the lower rings. I'm miffed that you didn't put the upper rings on for the lapping process at the same time that you did the lower rings. Huh. I guess we all do things a mite differently but we get to the same point eventually. Thanks for the knowledge, Chad.
I don't understand how you guys ever get any dislikes on your videos. I've never seen one I didn't love lol
Nice video,,you could try to match the gaps in the scope rings,,it is doable,,Thanks Chad.