Do you always lap your scope rings?

[marchboom]

I ALWAYS check the rings for straightness but since using the Burris Signature Z rings there is no longer a need for lapping. Any correction can be made with these rings and you can put in a 20 degree (or more) correction if you shoot long range. And with these rings you don't need to really crank down on the screws. With the inserts having almost 100% contact with the scope, it doesn't take much to secure the scope to the rings.

Also, these rings will not mark up the scope. That will increase the scope's value if you decide to sell it.

 

[jrg]

I use American Rifle Co. M-10 rings they do not require lapping & they do not leave ring marks on your scope. I have used them for about 4 years now & will not use any other rings.[/QUOTE

 

[glazer1972]

I lap but I mostly use the cheaper stuff these days. Talley Lightweights and Leupold Rifleman.

 

[Gary in MD]

Yupppp
It's Burris with the synthetic inserts
for me. Been using them since they came out and won't go back. They hold tight and won't put a blemish on the scope tube. I just pulled a Zeiss off the other day and the tube was pristine, you couldn't tell it had been mounted and had been on for 10 years. YMMV
Gary

 

[doctorjj]

I use American Rifle Co. M-10 rings they do not require lapping & they do not leave ring marks on your scope. I have used them for about 4 years now & will not use any other rings.[/QUOTE

As has been mentioned, the whole setup needs to be considered. The receiver, the base(s) if used, and the rings. You can have absolutely perfect rings but if they aren't aligned in the same plane due to receiver or base irregularities, then you still have a problem. Like guys who put on Ruger rings backwards! I've seen it!

 

[ntsqd]

First and only time I've ever lapped scope rings was one piece lightweight base/rings from Talley. I was interested to see that while they were fairly well aligned that they weren't perfectly round, which was quite obvious from the way the anodize was abraded.

It was after doing that when I read about bedding a scope for the first time. Had not ever thought of that. Think that is how I'll be mounting future LR oriented scopes, first bedding the base(s) to the action and then the rings to the scope.

I have worked in design & manufacturing, both R&D and mid-volume production, for 25+ years. Unless the mfg laps their rings as part of the manufacturing process, I will never believe that a sufficiently skilled person can not lap them to be an even better fit. An insufficiently skilled person can certainly make the fit worse. As has been pointed out, a CNC is not magic. They too are subject to the GI-GO principle. The normal sequence of operations to produce smaller and smaller tolerances is machining, then grinding, then Honing. Lapping is a form of honing.

 

[skipglo]

Here's another alternative to lapping rings or in addition to >>> https://www.highp.oweroptics.com/ringtrue™-tape-three-scopes-p-24944.html[

 

[loaders_loft]

Never

 

[Pauleye]

I never lap but like previous posters I use better quality rings

 

[crkckr]

I never want to lap but I do have an alignment tool I use to check before the scope gets close to the rings, no matter what brand they are. I only lap if it's necessary . If a gap is large enough, bedding is the answer. In fact, if things line up really well, it might still be the answer! I've never bedded rings before but may give it try, it sounds like a solid idea. No pun intended.
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[YZ-80]

So every scope you have mounted is centered up in the middle of its windage adjustment.

Admittedly not, Sherm. I have to adjust them and in all likelihood,they are not in the middle of the adjustment range. But if the allignment bars line up point to point, I figure the holes tapped in the receiver are pretty darn close (front to back). Where I have seen issues is with a Savage (recently in fact) that the tapped holes were not "Top Dead Center" (if you will) but were ok front to back. This made scope cant a bit harder to manage and I would accept that in reality, the axis of the scope is off-set to the bore, albeit imperceptible to me. I fussed over it a bit but then thought of the St. Marie's Mount on my K-31 (really offset!). In any event, I know that these differences can be significant way out beyound certain distances, I just don't have to worry about it at the ranges I shoot.

 

[knc1105]

I lap everything even .22's. Scope rings are not perfect no matter how much you spend. And I rosin inside of rings like on Safari Big Bores and if you change scopes you can wipe off the rosin on the scope with alcohol and cannot tell it was ever mounted. What started me was Talley rings on model 70 .270 and 7mm when you evenly snugged up the rings on a Leupold Vari X lll the variable ring was hard to move. Had to lap them completely top and bottom to stop it. Lapped everything every since, does not take long and if you have highend Nightforce etc glass why in the world would you want ring marks?

 

[PBR driver]

No, if you buy high quality rings there should be no need.
Leupold doesn't recommend lapping rings.
I believe it is more important to make sure your rings are aligned to each other and the tube is straight in the rings and every screw is torqued to recommended inch pounds.
I see almost every mounted scope that comes in for inspection or having problems the rings are either way to tire or way loose.
If they advertise a product many will buy it.
If you feel you must lap then do it but make sure you are Ctually gaining headway when doing ot or do you unfollow others because they shoot good groups?
If lapping was a real good deal then premium rings would come lapped already...
Just my two cents worth after almost 50 years of playing with rifles.

 

[chickm1]

I have lapped a lot of different style rings, and have never seen a pair that are perfect, including the ones that the manufacturer says "Normally these rings do not require lapping, and it is not recommended". LOL. It is time consuming and hard work to lap them correctly, and understand why others find excuses not to lap their scope rings.