Scope is sliding in Vortex rings? Garbage rings??

[david g ranes]

Does anyone know what is causing my scope to slide towards to recoil pad of the gun? You can see the shift marks where the scope was originally mounted in the attached pictures.

This is the second time that these Vortex Precision Match Grade rings have done this to me. They are loctited and torqued to Vortex specs. Is the recoil on my .300WM too much for these rings (I wouldn't think so)? It's about impossible to develop a load when a scope is moving lol.

At this point, I'm seriously considering sidelining these rings and buying myself a set of Hawkins.

How much could this slight shift change POI?

Looks to me in the pictures you have an awful big gap between the two ring halves if they are drawn up evenly and I owned it I would tighten the rings up some more and not worry about it you aren't going to hurt that night force scope tube . But bedding is a really good option I wish I had my money back on my lapping tools David

 

[Lone Hunter]

Buy you a set of Burris Signature XTR Rings and you will wonder why you didn't think of it before. I used to think they were a sales gimmick until I tried them. They will not mark your scope and they will hold the scope with no movement. This is all I use now.

XTR Signature Rings™ | Burris Optics

www.burrisoptics.com

I use the XTR Signature Rings. They have the inserts and 6 screws on top of each ring. They also have a Signature Z Rings with the inserts but I like the XTR better.
You can find them cheaper than this but these are the rings I'm talking about. They will do what Burris says. Good Luck to You whichever way you go. That's a pain in the butt with scopes sliding.

 

[poolguy60]

Does anyone know what is causing my scope to slide towards to recoil pad of the gun? You can see the shift marks where the scope was originally mounted in the attached pictures.

This is the second time that these Vortex Precision Match Grade rings have done this to me. They are loctited and torqued to Vortex specs. Is the recoil on my .300WM too much for these rings (I wouldn't think so)? It's about impossible to develop a load when a scope is moving lol.

At this point, I'm seriously considering sidelining these rings and buying myself a set of Hawkins.

How much could this slight shift change POI?

Did you run a micrometer on the scope tube and inside diameter of the rings? Maybe that will tell the story

 

[azsugarbear]

You would be surprised how little contact most rings have with the scope tube. I would estimate only about 20% contact. Usually that is enough to hold it. I will typically lap my rings to get better purchase, but bedding the rings will also provide the same result: more even contact with the tube. Try eith one and you will be surprised how most rings have little contact - even the prmium rings costing $100+.

 

[billflangjr813]

I run Vortex PMR rings almost exclusively (including on my 300WM) and have never had a scope move, even after dropping a rifle. From what I understand they are manufactured by Seekins and Seekins rings have a pretty great track record. I think you either got a bad set of rings or you have something else going on.

Well I'm no expert but I would re-torque them 28-30 in-lbs your scope is where it needs to be now. I don't think you had the scope against the Lugs.

 

[capona]

You have a big gap in those rings.
Take a few pictures of the other side of the ring for gap comparison. Or better yet measure the gaps.

Never had issues with vortex rings. But I will say I run NF rings on my NF scopes because they give you a higher torque setting and the NF scopes are tanks that can take that higher torque setting.

I'm making an assumption that this isn't your first scope mounting since it's a NF scope.

 

[fnlights]

You have a big gap in those rings.
Take a few pictures of the other side of the ring for gap comparison. Or better yet measure the gaps.

Never had issues with vortex rings. But I will say I run NF rings on my NF scopes because they give you a higher torque setting and the NF scopes are tanks that can take that higher torque setting.

There are pictures of both sides of the rings - the gaps were pretty consistent on both sides.

I didn't measure them, but since have taken them off and started cleaning the loctite from them.

 

[fnlights]

Well I'm no expert but I would re-torque them 28-30 in-lbs your scope is where it needs to be now. I don't think you had the scope against the Lugs.

They were when I mounted them lol

 

[chav0_12]

Well I'm no expert but I would re-torque them 28-30 in-lbs your scope is where it needs to be now. I don't think you had the scope against the Lugs.

Are you saying the lugs on the bottom of the rings weren't touching the part of the rail that they should've? Aren't those lugs supposed be hitting the forward (muzzle end) part of the rail slot? Wouldn't that cause the sliding to be the other way? Would that just make the rings move and not the scope in the rings?

OP: are these 30mm rings? I have some I could send you if you wanted to try them and see.

 

[fnlights]

Are you saying the lugs on the bottom of the rings weren't touching the part of the rail that they should've? Aren't those lugs supposed be hitting the forward (muzzle end) part of the rail slot? Wouldn't that cause the sliding to be the other way? Would that just make the rings move and not the scope in the rings?

OP: are these 30mm rings? I have some I could send you if you wanted to try them and see.

Yep they should be hitting the muzzle end of the rail slot (which they were).

I appreciate the offer, but I am going to throw my spare at of Hawkins Ultra Light Tacticals on for now!

 

[fnlights]

So last night I started to take the Vortex rings off and clean off the old loctite (wow was that a pain).

The one thing I noticed, which you can kind of see in the photo showing "Bergara" on the left hand side of the gun, that the recoil lug on the rail had also shifted slightly back. There was a noticeable gap (which was not like that when I mounted the rail).

So I then spent the next few hours taking off the rail and cleaning off the old loctite. I think this could have played a part in my issues. If that rail wasn't up against the recoil lug, odds are more stress was going on the rings, right?

So then I had to figure out why in the world that rail would have slid back. There was a tiny amount of loctite leak on the furthest front bolt that leaked out and was on the gun/rail when I took it off. I assume this may have prevented a complete seal and that could have caused the shift?

Note to self: I am either bedding the rail permanently to the action (this one is bedded, but release agent was used) or I am going with a rifle with an integrated rail.

Anyways - I ended up getting that all cleaned up the best I could and got the rail back on. Seekins recommends 20-25 in/lbs for the rail, but I bumped that up to slightly over 30. I then used the Hawkins rings that I had set aside for my 30N and torqued those down. So hopefully everything should be good to go.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I had 2 Bergara Premier Series actions I built a 6.5PRC and 6.5-284 Norma, the action to rail mounting area on the 6.5-284 long action was never machines flush/level and it caused this exact issue you're having. I bedded the rail perfectly level and also bedded the scope into to lower rings. Issue was resolved. I have since sold the rifle and don't have it anymore. The issue was only present on the long action.

 

[fnlights]

I had 2 Bergara Premier Series actions I built a 6.5PRC and 6.5-284 Norma, the action to rail mounting area on the 6.5-284 long action was never machines flush/level and it caused this exact issue you're having. I bedded the rail perfectly level and also bedded the scope into to lower rings. Issue was resolved. I have since sold the rifle and don't have it anymore. The issue was only present on the long action.

Interesting. That's good to know.

I wish I would have bedded it permanently.

 

[BillLarson]

Use a little baseball resin....