Bedding vs lapping rings?

So im getting to that point of my build where I am starting to bed the rail to the action, finish up details on stock and get ready to paint, and installing components. I do, however, have no idea on lapping or bedding rings when it comes to these things as far as what really works best. Bedding is much less common then lapping as far as I know, but it also seems like it could very easily be better. Lapping is leaving a precision bar to put the rings 100% true. Now of course thats all good and well, but bedding seems like it would be best since it makes everything true to the INDIVIDUAL scope. Its possible the scopes are possible out of round, not perfectly square etc, etc. Not that it will always make a difference, but its worth asking.

Biggest problem I can see with bedding is you are more subject to messing up the alignment of cross hairs. Itd be easy to keep it the right distance front to back, but keeping it perfectly level would be slightly more difficult compared just lapping. Bedding is easy enough, and I have all the materials where as I dont for lapping. At the same time, my neighbor has a lapping kit and will do it for free.

Im pretty into benchrest techniques, so I might be a little nitpicky about this. Im using vortex rings. If I lap, ill give it to my neighbor. If I bed, ill bed the bottom rings first with the scope held down by electrical tape at the same points of ring contact. Ill clean up, let it cure, and then do the top rings except Ill have to mask off the bottom side. Definetly gonna be putting kiwi shoe polish on there. Not to excited to mess up a vortex pst ffp scope right now just because I failed to put a release agent on or get a mechanical lock. They arent cheap.

Bedding the rail to the action and lapping the rings are two separate procedures. Both can be very helpful if needed. If the rail is not a perfect fit to the action, bedding can take care of it. If the rings are not concentric, lapping can take care of that. Doing both would not be considered OCD.

Good Luck-Good Shooting ... Jim :-)

Edit: if things are really misaligned, Burris Signature Z Rings are a great solution.

I wish I could give you a first hand understanding, but the lapping instructions I have say you only want 70% contact or some such and 100% like in bedding isn't ideal. I can't say WHY that would be the case though.

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Originally Posted by FW Conch

Bedding the rail to the action and lapping the rings are two separate procedures. Both can be very helpful if needed. If the rail is not a perfect fit to the action, bedding can take care of it. If the rings are not concentric, lapping can take care of that. Doing both would not be considered OCD.

Good Luck-Good Shooting ... Jim :-)

Edit: if things are really misaligned, Burris Signature Z Rings are a great solution.

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I was meaning bedding the rings vs lapping them. I already bedded the rail since one side was pulling up when I torque the other down, but yes, I'm ocd about this kind of thing

Sorry. I have never heard of bedding a scope to the rings?

As Twinsen says, lapping the rings to a 100% fit would probably not leave enough tension to keep the scope from moving in the rings?

To achieve your goal, it may be best to lap to 70% and use "Blue Locktite" between the scope and rings?

Edit: But again, if I had a scope that did not align with the bore, because of misaligned mounting holes etc., I would go with the "Z" rings. The offset inserts can bring the scope into perfect alignment, and they leave no marks or damage to the scope surface. For distance shooting, they can provide elevation, so you don't have to use up to much of your scope vertical adjustment.

Are you sure your not trying to fix a problem you don't have?

With all the high quality rings available today, this process is just something else a Smith can charge you for.

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Originally Posted by LoneWolf

With all the high quality rings available today, this process is just something else a Smith can charge you for.

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So maybe its coming into play because of that ^...? I can do that myself, so they wouldnt make any money on me :). Sound like zee rings are the way to go. I thought about getting some a few monthes ago too, but I didn't really like how narrow they are. Might do it anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FW Conch

Sorry. I have never heard of bedding a scope to the rings?

As Twinsen says, lapping the rings to a 100% fit would probably not leave enough tension to keep the scope from moving in the rings?

To achieve your goal, it may be best to lap to 70% and use "Blue Locktite" between the scope and rings?

Edit: But again, if I had a scope that did not align with the bore, because of misaligned mounting holes etc., I would go with the "Z" rings. The offset inserts can bring the scope into perfect alignment, and they leave no marks or damage to the scope surface. For distance shooting, they can provide elevation, so you don't have to use up to much of your scope vertical adjustment.

Are you sure your not trying to fix a problem you don't have?

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http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?...ng-Scope-Rings

That is a link to one of the articles I found. Has at least one picture of it being done. Im not sure if I have a problem yet. I doubt I do, I guess Im just doing everything I can where I can to help the overall quality of the gun. As suggested though, I might be better getting burris zees. I just dont like the look all that great, but Im accuracy over look.

I messed with the Zee rings. I don't like them personally. I have had great success with Seekins/Vortex Precision rings. I have used and liked the SPUHR mount, but my now favorite and probably only rings I will use from now on are the American Rifle Company M10 Rings. The use only 2 bolts, one to mount to the scope rail and one to close the clamp style rings. Your scope doesn't come off center at all when tightening them and mounting a scope is about a 5min process total. They're heavy duty, but light weight and you can still see your turrets very well.

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Originally Posted by LoneWolf

I messed with the Zee rings. I don't like them personally. I have had great success with Seekins/Vortex Precision rings. I have used and liked the SPUHR mount, but my now favorite and probably only rings I will use from now on are the American Rifle Company M10 Rings. The use only 2 bolts, one to mount to the scope rail and one to close the clamp style rings. Your scope doesn't come off center at all when tightening them and mounting a scope is about a 5min process total. They're heavy duty, but light weight and you can still see your turrets very well.

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Those rings are an absolutely beautiful work of art assuming they are as precise as they are made to be. But I'm not too ready to drop 225 for a set...300 for qd. I can get burris xtrs that look good and perform fine for 60$. I mean I guess I would buy them if I had money to burn or didn't want to have to lap rings, but for my purposes, it's way overkill. Id love to have a set though. The gun is already more accurate then I am though so I would only gain a better look and easier install.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09...5fe8f2a3f8.jpg

In Tony Boyer's "The Book of Rifle Accuracy" he goes in detail of his technique for bedding scopes. He does it so that his adjustments are in the center of their range and still be sighted in. It's a bit extensive but it's hard to argue with his success. If you have access to Tony's book I recommend giving that section a read.

I don't see a need to bed the rings, you can certainly lap them and I do when mounting a scope. This helps ensure everything is in alignment. The Vortex rings are made by seekins and you probably don't need to lap them but it won't hurt anything. No need for loctite either with those rings, torque to spec and call it good.

I avoid scope alignment problems by using the finest rings made: Burris Signature Rings. With their plastic inserts the scope is never stressed and won't move. You could easily spend 5X more but they won't be better (IMO). Burris will be selling Tactical Signature Rings sometime soon and I plan to use them on my bench guns but the 'standard' rings I've used in the past have always worked fine. YMMV

Welcome to the Forum Sonny ! :-)

Thank you!