Interesting results setting up Warne rings and bases

I feel like I have to be missing something here.

I setup scopes for people here and there. So a guy brings me a Remington 700, a set of Warne bases and rings, and a Leupold VX-R, I believe it is.

I started by removing the bases and cleaning everything. I put them back on and torqued them to 25 in/lbs. I then installed the rings on the bases and, per instructions, tightened the bottom two screws to 25 in/lbs. The rings were tight on the bases and everything looked peachy. Then I slid in my pointed dowels to check alignment. (This is where it started going downhill)
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...48eac6c7ac.jpg
The alignment wasn't exactly breathtaking, but I figured I could lap most of it out. I thought I'd try torquing the upper screws to see if it would bring it in anymore. It didn't. But what it did do was make the rings loose on the bases! [emoji848] Well that's interesting. So I'm thinking somehow my dowels are causing it. I mic'd them and the scope tube.

Dowels= 29.99 mm and 30.00 mm
Scope tube= 29.97 mm

Negligible
Now my wheels are turning. I slid my lapping bar in and torqued it down. Obviously the misalignment of the rings locked everything down tight, but only because of the bind it was putting on my bar. I mounted the scope in the front ring and torqued it to specs. The ring is tight on the base and the scope.

So, to me, I'm thinking if I torque that ring down to spec on a perfect 30mm bar, and it loosens on the base, then how tight can it really be holding the base with the scope in there? I have advised him to get something else as I just don't see these working out...

Looks to me that the bases are not level with one another. Vertical split rings are always a PITA.

Not sure I would assume the basses are the problem. What is the receiver surfaces are not parallel or on the same plane?

It's not the misalignment I'm worried about. When I torque the rings down on my dowels, the rings loosen their grip on the bases. And flop around.

There is a pivot point at the base of those rings (I think). Perhaps removing some material from the lower mating surfaces of the rings.

Other possible issues
mismatch of base and rings
rings defective
base defective

As much as the guy spent on matching Warne rings and bases, having to custom fit them seems ridiculous. He is going to send them back. My point is, a lot of guys run these rings. And, in my opinion, the design is defective. The only thing that holds these remotely tight on the bases is the fact that the scope tube compresses slightly. And how tight of a hold can it have if it's totally loose on a perfect 30mm steel bar. It's the first set of Warne rings I've handled and I can guarantee it will be the last. I am not impressed.

Without being there to look and check in person I can't offer any remedies. Only thing I can say is that after using that setup on at least 100 rifles from different manufactures I have never had an issue. Well there was once when some one got the Remington and Weatherby bases confused and in the wrong packaging on the shelf.

I put Warne bases and rings on my 308, before I sent the gun back to Savage. I was impressed with how well they seemed to grip the bases and scope in my case.

I live fairly close to Warne so I'll email them and see what they think is up, maybe take them over and drop them off.

I have heard word elsewhere of a possible bad batch.

Something that has worked well for me.

1. Mount and torque base's
2. Put lower half of rings on base's but secure finger tight only,
3. Set lapping bar in and install the upper half of rings and tighten the screws.
4. Hold lapping bar forward and tighten down the lower half of the ring's and torque to base's.
5. Take off upper half of ring's and test with the allignment dowels,, It should be perfect.
6. Put the scope on.


Or use a bigger hammer! :)

Back out on the picture. Warne Rings need to be assembled correctly by tightening the bottom screws first. It also looks as though you have two different height bases or two different height rings.

Dan Savage. Warne Rings are vertical split so the standard lapping can mess them up.

Can't you just shim the base?
Have you tried swapping the rings from to back?
My money would be the 700 is out of spec a little.
Rem are nothing like they used to be - part of the reason I have more bbl nuts than 700's now

So I am finalizing this issue. I called Warne this morning and started to explain what I found and he finished my sentence for me because he has seen this a bunch. He said for whatever reason, an alignment dowel will cause the ring to loosen on the base, but the scope won't make it do it. He wasn't able to give an answer as to why, but I have my own theory. I'm not an engineer, so take this however you will. My opinion is that when you tighten the top screws on a piece of steel bar stock that doesn't have any give, it levers the bottom part of the ring open and loosens it on the base. When you torque it with a scope in there, the scope tube has just enough give to keep it from levering enough to loosen, BUT, I feel that it still reduces the amount of grip that the ring has on the base. In a standard scope ring like what I run, Burris XTR's, that bottom bolt gets torqued to 65 in/lbs. On these Warne rings, the bottom two bolts get torqued to 25 in/lbs, AND THEN that grip loosens even more after you torque the scope into the ring. SO, it is my personal opinion that the design of this ring is defective. I know, I know, you all have run hundreds of sets without issue that you know of, but I personally will not let something like having my scope moving around on my gun go to chance. Or in this case a good friends gun. So condemn me if you want, but I won't be running or installing these rings on anything in the future. I feel it is a flawed design. Thank you guys for your consideration and input!

My neighbor is a champion shooter he uses burris rings with plastic inserts problems resolved but your problem strange!