Help.......scope mounting

First off my 338 edge kicks less than the 22-250 (no exaggeration) and it ran great with the light scope after switching to the heavy scope I ran in to issues...... I had to abandon signature rings and the base constantly coming loose so I switched to a DNZ similar to the one that had held the light scope but accommodating a 20moa cant and 30mm tube. That did not hold it so I added powdered resin which did not hold it......... epoxy bedded base to receiver and went back to signatures this time with resin and it did not hold it. OK now I am done screwing around so I got not one but two sets of leupolds and to my horror they where different heights despite being "identical parts"........... I lapped one of the rings down to match the other pair and installed the three rings with resin................................... held for a while but still slipped and right at the beginning of hunting season. OK now I have $hundreds$ in the dam mounts...........I do just so happen to have two matching sets of weaver 6-hole tactical rings, I have a lapping bar some jb weld and/or devcon steel putty......I think I actually have a reverse recoil impulse and unless some one has a better Idea I am going to have scope rings bonded to a scope real soon. Any suggestions? Thanks...........Duke

It would be a pretty drastic step that will be a pain to clean up if it doesn't work, but there's one method I've used that has never failed.

First, degrease the top of the receiver and bottom of the scope base. Then put a couple drops of blue #242 Loctite between the bottom of the base and the action, as well as on the screws. It doesn't take much, just a couple drops, and it's best to tape off the action and have a rag ready to clean up any that gets squished out.

For the scope, again degrease the inside of the rings and the scope tube, place one drop of blue #242 Loctite in each ring half. Again, be ready to wipe up what squeezes out.

Like I said, this can be a big pain in the rear-end to clean up later (but it can be done), but it should work if anything will.

Get a base and ring set that have correct dimensions and alignment out of the box. Epoxy bed the base, if necessary. Don't accept mismatched rings.

Use new screws all around. Overtorqued screws may be ruined.

When screwing the ring halves together, count the turns of the screws to make sure you're tightening all screws uniformly. Turn each screw the same number of times until you feel resistance. Then turn each screw a half turn. Then turn each screw a quarter turn.

Most importantly, DO NOT OVERTORQUE THE SCREWS!

When you get down to quarter turns, use a torque driver. Start at half the recommended final torque. Tighten each screw in a staggered, alternating order. After each round of tightening, increase the torque by a small increment and repeat. When you reach the final torque value, repeat all screws twice to ensure uniform torques.

Thank folks................ but aside from lock tight in the rings (which is what I am considering with the epoxy) This has bean done over and over again. The base has bean resolved and is no longer a problem. I have tried a one piece mount and ring combo (the DNZ) That has perfect alignment. I always use fresh screws except for the in the field temporary retightening till I get it off the range. I always use a torque driver. Even-incremental tightening is my standard procedure. lapped rings are not mismatched and are properly aligned even though the third (the extra) leupold ring was modified to make it so. Thanks, but still searching for anything new....................Duke

I would be temped to use SquirrelSniper's method of using the blue lock tight rather than Devcon. It will still have the holding power but won't be permanent.

I would also consider posting a thread over on http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/ since there is going to be a higher percentage of guys over there with knowledge of your caliber and your issue.

You are right about the locktight but permanent is just fine till I need to rebarrel at which time I could remove rings from base to get the scope off and back on. I started an Identical thread at long range hunting and at accurate shooter. I am getting good feedback all around but keep it coming. Thanks again...............Duke

Could there be something wrong with your scope tube? ???

I questioned that myself early on and not that I can tell. One reason I am considering the epoxy is to super grip of course but also conform to any abnormalities that may be evading detection. Thanks again and keep it coming..........Duke

room for a weaver style base and 3 or 4 rings? some guys with big handguns have had to do this.

Good, then I will not be the first. I have all four rings mounted and lapped. It is in the vise and I am only hesitating to see if someone can talk me out of it. It looks like that is what I am going to do, probably tomorrow after work. Thanks again.......Duke

I'm reaching here, but work with me...

Is it possible you set your torque driver in foot-pounds instead of inch-pounds? The torque values of base/ring screws are usually specified in inch-pounds. If you somehow set the torque driver in foot-pounds, you would have way overtorqued your screws and ruined their holding power.

I realize you probably did not make this mistake, but it sounds like you did everything else right. This is the kind of mistake that can confound even the most meticulous scope mounting procedure.

In any case, good luck.

I've never tried it but I am thinking that using foot pounds instead of inch pounds would result in snapped screws or stripped threads.

I'm not going to test it though. 18 foot pounds equals 216 inch pounds. I'm pretty sure I can guess the outcome of that. ;D

I have never used a torque driver I set all my base screws by tapping my instaallation tool with a hammer and this method has never failed me. Lou

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Originally Posted by D.ID

Good, then I will not be the first. I have all four rings mounted and lapped. It is in the vise and I am only hesitating to see if someone can talk me out of it. It looks like that is what I am going to do, probably tomorrow after work. Thanks again.......Duke

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You realize that the act of lapping the rings made them fit the scope tube more loosely, right? I would lap the mating surfaces of the ring halves to take the slack back up and allow you to get a good grip on the scope tube. From there I wouldn't consider using anything more substantial than Loctite Blue between the scope and ring.

The fact that you're having problems regardless of ring(s) used tells me that the scope tube is part (all) of the problem. IME, if you've tightened signature rings down on a scope and it's moving, the tube is well undersized. What scope?

With regard to your thought of a reverse recoil impulse, that would have no effect on the rings. Ever seen a "front" marking on a scope ring? Net impulse is all that matters.