What are the common mistakes people make when mounting a scope.

[Chili Palmer2]

I ask this question because I've gone shooting with friends that wanted to sight in their rifle scope. Some scope installs were factory, some retail stores and some kitchen table projects. If the scope won't hold zero or requires much adjustments, I find the problem usually is improper torque on screws or incorrect length of screw. What are your experiences?

 

[toddnjoyce]

There’s only so much that can be screwed up.

 

[Frank59]

Same thing that happens when they mount their wives/girlfriend!! They don't use proper technique!!

 

[TxStetson]

Maybe the crosshairs have a little twist to them, just to irritate someone like me.

 

[baboon]

I mounted one after having surgery while still on narcotic pain killers. Had the turrets wrong & they stayed that way for years.

 

[Moonpie]

It runs the gamut from incorrect rings and bases to drunken gorilla with a hammer.
Usually its improperly aligned rings.
Lapping rings? WTF is that? Hell just crunch down harder with the screws. Kink the tube baby. Just keep turning them screws until they strip!
I've even seen scopes mounted 90degrees off.
Windage is now elevation and elevation is now windage and the knucklehead firing the poor rifle wonders why cranking left makes the round hit the ground in front of him.
Never underestimate the stupidity of people.

 

[vmax]

I have bought at least 1 rifle recently that was new with a factory mounted scope.
The cross hairs were tilted and the cap screws were ran all the way down on one side and sticking way up on the other side
Needless to say I took it off and did it to suit me.

 

[TxStetson]

It runs the gamut from incorrect rings and bases to drunken gorilla with a hammer.
Usually its improperly aligned rings.
Lapping rings? WTF is that? Hell just crunch down harder with the screws. Kink the tube baby. Just keep turning them screws until they strip!
I've even seen scopes mounted 90degrees off.
Windage is now elevation and elevation is now windage and the knucklehead firing the poor rifle wonders why cranking left makes the round hit the ground in front of him.
Never underestimate the stupidity of people.

Hey! I don’t go around making fun of your scope mounting skills.

 

[Moonpie]

Raff all you want
I once witnessed a Fudd attempt to install a brand new Swarovski scope 3x12x56 on a Marlin 336.
With the incorrect height on the rings and the front bell sittng on the rear barrel sight it was a cluster.
Once he had it in the rings he cranked down so hard the tube kinked and chipped off several large flakes of paint.
It was a tragic fate for such a beautiful optic.

 

[FireInTheWire]

Over tightening.
Not cleaning the oil off the base
Not loctiting the base screws.
Not leveling the scope.

Those are the main flagrant fouls.

I do all mine myself these days.

 

[Younggun]

If it won’t zero:

Screw(s) loose on base

Cheap scope on heavy recoiling rifle

Scope mounted on a Remington


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[Vaquero]

Barska, Tasco.

 

[orbitup]

The absolutely worse thing you can do is leave the damn sticker on it.

#takethedamnstickersoff

 

[Younggun]

Best thing you can do is leave them on to aggravate Orbitup.


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[orbitup]

Best thing you can do is leave them on to aggravate Orbitup.


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[Dawico]

Over tightening.
Not cleaning the oil off the base
Not loctiting the base screws.
Not leveling the scope.

Those are the main flagrant fouls.

I do all mine myself these days.

Pretty much nailed it.

When you get a rifle (factory or used) tear it all apart and start over. Factories oil everything. People mount stuff wrong. It happens.

Recently bought a rifle with scope from an individual. Said he leveled the scope and sighted it in. When I tore it apart the ring halves were so loose I could break them free by spinning the Allen wrench between my fingers. Yeah.

 

[Dawico]

It runs the gamut from incorrect rings and bases to drunken gorilla with a hammer.
Usually its improperly aligned rings.
Lapping rings? WTF is that? Hell just crunch down harder with the screws. Kink the tube baby. Just keep turning them screws until they strip!
I've even seen scopes mounted 90degrees off.
Windage is now elevation and elevation is now windage and the knucklehead firing the poor rifle wonders why cranking left makes the round hit the ground in front of him.
Never underestimate the stupidity of people.

If you buy quality parts lapping rings is not necessary. Quality parts negate many scope mounting issues as does having the proper tools.

I know it doesn't always happen like that but wanted it to be said.

 

[lonestardiver]

If you buy quality parts lapping rings is not necessary. Quality parts negate many scope mounting issues as does having the proper tools.

I know it doesn't always happen like that but wanted it to be said.

I believe the big thing about lapping rings is to ensure any differences in ones set up and being truly inline are accounted for. Been quality rings and mount can still be out of alignment. This is called tolerance stacking. While each part is in spec, the addition of the tolerances of “in spec” can cause an out of spec state. Lapping helps to reduce that condition.

 

[Hoji]

I get asked to mount scopes and “sight in” rifles for people from time to time.

I almost always say no. Eye relief for me is going to be different than for you is my biggest issue.

If someone has a rifle that is already scoped and wants me to get it zeroed for them, the answer is always no. I have seen all kinds of fuckery from people who do not have a clue to mounting a scope and I just do not have the time to unfuck a set of rings that are over torqued on one side and threadlocked with red.

 

[Younggun]

Meh, I don mind helping.

I just make sure have whoever needs help be there. They can look through the scope so the eye relief is set correctly and in the process they learn how to mount it so next time they done put the rail on backwards. They’ll probably learn how to bore sight in the process.


Same with zeroing or sighting in(terms don’t really matter). Got no problem helping out. If it turns out they’ve screwed up the mounting I’ll help THEM fix it and they learn. If they’ve got red loctite on everything I’ll tell them to get a soldering iron to heat the screw and hope for the best. But I’d rather do what I can to help them learn than leave them mucking around without a clue.


As far as lapping goes, unnecessary 99% of the time. Never seen anyone over-tighten screed because the rings weren’t lapped. Usually just because they were unaware of the proper torque or like I once did, forgot to change the setting on the torque wrench.


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