Scope Ring Torque Spec's?

Benjblt

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I'm sure there has already been a couple dozen posts on this already. I have a Remington 700 in 300 WSM. I have a Leupold VX6 mounted with the talley Lightweight Alloy rings. It's tough to know what to torque the bases at and the rings at.

The Bases: Talley just says to reference the rifle manufacturer's specifications. I couldn't find any but typical seems to be around 25lbs. That's what I had it at but I misread some spec's online and retightened them to 30 lbs. There's no way I overtightened them right? The screws seemed to run fine and my bolt functions well. Thoughts?

The Rings: The Talley website says 17-20 for the Lightweight rings. I believe Leupold recommends 25-28 for their scopes. There's not even any overlap. I split the difference since I'm shooting a magnum and went with 24-ish? Thoughts? I can't imagine the scope isn't fine but what's the risk of going more then what Talley spec's?
 
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I use DNZ rings and Leupold scopes. I go 25 and it has worked out well. Initially, I went 18 and found the rings to be loose after an extended range session.
 

Medic103

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I do the cap screws at 15 in lbs... and the bases 1/2 nuts at 65 ft lbs.. I think lol. I run badger rings on my tac rifles snd I could swear that’s the spec on em.
 

oneshotGA

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Almost everything I have used that I can remember has been in that 17-20 in-lb range for the rings and the 25-30 in-lb range for the bases, except when using #4 or #6 screws. If I remember correctly, the #4-40 screws on a mount for one of my .22 rifles were supposed to be around 12ish in-lb, and the #6 screws I had to tap for a pic rail on an old shotgun were in the 16-20 in-lb range. I don't have those instructions at the office with me right now, although I should have them still at home in my workshop, but I think those were the approximate values.

I think the metal on the 700 receiver is pretty decent and thick enough that you are fine as is. As far as the rings, I'd think that some safety margin would be in the torque specs. It wouldn't seem to be good for a company to recommend that customers push torque specs all the way to the ragged edge with every install. And torque specs must account for the fact that all scopes are not made equal. What may damage a cheaply made scope may be just fine on a decently built scope like the VX6. Personally, if everything looks and works fine, and your scope tracks the square okay, I'd just leave it.
 
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Use the ring manufacturer's spec. If they say to not lap their rings, don't lap them. Talley lightweights have a spec of 15 in lbs.

You probably have marked your tube.
 
OP
Benjblt

Benjblt

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Just to be clear; you're working with inch pounds not foot pounds. Use the ring manufactures specs, not the scope.
Yes. I'm using a wheeler torque wrench. I guess the damage is done though. I went 4inch pounds over already. Maybe I can just back it off and retighten and be fine? I don't feel 4lbs is that much.
 

TxxAgg

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Yes. I'm using a wheeler torque wrench. I guess the damage is done though. I went 4inch pounds over already. Maybe I can just back it off and retighten and be fine? I don't feel 4lbs is that much.
You didn't damage anything.

side note: make sure to degrease all the screws and use a dab of loctite or nail polish to secure them.
 

Firehawk

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I went 20 on some Talleys on my VX3HD a few weeks ago. Found that the scope had slipped about 1/8" from recoil. Tightened them up to a torque of 22. Hope it is ok. Seems to not want to slip anymore.

Kimber Montana 84m in 7mm-08, so certainly not a heavy kicker. Same rings on my Kimber Montana 8400 in .325 WSM. That one is a heavy kicker, but recently installed a brake and it makes a huge difference. But I had to go a little higher than 20 to get my VX3 to stay put in those rings as well. Maybe my torque wrench is a little off? Not sure, but certainly what I have noticed.

FH
 

SDHNTR

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No. I think leupold calls for 28 pounds.

Sent from my SM-F707U1 using Tapatalk
With Leupold’s own single screw ring cap only, yes. Talley’s torqued to 28 on all 4 screws will impart FAR more clamping force. And yes, with Leup’s paper thin tubes there is a good chance you pinched it, but I doubt you did any permanent damage. Talley lightweights are rarely truly round and pinch at the ends.

There’s some alchemy to all this that is solved with experience. There is no standardization of torque specs among rings and scope manufacturers, unfortunately. Common sense and some basic mechanical understanding/interpretation is required.

FYI, there are far better mounting options.
 
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