scope slipping

[Coxen02]

I have a Nightforce nx8 in Hawkins ultralight rings on a .300 PRC. I'm having an issue with the scope moving forward from the recoil of firing. I've tried multiple times to remount it, degreasing everything, locktite on everything and torquing to 25 inch pounds every time. Even tried two different torque wrenches. I have ended up with the same result of the scope slowly moving forward each time i try to fix it. No ring screws or cross bolts are actually coming loose, the scope is just slipping inside the rings.

I feel like my only options left to make these rings work are lapping, bedding the scope in the rings, or going past the torque spec. I don't really want to do any of those things, and don't feel like I should have to. I'm leaning towards just trying a different set of rings. Top runners right now are ARC, Seekins, and Area 419.

Any recommendations on which rings to try, or thoughts on whether or not i should keep trying to make the Hawkins work would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[180ls1]

Why are you against lapping and bedding?

 

[Coxen02]

Why are you against lapping and bedding?

Main reason is I think that isn't something i should have to do if I am going to buy rings this expensive. But it also voids their warranty and I've never done either before. I would be a little nervous about messing it up and they go from not working for my application to completely unusable.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I can understand you not wanting to bed or lap, but I’d be on the phone with them asking what their suggestions are

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I can understand you not wanting to bed or lap, but I’d be on the phone with them asking what their suggestions are

This. If you're just gonna buy new rings, unless you're looking for a refund for the old ones those are throw aways anyway so no worries about warranty by lapping them. But I say give them a chance to fix it and make it right first.

 

[Coxen02]

I can understand you not wanting to bed or lap, but I’d be on the phone with them asking what their suggestions are

I did this a while back but maybe it is time to get on the phone with them again. The guy i talked to seemed very surprised that i was having this issue. Didn't have much for suggestions other than trying a different torque wrench. Maybe I will try to get them exchanged in hopes that is just my set

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

You can lap the rings in about 15 minutes. Lapping and bedding is pointless. If they are lapped correctly they won't slip.

 

[MakAttack]

I've had good results with the nightforce xtreme duty ti rings. Super light and don't slip. If my rings slip and everything is dialed I toss them and get something else. Wider rings can help too.

 

[ddowning]

Agree. You need new rings. I've had good luck with Badger steel rings and Nighrforce ultralight rings. Lapping or bedding might help, but it sounds like your scope or rings are slightly out of spec.

 

[Wrench]

If there's still gap in the rings....tighten them up some more.

 

[EdP]

Individual rings are at the mercy of the mounting screw hole alignment. If the mounting screw holes in your barrel are not perfectly aligned, the rings won't be aligned either and the problem will exist regardless of what mfg rings you install. Lapping fixes that and a lapping set will include alignment bars that allow you to check. After lapping I use a product called "liquid electrical tape" inside the rings. Rings are not expensive enough to be concerned about warrantee issues in my opinion.

I had the same issue with scopes on my .444 Marlin and solved it as described above.

 

[sndmn11]

@HawkinsPrecision

 

[BBob]

Dust the rings and caps scope mating surfaces with powdered rosin and it won’t slip. It can be removed with alcohol. I’ve never tried it but some say cornstarch will work as well.

The cornstarch is probably in your home already and a bit of rosin is cheap. Can’t hurt to try one or the other.

Amazon Powdered Rosin

 

[MallardSX2]

Throw those rings in the trash and get you some warne steel rings and crank those bitches down. It won’t move.

 

[ElkArcher918]

Maybe you just got a bad set of rings. No sense in continuing to spin your wheels. WTF, returning them for a refund is what I would do. Get new steel rings and properly lap them. Torque to spec and good to go. Lapping rings is a piece of cake, checkout Youtube for instructions if this your first time lapping. Good luck and be patient.

 

[RobHazmat89]

MDT rings are also very solid

 

[wapitibob]

Are you using a rail? If not, you should be as that will help greatly with ring alignment issues noted by EdP above. As for lapping, it's more for correcting very slight ring to ring alignment than correcting undersize ring bore, and your ring bores likely aren't too small. If they were you'd have ring marks on the tube by now. It sounds like an alignment issue or a tolerance stack issue between the scope tube dia and rings bores which would prevent proper ring contact/torque spec. Ring tape can be a fix. You could also try tablet paper (paper is an abrasive.)

 

[Formidilosus]

I have a Nightforce nx8 in Hawkins ultralight rings on a .300 PRC. I'm having an issue with the scope moving forward from the recoil of firing. I've tried multiple times to remount it, degreasing everything, locktite on everything and torquing to 25 inch pounds every time. Even tried two different torque wrenches. I have ended up with the same result of the scope slowly moving forward each time i try to fix it. No ring screws or cross bolts are actually coming loose, the scope is just slipping inside the rings.

I feel like my only options left to make these rings work are lapping, bedding the scope in the rings, or going past the torque spec. I don't really want to do any of those things, and don't feel like I should have to. I'm leaning towards just trying a different set of rings. Top runners right now are ARC, Seekins, and Area 419.

Any recommendations on which rings to try, or thoughts on whether or not i should keep trying to make the Hawkins work would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Are you shooting off of a lead sled?

 

[TaperPin]

I have a Nightforce nx8 in Hawkins ultralight rings on a .300 PRC. I'm having an issue with the scope moving forward from the recoil of firing. I've tried multiple times to remount it, degreasing everything, locktite on everything and torquing to 25 inch pounds every time. Even tried two different torque wrenches. I have ended up with the same result of the scope slowly moving forward each time i try to fix it. No ring screws or cross bolts are actually coming loose, the scope is just slipping inside the rings.

I feel like my only options left to make these rings work are lapping, bedding the scope in the rings, or going past the torque spec. I don't really want to do any of those things, and don't feel like I should have to. I'm leaning towards just trying a different set of rings. Top runners right now are ARC, Seekins, and Area 419.

Any recommendations on which rings to try, or thoughts on whether or not i should keep trying to make the Hawkins work would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Ring tape is easy.

RingTrue™ Tape for Three Scopes - High Power Optics

Protects your scope tube from being scratched by the rings. Prevents the scope from slipping.

highpoweroptics.com

 

[JohnJohnson]

I'm with everyone else. First I'd be on the phone with Hawkins since it seems like a failure to me. If they can't unscrew it, then maybe get something way overbuilt like a set of 6 screw rings. If it slips in those then I don't even know what's going on.

Nightforce Ultralite 1" Medium 30mm Ring Set A265

Nightforce Ultralite 1" Medium 30mm Ring Set A265 for sale! Call 570-368-3920

www.eurooptic.com