The Most Overlooked Part of a Rifle Build

[JW@TRACT]

I'd like to see what everyone's answers are for the most overlooked part of a rifle build. Personally, I've seen far too many gun owners connect good optics to a good rifle with blister pack scope rings. What else have you folks seen that makes you shake your head?

 

[huntnful]

I'd like to see what everyone's answers are for the most overlooked part of a rifle build. Personally, I've seen far too many gun owners connect good optics to a good rifle with blister pack scope rings. What else have you folks seen that makes you shake your head?

Couldn’t agree more. Big 300’s with 30oz scopes and a set of Ultralight Talleys

 

[jjjones7]

To many to mention. Thinking that the price between a premium barrel and a ho-hum kind of barrel is the place to save money. Not thinking about how they’re going to carry the rifle (a couple properly positioned QD cups aren’t hard or expensive to install. Not thinking abou a bipod or what it requires to mount one. Not even thinking about the advantages of a bubble level. Using the wrong height of rings. Automatically assuming 20 MOA is needed for every scope no matter what. Putting on scopes that don’t maintain or return to zero.

 

[XLR]

I have seen far too many $4000 rifles with either $1000 scopes and $200 rings or $3500 scopes and $50 rings. Both make me cringe!

 

[CoStick]

The loose nut behind the stock.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Not done a custom but the approach I’d take is…

1) Clearly define objective(s) for the rifle/ scope/ammo (entire setup). <Rarely mentioned by members on this site and elsewhere>
2) Identifying the requirements to meet the objective(s). <Rarely mentioned by members on this site and elsewhere>
3) Identify specific components to meet the requirements. <Site members rattle off their components but rarely map them back to the requirements>

But from what I’ve seen on this site and elsewhere, folks are mostly concerned about the individual components and just “settle” for the final package however it turns out. To me that approach is completely backwards. How can a person get exactly what they want if the person never states exactly what he/she wants to begin with?

 

[Broz]

Proper scope mounting with good components. I feel so many buy for price not understanding the importance of a quality rail that is bedded to the action, and quality rings that I may bed as well. We see a very large percentage of accuracy issues due to rail or ring movement. And , to check for movement the rail needs to come off, not just check screws for torque. I have seen a slew of less expensive rails suck down under the screw holes and rub the action. This is a very bad sign and those rails deserve a proper burial at the land fill.

 

[huntnful]

if we’re picking one:

Log book

Man, I wish I kept a better log book. That's a great one.

 

[7LRM]

not lapping the ring before mounting scope,

 

[XLR]

not lapping the ring before mounting scope,

I feel like this is one that can be controversial. If you buy a Spuhr mount are you going to lap them? How about Hawkins rings?

 

[Overdrive]

I personally put a new lighter weight pull trigger in all my rifles, especially the ones I'm setting up for long range.

 

[mthayr]

I feel like this is one that can be controversial. If you buy a Spuhr mount are you going to lap them? How about Hawkins rings?

I believe @HawkinsPrecision specifically recommends NOT to lap the rings.

 

[XLR]

Lapping modern quality rings is a bad idea. There’s zero chance that some dude in a garage with a $30 lapping bar & grit compound is “fixing” machining performed by modern CNC machines.

Alright, I am going to play devil's advocate because I agree but there are a few things to take into consideration too. What if the rail is not straight? Then should you lap the rings? Even if you bed the rail to the action, the top end could be out of alignment causing stress on the scope. Now is lapping then bedding the rings a good idea for any circumstance? I 100% agree with you on not lapping rings but I could see an argument there.

Personally what I did on my 700 was bought a good rail (still wasn't straight on the top) and bedded it to the rifle. The reason I bedded it was to give more surface contact to the action and allow a little more grab. When I bed bases, I will use Johnson's paste wax and put it on the action for a release agent. Then I put JB Weld on the base and go through the whole bedding process. I will spread it out and try to keep clear of the scope base holes. Once I put it on the action, I will slightly screw in the screws and torque them to 10-inch lbs. This lets most of the excess bedding compound come out but keeps what is necessary there. I will then go through and clean up what I can with Q Tips. After that, I will wait the full 24 hours for it to cure and then torque it all the way down. NOTE I do not take the rail off. You will have a little extra compound in a few hard-to-get spots, but what I have found is by not removing the rail, it creates a little bit of suction to the action and gives a little more grab which puts less torque on your scope base screws.
Now since I knew this rail wasn't 100% straight I was not going to mess with any two-piece rings. So I went with a SPUHR one-piece mount. This was all that misalignment would be taken up by the bottom of the rings and not the scope. They are pricey and heavy but when you buy a $3200 scope the last thing you want is any stress that causes harm. I am currently sitting at about 4000 rounds down the rifle. I am on my second barrel and still have not touched the scope base. I checked them the last time I took the scope off and nothing had moved so I have continued this process on all of my rifles. I am sure there are a million other ways to go but this has worked very well for me!

 

[archp625]

I feel like this is one that can be controversial. If you buy a Spuhr mount are you going to lap them? How about Hawkins rings?

Nope. I have had two sets of Hawkins and its not needed.

 

[archp625]

I hate to see a guy want to spend $5000 on a rifle that he will only shoot a max of 300 yards.

 

[Cahunter805]

I think the most important is the gunsmith doing the work and his ability to dial everything in. There are plenty of outstanding gunsmiths to choose from also.

 

[scott85]

The shooter.

 

[jjjones7]

How about the guy trying his damndest to get it to shoot factory cor-Loks or some other budget factory ammo

 

[jjjones7]

I have seen far too many $4000 rifles with either $1000 scopes and $200 rings or $3500 scopes and $50 rings. Both make me cringe!

Dang that kind of hurts. I’ve been wringing out a pretty well built rifle with one of the Bushnell Elite LHRS2 in NF ultralights. I’m I ok sine my rings stayed under $200?

 

[ID_Matt]

Some good ones in here. It was mentioned about the cheap factory ammo. I have known a few guys to spend a good chunk on a rifle only to try and run cheap ammo through it. That is putting regular gas in a jet that needs jet fuel if you ask me.