Lapping Scope Rings

[meltingfeather]

Seekins rings on a Seekins 20MOA rail

[Outback]

Do you lap until 100% shiney? I've never lapped rings.

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[Radar]

The rear one was out a little bit, how long did you have to lap?

[Outback]

Do you lap the top rings too?

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[Rem40x]

Next time try Ken Farell rings bases save you some lapping compound and elbow grease

[meltingfeather]

Next time try Ken Farell rings bases save you some lapping compound and elbow grease

lol nope

[meltingfeather]

Lapping Scope Rings

The purpose of this post is to show that even “expensive,” precision-machined matching rings and rail will have uneven coating removal during lapping. Uneven coating removal means uneven pressure on the scope tube. Does it make a difference? Who knows? I’ve never seen a controlled study or data either way.
To shoot tight groups, which is what this rifle is for, the entire process from brass selection & prep through charge weighing, bullet seating, and shooting mechanics, is all about variable elimination. That’s what scope ring lapping is about as well, at least for me.

I don’t care how much you spend on your rings, what’s they’re made of, or whether they are dovetail, picatinny, or one-piece— they ALL look like this when lapped.

Do you lap the top rings too?

Yep... you need the top rings to apply pressure to the lapping cylinder.

Do you lap until 100% shiney? I've never lapped rings.

General rule of thumb is 80% coating removal... that’s what I do.

The rear one was out a little bit, how long did you have to lap?

The actual lapping doesn’t take long at all... 5 minutes or so. My entire scope-mounting process took about 45 minutes or so... starting with the rail.

[Radar]

I lap my rings as well, I thought you might have had a real bad alignment issue. Ruger rings are the worst I ever messed with, seems like they are always way out.

[trophy8]

Shouldn’t have to lap rings of that quality. I’d send them back before I lapped them.

[meltingfeather]

Lapping Scope Rings

Shouldn’t have to lap rings of that quality. I’d send them back before I lapped them.

How would you know they are out before you lap them?
Two things: lapping isn’t fixing a problem with the rings, so it’s not like I did this to correct something I was able to measure or perceive before I did it. Also, EVERY set of rings will look like this after lapping, period. That is an unavoidable fact of life.

Do you expect your $3k scopes to be sighted when you mount them too?
It’s not about quality or manufacturing tolerance or flaws. It’s about accounting for all the variables on the as-installed rings, which could include things out of the ring manufacturer’s control like receiver machining, receiver hole alignment, or variation in the fasteners.

Rifle look familiar, btw?

[trophy8]

Uh... how would you know they are out before you lap them?

Do you expect your $3k scopes to be sighted when you mount them too? I’ve never understood this opinion/perspective. It’s not about quality or manufacturing tolerance or flaws. It’s about accounting for all the variables on the as-installed rings, which could include things out of the ring manufacturer’s control like receiver machining, receiver hole alignment, or variation in the fasteners.

I have never had to lap quality rings sitting on a quality reciever. Ever. Looks like yours is sitting on a B14 HMR? I buy quality parts for this reason. Your last sentence is why. Yes on a factory gun or a savage or Remington action on a build I understand it. I’d rather find the alignment issue and fix that before lapping high quality rings. One reason is because I move scopes from gun to gun on occasion upgrading. Changes the lapping progress you made on another reciever. Hence my reason to fix the reciever alignment instead of rings.

[meltingfeather]

Lapping Scope Rings

I have never had to lap quality rings sitting on a quality reciever. Ever. Looks like yours is sitting on a B14 HMR? I buy quality parts for this reason. Your last sentence is why. Yes on a factory gun or a savage or Remington action on a build I understand it. I’d rather find the alignment issue and fix that before lapping high quality rings. One reason is because I move scopes from gun to gun on occasion upgrading. Changes the lapping progress you made on another reciever. Hence my reason to fix the reciever alignment instead of rings.

Saying you’ve never had to lap rings is like saying you don’t have to pay attention to seating depth because your bullets always kill the deer. Like I said, there are no definitive studies I’ve seen that show one way or another if lapping is necessary or not. It is a fact that if you do lap rings they will look like this... uneven coating removal.
It could be that if I allowed charge weights to vary +/- 0.1 gr. I might still shoot great groups, meaning I don’t “have to” be that precise. Am I? Yes. If there is a variable I can eliminate I’m going to do it. There’s nothing wrong with your choice not to lap— that’s yours to make, but saying there is a manufacturing flaw with my Seekins rings based on the picture or the fact that I do lap them is just not correct.

[oneeye]

I'm curious as to how much "material" do you think you removed there?

[Snowflake Killa]

Melting feather if I ever have questions about guns I believe I will have to PM you. You are very knowledgeable on this subject. Thanks

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[meltingfeather]

I'm curious as to how much "material" do you think you removed there?

Haven’t tried to measure it... a few thou would be my guess— up to 10-15 maybe.
Why did you put material in quotes?