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Can I mount my scope myself?

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ILikeRugers2 View Drop Down
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    Posted: January/07/2008 at 20:27
I just got my Bushell Elite 4200 3x9 and Burris Signature Zee rings from SWFA for my H&R Ultra Hunter in .25-06.
 
I have never installed a scope before, and was wondering what a smith would do that I could not during installation?
 
I don't see that many variables in installing the rings on the base, and scope in the rings. I have no problem paying the pros to install if necessary, just wondering.
 
 
Am I missing something here? Take it easy on me...it's my first post.
 
 
By the way, thanks for all the info about the 4200's before my purchase!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/07/2008 at 20:44
To mount it properly you should have the tools to make sure your rings and bases are properly aligned and straight and torqued properly.  You would be surprised how many times a receiver, base, or rings could be out of whack.  Lots of times a base will need shimmed because the receiver is not straight. Also you should always lap your rings which will help with some of the problems if your rings are not perfect. If stuff is out of whack you could flex the tube of your scope which could very easily break it over time.  I saw a scope the other day that a guy had mounted by a gun shop.  It was a Ruger and they put 2 front rings on it.  He was trying to zero it and could not even hit the paper.  So I went over to help him out and could see the bow/bend in his scope as I walked over to him.  I have no idea if it hurt his scope or not, but it could not have done it any good.  So sometimes gun shops don't even have no idea what they are doing.    Most folks just stick them in and crank them down, but I have issues with possibly ruining an expensive scope.  Thats my opinion but in the end its your scope.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ILikeRugers2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/07/2008 at 20:51

That's really what I"m worried about...paying a pro, and not even knowing what he did.

Can anyone recommend a smith in the DFW, TX area that does it RIGHT? Or point me in the direction of a tutorial? I was thinking I could try it, and if I had to adjust the scope very much to zero I could take it to a shop.?
 
The rifle had a scope mounted, but it was junk. I just removed the old scope, and left the weaver base where it was. Could I get lucky, and everything line up? Also, I do not have a boresighter, but will be getting one soon obvisously.

 

Thanks again.

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If you don't want to buy the tools or have someone do it, the first thing you need to do is make sure your reciever on your gun is straight.  So first thing take out the back screws from you base.  Then make sure the front ones are torqued to 15 lbs.  Then check to see if there is any gap at the rear of the base.  You can use a spark plug gap tool to see how much gap there is.  If there is some measure how much and then order some shims from SWFA or somewhere and make it right.  If you don't do this and this are not machined perfect you can put added stress on the receiver of the gun as well and the base will be bowed slightly which will make you rings crooked.  Once that is done then put your rings on and torque them to the proper specs as told in the instructions.  Take the tops off of the rings but make sure you keep the same top with the same ring and and keep them turned the same way as well.  Most rings are machined out of one piece together so they are made to fit together. I recommend lapping the rings at this point but if you want to skip as well, carefully set your scope in the rings.  Look to the front and back of the rings and sides and see if one side has a slight gap or anything.  Make sure your ring are not twisted any side to side.  Push your scope down and see if any of the gaps get smaller or bigger, if they do then something is not quit right.  If something is wrong you really should get it fixed.  Lapping the rings will usually fix these small imperfections.  Really you want to have 80 to 90% of your scope touching the rings, if you lap beyond that you will probably ruin the rings.  If you think it is okay then go ahead and sit the tops on the rings and just start the screws.  Here is where you want to set the scope up for yourself.  Put the scope where you think you want it and then close your eyes and hold the gun up to your natural point of aim and open your eyes.  Now move the scope forward or backward to get it close to where you need it and repeat the close your eyes step.  One you get the proper eye relief and your scope is straight having one turret on top and on on the right side of the scope, evenly tighten up the screws from side to side ring to ring as well.  Make the gaps on each side where the screws are equal as well.  You do not want them to tight at this point.  Then put the scope back up to your natural point of aim and make sure everything is still right.  Then you need to torque them to 15lbs, and also do this evenly side to side front to back.  If you torque beyond that you could dent the scope and possibly damage it.
This is the simple cheap way to do it, it will be done probably better than most gun shops, not as properly as it could be but not to bad either.


Edited by supertool73 - January/07/2008 at 21:25
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/07/2008 at 23:36
Hey , I did not realize your gun was one of those single shots.  So chances are you will have no issues with the receiver.  Check it anyway just to make sure, but I bet you will be fine.  It is usually the bolt guns particularly the Remmys that have machining issues.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 07:11
The final step is to make sure that the crosshairs are 90 deg and not lying at an angle. Tis can also be done by just holding the rifle correctly and looking at the crosshairs in relationship to the rifle and the horizon or something level, like a wall edge or chimney.
You then need to look through the bore if possible at a small aiming point about 25 yds away. Holding the rifle with the bore alighned to that spot, adjust the crosshairs to match.
This should put you on the paper at 25 yds with your first shot, from where you can do final adjusting.
If you cannot look down the bore, fire your first shot at a big target maybe 10yds away, and do your adjustments. Nothing as bad as firing the first shot and you cannot find a bullet hole!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ILikeRugers2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 08:00
Thanks so much!
 
So I don't need a boresighter, but I need a torque screwdriver...Big%20Grin
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ILikeRugers2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 08:06
 
Originally posted by supertool73 supertool73 wrote:

I recommend lapping the rings at this point but if you want to skip as well, carefully set your scope in the rings. Lapping the rings will usually fix these small imperfections.  
 
I have the Burris Sig. Zee with inserts. Do I need to lap them? If so, can someone explain lapping? Can I do that myself, if so can you elaborate? Thanks for your patience guys.
 
 
I really want to mount it myself, to make sure it's done 100%.
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Oh yeah,
 
Should I use Loctite? If so where and what strength?
 
Thanks again.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Focus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 08:47
No lapping with zee rings, I don't use locktite on ring screws but do loctite the bases with the blue removable loctite. After installation use a huge opiece of cardboard for the first shot at about 25yds or site thru the bore and with the bore looking right at the bulleye adjust the scope to be pointing at the bulleye also. With the huge target method just make a shot and figure 4 clicks to move about 1/4" in your adjustments toward the bulleye. After the gun is sighted in and hitting zero or where you want it at the distance you choose....take a mirror and hold it over the objective end and you will see two sets of crosshairs....are they pretty close together or far apart? Heres where you can use off set inserts to keep your crosshairs pretty much centered after the scope is shot in...

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 08:57
I've mounted my own scopes on a lot of rifles without any problems.  I do make sure the scope rests easily and straight in the rings before I start tightening things up, though, and watch for any binding or unusual movement.  The Zee rings are designed to compensate for off-center mounting and other things, so may involve their own techniques.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 09:00
Originally posted by Focus Focus wrote:

No lapping with zee rings, I don't use locktite on ring screws but do loctite the bases with the blue removable loctite. After installation use a huge opiece of cardboard for the first shot at about 25yds or site thru the bore and with the bore looking right at the bulleye adjust the scope to be pointing at the bulleye also. With the huge target method just make a shot and figure 4 clicks to move about 1/4" in your adjustments toward the bulleye. After the gun is sighted in and hitting zero or where you want it at the distance you choose....take a mirror and hold it over the objective end and you will see two sets of crosshairs....are they pretty close together or far apart? Heres where you can use off set inserts to keep your crosshairs pretty much centered after the scope is shot in...

Focus
+1 on the blue loctite on the bases, dont use the red stuff its a pain in the ass to try to get any screws out of anything on a gun when the red loctite is used a friend of mine did that with his 300wmag what a pain in the ass
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ILikeRugers2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 09:59
Thanks a bunch to all!
 
I'm going to get the tools/materials together this week, and try and do it this weekend....there is definately more to it than I thought.
It seems like it will take some time, but will be worth it to know it was done right. This "project" may seem ultra simple to most of you, but I'm going to get a good sense of accomplishment when completed successfully! Excellent
 
Thanks again for everyone taking time to help me out.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/08/2008 at 10:09
Originally posted by ILikeRugers2 ILikeRugers2 wrote:

It seems like it will take some time, but will be worth it to know it was done right. This "project" may seem ultra simple to most of you, but I'm going to get a good sense of accomplishment when completed successfully! Excellent
 
Thanks again for everyone taking time to help me out.


This kind of stuff is one of the enjoyments of the shooting sport, and the more you learn to do yourself just makes it that much more fun.  I am sure you get up it done up just fine. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ILikeRugers2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/28/2008 at 19:56
Originally posted by Focus Focus wrote:

After the gun is sighted in and hitting zero or where you want it at the distance you choose....take a mirror and hold it over the objective end and you will see two sets of crosshairs....are they pretty close together or far apart? Heres where you can use off set inserts to keep your crosshairs pretty much centered after the scope is shot in...

Focus
 
I have the scope borsighted (looking down the bore method, at about 30 yards), and was wondering if i should be concerned with the two sets of crosshairs being far apart at this step. I have not shot the rifle.
 
Please forgive my terminology and explanation of what I saw...but here goes. I checked it out with a mirror as suggested and noticed the horizontal cross hair pair was fairly close...the second crosshair was about 1/5 of the height of the tube above the primary crosshair. (The one I could see the best).
 
The vertical one was way off. At least half of the width of the tube to the left.
 
Is everything OK? Do I need to shoot it before I worry too much? When do I ned to attempt to fix this?
 
Thanks again.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/29/2008 at 17:14
That means your scope is not optically centered with your bore somehow.  It could be mounts or it could be the scope or it could be the way you bore sighted it.  That is not the most accurate way, but it gets you started and that is all you need.  I would go shoot it and get your real zero and check it again.  If you never plan on making adjustments to it again then it won't be a problem to you.  Really that will only be a problem for long range precision shooting.  In that type of shooting you want everything centered because you want to have a lot of travel up down left and right to make adjustments for different shots and different wind drifts.  If it is just a hunting rifle and you are able to get the zero you want and you don't plan on making changes it will be fine.  So just go shoot it and make sure you are able to get your real zero and you should be fine.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ILikeRugers2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/30/2008 at 07:24
Just a hunting rifle. I will go shoot it and get back with y'all. I wanted to make sure I didn't damage the scope, or wasn't going to damage it.
 
Thanks again.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ILikeRugers2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/28/2008 at 21:58
I just wanted to thank everyone for the help. I finally got to sight it in...6 months after I got the scope! It went well, I had to move it a little,  shot 18 rounds, but it sure was fun. I have had this rifle for 10 years and never shot it before...
 
Thanks again!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote martin3175 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/30/2008 at 22:10

you picked the right place...enjoy the 25-06 ...keep visiting

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 Hey guys .... remember to tell them " THAT'S INCH POUNDS of torque .... not foot pounds . Some don't know the difference .... and don't have an inch pounds torque wrench . I saw on the first post reply 25 pounds .... not specifying which . 99% would know but that 1% that does'nt !!!
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