Expensive VS. Cheap Scope Rings

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DaisyCutter

New member
I've never owned a scoped rifle except my Mini-14 which came with scope rings. When talking about optics people always seem to tell me to buy the best scope and rings I can afford. I understand the reasoning for good glass. But what's the difference between cheap and expensive scope rings? They seem like the easiest part of a "rifle setup" to figure out. I could even make my own. What am I missing here?
 
Dazy Cutter, I don't think that the price of anything makes it better. I the case of scope rings I think that as long as they fit the mount properly and you can secure them so the scope won't move around when you fire the goun then they should be fine. That is my opinion but I don't know nothin'.
 
I had some cheap rings that came with a scope. Basically the problem I had was the threads stripped out when I was trying to tighten them down for the first time. The cheap rings are basically pot-metal. The higher quality rings use a higher quality metal.
 
Cutter,
Cheap is like everything else, made the quickest way possible and no attention paid to detail. In scope rings, both need to be the same as close as possible. If they are off, can bend, dent, bind, tube and adjustments to ruin optic. As mention before, screws strip, break off, scratch metal, and may have to be lapped. They can also through out sight aliment. I have tested many systems as these for use by law enforcement snipers. While there are many good systems out there the junk is too. As stated before, if it works cost does not matter but cheap ones that do not have some sort of problems are rare. I have had to cut two sets of Ruger rings off optics in the past year. In both cases, screws stripped and the head actually broke off one.

A good scope base and ring system is more important than your optic in my opinion. Does not matter if you have a $1500 scope when the rings and bases don't work.
 
A set of weaver style rings, PROPERLY INSTALLED and LAPPED IN, will work quite well.

A set of Jewell rings, at about $140, will spoil you for anything less. They are one of the finest examples of what modern CNC machining can do.

Jack
 
I dont know, I bought a set of cheap tasco rings two years ago and put them on my .243. I think I payed a whopping 6 bucks for them. I sighted her in and never moved the ascope again. She stayed true to the day i traded her off. Killed several deer with it without ever having a problem. The real kicker is they were only meant for a .22. Im sure their is a whole lot better out there. I cant see spendig $30 bucks or even worse $140 bucks for something a scope sits on. I payed about $100 for most of my scopes and rings.
 
well, i don't spring for Badger Ordinance or the like, but a pair of $40 Burris or Leupold are great rings. The Burris signatures are the best in my opinion for the money. The poly inserts can adjust and keep from pinching the scope, no lapping and they offer a nice grip.
 
For the vast majority of rings out there I always lap before I ever even lay a scope in the ring. I do this for several reasons, but the following is the most important reason foe me:

I'd been using any cheap ring that I could find for years. But when I decided to move up a little in firearms I got a brand new model the time Remington 700 VS. I didn't want just any old ring so I got a set of Matte Leupold bases and rings. I had her all lined up and set up. I was ready for the 6x24 B&L 4000 Elite scope. This scope was a thing of both optical and physical beauty. I instantly knew I was in trouble because the scope would not drop into the ring bottom. It turned out that there was a nice sharp burr where the ring top and bottom split. So I got out the dremmel and polished the burr off. The scope now would settle in the ring nicely. I also pilished the top ring and set her in place. I lightly set the ring screws and went to do finish alignment of the scope. Naturally this ment that I needed to turn the scope a little in the rings. Well I grapped the scope tan turned but to my complete horror I felt something grind. What!!!! I looked at my nice beautiful scope and found that even with the extreme care that I had taken I'd scared it for life. I removed the now scared scope from the rings (hign quality Leupold, JUNK), bought a lapping tool and have lapped every ring since and have never had this problem again. You would be amazed at what a lapping tool will tell you about ring alignment .......

Well that was until recently. After many years of good service I'm actually rebuilding that same rifle and am now scoping using a Farrel 1 piece tactical style base and Burris Series Zee rings. What a great concept (similar to the Jewel rings but $120 less). The scope sets in plastic inserts that find there own centers, you can even get offset inserts that compensate for long range shooters. Wonderful, all at a cost of less that $30.00 when bought off the internet.

Edit: Big Tex - Lapping is fairly easy. A lapping kit consists of a smooth 1" (or 30mm for the big tubes) hardened steel rod about 12" long with a handle set in the middle and a small amount of grinding paste. To use it you simply mount your rings on there bases, on the rifle. Leave the top of the ring off. Put a small amount of paste on each of the bottom rings, place the tool in both rings at the same time, then push the tool back and forth while rotating it slightly (sort of like doing figure 8's). You are supposed to do this until about 80% of the ring base is polished, don't over due it or your scope won't tighten up properly. They say that you don't need to do the ring top, but I will take each half and run it along the tool. This will remove any high spots or burrs that could scratch your scope. The kits are about $20. It should only take about 30 minutes to do everything and the piece of mind is more than well worth the trouble. You should also mark the rings, front and rear, and the muzzle side if you ever need to remove the rings. You also know that you are not supposed to mix the ring tops, rings should always remain with their mated ring bottom and should always be oriented in the same direction on their base.
 
Michael, i just bought a Farrell base for my Savage. That thing is sweet. Going to add some Burris like you stated. Farrell is my new base from here on out.
 
Ditto the above. I always lap conventional rings, a lapping tool from Sinclair is less than $20. But, I swapped to Burris Signature rings many years ago and use them for everything now. No lapping, no ringmarks on tubes, no scope slippage, all for under $30.00
 
dogcatcher223 - I found it necessary to bed my Farrel base as the instructions say. I used a release agent on the action and Liquid Steel for this. I usually don't bed with Liquid Steel but shrinkage in such a small area did not create a problem. I got the Standard Steel base, man what a piece of steel that thing is. I can not believe that this thing will not serve to stiffen the action quite a bit. I'll be using the very same system on my 223 AI.
 
I have not tried mine yet, so not sure if i will have to bed, but that is a nice piece of metal. There is no way that thing will bend of fail. I bet you are right about it adding some rigidity to the action.
 


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