One of the most common additions to a long gun is a scope. While some shooters will still use traditional iron sights for hunting, competition or just spending time at the range, the vast majority of shooters today will use a scope or a high-tech type of optic.
Mounting a scope is often touted as a relatively simple procedure. It can be simple for some scopes and some guns, but this is typically based on the expertise of the person completing the customization and the ability to choose the right scope base and scope rings to work.
Choosing The Right Option
Choosing the right size of scope rings will be essentially based on the scope and weapon. When in doubt, always talk to a sales rep and provide the model and make of the scope or optic to allow for verification that the rings will be the right size.
It will also be important to double check that the scope base and the rings selected are the same with regards to the type. For example, it will be essential to pair a Weaver base with a Weaver ring and the same for Picatinny bases and rings. They cannot be mixed between the different styles.
There is also a Leupold base that requires the removal of the top half of the rings to remove the scope, which makes it an ideal option for permanent mounting of the scope to a rifle.
The Tightening Problem
One of the most common mistakes that people make is to over tighten the screws on the bases and the scope rings. While it is possible to not tighten the screws enough, this is not as common of an issue.
It is important to tighten to the recommended torque and not beyond. It is also critical to ensure that all screws on the base and the rings are evenly tightened as a combination of screws that are too loose and those that are too tight will also throw off accuracy.
