Best DIY Optics Mounting Video on UA-cam. I like when someone is so knowledgeable and experienced with their craft, they can explain and demonstrate and teach anyone with ease.
Thanks Steve. It's pretty obvious you have been at this a while and have likely forgotten more than many people claim to know. Great video and Thank You for your service sir.
Best scope mounting video on the interwebs! I'm way more confident in mounting my new scope properly, professionally and precisely after watching. Thanks OP!!
I've been looking for a video of how to insure that the vertical reticle is centered to the bore center so that when I use the elevation graduations of my scope are on target regardless of how far up the on the reticle I'm looking. By using the "by eye" method of leveling my reticle would be a matter of luck in this regard. I haven't seen a good video on how to use any kind of levels to do this. I watched the whole video and like it but my question hasn't yet been answered.
Wow, i'm glad i've never had a rifle with those sorts of mounts/rings, what a chore! Glad there's a video out there showing people how to do it set them up, well done!
Rarely do I see a video where every question is answered covering the subject completely. I'm mounting a couple scopes and what I watched showed me how to not only mount a scope, but how to mount as accurately as humanly possible. My wife would like to say thanks for the new shopping list. Breaking out the plastic and going to work.
Thank you this really helped me out I just bought a Leupold VX-3 and was looking for options on mounting, some people recommend the Burris base mount and rings, but I think I'll stick to the Leupold base and rings.
Excellent video. It's the most clear and detailed explanation on this topic. You are a great instructor, very articulate and concise. Thank you very much.
When using the lapping tool is that for only aluminum rings only or steel rings also? Great job and shows how using the right tools for the job makes it look simple.
I may go a little overboard with the ring half gaps. I tighten each side with a feeler gauge in between the halfs and gradually decrease thickness by .001 until i feel them snug the scope on the same gauge. Gets them EXACT but i tend to overdo things in a good way.
Great video. Very informative. I just bought a Bushnell Trophy Xtreme, 6-24x50, 30mm, DOA LR800, Matte, BOX 6L 756245B, from you (OpticPlanet). I would like to install a rifle scope level and flip up lens covers to this scope. And also want to be able to see the level without moving head off the scope. Can you make any suggestions? Thanks
Sir, thank you very much. I will be watching all your video's. I just bought a Muller sport dot series 4x16x50 AO. I will be mounting it on an Yugoslavian M24/47 8mm Mauser Rifle VG/EX bore. The gunsmith drilled and taped it and turned down the bolt also. He put weaver bases on it, but after this video I think I like the one's you mounted on the 3006 rifle, what were they called again? I think It will be fun. I'm in a gun club and will be shooting at 100 to about 800 yds. If you have any tips for me please tell me, awesome video! Oh ya, I was in the Marines and did understand the Navy terms, brought back some memories...
Pipe cleaners work better than q-tips to clean oil out of the action screw holes. I could have used that bronze brush trick last week. I just used acetone and my fingernail. You're right, solvents don't do much to Loc Tite. The Leupold logo on the top of the rings mean you no longer have to make a mark to save your orientation. You just have to make sure you get the front on the front and the rear on the rear.
My brother got me my first rifle scope for my birthday I tried to zero the scope but the vertical is spun all the way up but the bore Lazer is still 2 points under zero. I'm not sure but I think the scope is defective, any suggestions would be appreciated.
I don't like the idea of adjusting the cross hairs "by eye". Personally I want the cross hairs to be perfectly 90 degrees with the the axis of the action.and the scope. Other than that. I think he did a good job of taking his time and good attention to detail.
+BottledWater If the rifle is sighted in at long range to begin with there is no difference at intermediate ranges. Other than extreme offsets of the reticule.
+Mike Nelson. Normally it would make a difference. But you are correct if you can hold the rifle exactly the same way every time. I shoot from a bench. So I don't really know anything about the complexity of the "Ghetto stance".
Great job. Thanks for explaining eye relief, and how to get it right. I can't stand the factory rifle scope combos that you buy already mounted. Always set them up yourself.
Great video. I would just take exception to one thought. I believe the label on your screwdriver illustration on the wall, should more appropriately be labeled with the bottom depiction as taper ground, not hollow ground. You leave folks with the impression that they should not use a "hollow ground" screwdriver and that is not the case. They should not use a taper ground or carpenters screwdriver, but a flat ground or hollow ground screwdriver is completely appropriate. Please note that I am not referring to a hollow grind as used in knife blades, they are different than hollow grind as applied to screwdriver blades. A hollow ground knife blade is shaped like a taper grind screwdriver. Gunsmith screwdrivers are commonly referred to as hollow ground screwdrivers.
Greetings! We currently do not have a video at this time. However, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at sales@opticsplanet.com and one of our Product Experts will be happy to assist you.
Good video. You can not tell me that you can eyeball a scope and get it perfectly level. That is impossible. The reticle has to be perfectly leveled to the action to use any elevation adjustments or holdovers.
hello I would like to start with saying nice video,, I have a rifle I have had a very hard time finding a scope mount for and I hope maybe you can help,, I have a very nice cond 1953 jc Higgins model 50 270 win,, it is a Belgium made fn mauser 98 action,, I have found allot of mounts they claim will fit but don't,, mainly because they are drilled and tapped at 22mm front and 13mm rear,, but my action was factory drilled and tapped at 22mm front and rear,, with the rear mount thicker than front,, would you possibly know of a mount that will fit this rifle I would be happy with 1 or 2 piece mounts I do have the factory mounts but they are 15mm dovetail mounts that seems that no one seems to make rings for that are ex tall for 1 in scope tube,, any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated,, I would like to be able to use my rifle,, thank you for your time,, Robert
The "Hollow ground", "Flat ground" screwdriver diagrams are reversed. Protect your gun screws and make sure you use the correct type. The top example is Hollow.
Greetings! We'd recommend going with high height rings, unless you are mounting the scope to a flat-top AR which you would need extra high height to allow for enough clearance.
Great video and thanks for taking the time to do it. But I must say, that's not how you use a torque wrench. You're using it more like an impact driver, those extra clicks are adding to the torque.
Greetings! We appreciate your feedback. One of the benefits of a torque wrench is that once you reach the set torque level, it starts clicking rather than tightening. The clicks do not impart additional torque. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!
hey bud! i could really use some help. My dad has a nice old 7mm Ruger with a leopold scope on it. I'm not sure what kind of mounts are on the gun because he bought it years ago, but if i took some pictures could you give me your email and help me figure out how to get the right parts?
Chart shows 15-20 inch pounds. You adjusted to 25 inch pounds in your Fat Wrench. Inconsistent there. Leupold recommends 25 inch pounds on the rings, 30 on the bases.
So if you level the scope by "eye" if the reticle is slightly out of vertical surely that will be amplified down range. Surely you must check the vertical reticle is plumb with a plumb line to check the reticle alignment and verticality against the plumb line. Fixing the scope with eye only cant be professional surely. Without lasers etc. surely the plumb line is the only way !!
All that with the mounts and you don't level the gun and use a plumb line to level the scope cross hair . I'm sorry but if you don't use a plumb line and level your gun your going to have nothing but trouble at long range shooting .
I agree for precision shooting but using a level is a can of worms. Most of the levels are not really level and most of the caps on scopes are not really level. You can eyeball it on a plumb line closer and faster than using levels. I have both and I can level better without them using my eye and plumb line. You do know that scope cross hairs should bisect the bore and a level won't get this right you need a mirror do that that. Levels give a false feeling of being correct when most the time they are not. You are assuming the caps, the gun etc all have true surfaces. They don't and more often than not are out of alignment more than if you just used your eye and wall to align the cross hairs.
@@Physics072 Where are you getting that? I've used a level for 30+ years and have never had a scope NOT be leveled. Buildings in every city would be like the leaning tower of pisa. Ridiculous comment.
@@muhammadsteinberg I am saying most scopes are "Close enough" The scope can be level but the bore might me shifted 1mm to left or right. The rails, scope etc can be off and usually are a little. Just because the scope is level does not mean everything is lined up correctly. Most will have a can't error. Lining it up with the bore using the mirror method can get rid of these errors but then you need to have a level on the scope so you hold the gun the same way each time. Its more of a issue for target shooters than hunters. Most people have these errors and never know it.
@@Physics072 For some shooters close enough will do, so I agree with you on that. I was commenting on your assessment about levels. When I put a scope on I use a stand that I level, put the rifle on it and level that. Level the rings. Level the scope in the rings. A reticle canted left or right will consistently make your shots yaw left or right.
@@muhammadsteinberg I'm sure you are doing a fine job. On Levels I have like 10 of the little ones and many of them can't be trusted. I ended up getting a engineering level that seems to be true. Also its hard to keep the level on the gun sometimes when mounting the scope. What some do is to get the gun level using one on its receiver then strap a barrel level on so both levels are in sync. Then you can remove the rear level and not worry about knocking it off the gun when moving the scope about. There are many ways to get the job done.
Smart man, virtually every rifle scope ring made is not perfect, you have to lap them. I have not owned any rifle rings that didn't need lapping. The effort is well worth it and will help zero faster and accuracy will be better.
Holy shit. All this equipment looks like it cost another 2-3 hundred dollars on top of what ever scope you bought. I wonder how much a gunsmith will charge to mount a scope for you.
Best DIY Optics Mounting Video on UA-cam. I like when someone is so knowledgeable and experienced with their craft, they can explain and demonstrate and teach anyone with ease.
Thank you for your kind words, Dennis! We're so glad to hear you liked the video.
I think this is the most informative video I have seen on UA-cam.
Hi Kyle, that is a pretty amazing statement from you. We highly appreciate it!
Thanks Steve. It's pretty obvious you have been at this a while and have likely forgotten more than many people claim to know. Great video and Thank You for your service sir.
Best scope mounting video on the interwebs! I'm way more confident in mounting my new scope properly, professionally and precisely after watching. Thanks OP!!
Great that you got some use out of it, we appreciate the comment!
Steve is the equivalent to Tom Silva from this old house. Expert advise, do it right once, clear spoken tips on doing the job. Well done. Thank you!!
I agree, the best "how to" I've ever seen. Thank you sir!!
Great information for a first time scope mounter, thanks for putting this video up
Amazing video, I feel confident to be able to mount my first scope with the help of this video. Thanks !
I've been looking for a video of how to insure that the vertical reticle is centered to the bore center so that when I use the elevation graduations of my scope are on target regardless of how far up the on the reticle I'm looking. By using the "by eye" method of leveling my reticle would be a matter of luck in this regard. I haven't seen a good video on how to use any kind of levels to do this. I watched the whole video and like it but my question hasn't yet been answered.
Wow, i'm glad i've never had a rifle with those sorts of mounts/rings, what a chore! Glad there's a video out there showing people how to do it set them up, well done!
Rarely do I see a video where every question is answered covering the subject completely. I'm mounting a couple scopes and what I watched showed me how to not only mount a scope, but how to mount as accurately as humanly possible. My wife would like to say thanks for the new shopping list. Breaking out the plastic and going to work.
Very well explained! Thanks for taking the time to make this video and sharing your techniques.
Thank you this really helped me out I just bought a Leupold VX-3 and was looking for options on mounting, some people recommend the Burris base mount and rings, but I think I'll stick to the Leupold base and rings.
+Darren Charron
Hi Darren, glad the video helped you out. We appreciate the comment!
Excellent video. It's the most clear and detailed explanation on this topic. You are a great instructor, very articulate and concise. Thank you very much.
Thank you for making this video. It's the most helpful one I've found. I look forward to watching more of your videos
This is a terrific instructional video. Excellent information and advice!
Very, Very informative. Thank you Optics Planet.
Thank you, great video, learned alot, you answered many questions as well as pointed out mistakes i have made in the past, two thumbs up.
Thanks for the comment - we're so happy to hear you liked it!
Where do I go to have someone professional as yourself, to mount my scope? And thank you for this video very informative.
After this video, you can do it yourself.
very informative video, I enjoyed it very much!
When using the lapping tool is that for only aluminum rings only or steel rings also? Great job and shows how using the right tools for the job makes it look simple.
Both. Takes long with steel, of course.
Great video, very helpful, thank you!
Great video and thank you for the display of the greatest flag in the world.
Thank you for your kind words, pmd428!
Fantastic video instruction! Comprehensive but concise.
Hi Fred,
thanks so much for the comment, glad you liked the video.
Well I didn't know how bad I sucked at mounting scopes, Now I'm a pro! Thanks man I learned a heck of lot.
How does the laser bore aligner align itself with the bore? It appears to be only stuck on the muzzle
I may go a little overboard with the ring half gaps. I tighten each side with a feeler gauge in between the halfs and gradually decrease thickness by .001 until i feel them snug the scope on the same gauge. Gets them EXACT but i tend to overdo things in a good way.
Awesome....... best scope mounting video ever !!!!!
Greetings!
Thank you for your kind words - we're so glad to hear you enjoyed our video!
Quick question. When you shoulder the rifle to set the eye relief, does it matter what magnification the scope is set to?
Got it. Thanks.
Thanks for the info.
Great video. Very informative.
I just bought a Bushnell Trophy Xtreme, 6-24x50, 30mm, DOA LR800, Matte, BOX 6L 756245B, from you (OpticPlanet). I would like to install a rifle scope level and flip up lens covers to this scope. And also want to be able to see the level without moving head off the scope. Can you make any suggestions? Thanks
Thank you sir. Very informative and professional.
Sir, thank you very much. I will be watching all your video's. I just bought a Muller sport dot series 4x16x50 AO. I will be mounting it on an
Yugoslavian M24/47 8mm Mauser Rifle VG/EX bore. The gunsmith drilled and taped it and turned down the bolt also. He put weaver bases on it, but after this video I think I like the one's you mounted on the 3006 rifle, what were they called again? I think It will be fun. I'm in a gun club and will be shooting at 100 to about 800 yds. If you have any tips for me please tell me, awesome video!
Oh ya, I was in the Marines and did understand the Navy terms, brought back some memories...
Pipe cleaners work better than q-tips to clean oil out of the action screw holes.
I could have used that bronze brush trick last week. I just used acetone and my fingernail. You're right, solvents don't do much to Loc Tite.
The Leupold logo on the top of the rings mean you no longer have to make a mark to save your orientation. You just have to make sure you get the front on the front and the rear on the rear.
Crack pipe cleaner
My brother got me my first rifle scope for my birthday I tried to zero the scope but the vertical is spun all the way up but the bore Lazer is still 2 points under zero. I'm not sure but I think the scope is defective, any suggestions would be appreciated.
Most informative video I have seen, many thank you's.
+Mack Maxidyne
Hi Mack, thx for the comment, we appreciate it! Check out the rest of our channel to find similar How-To-Guides. Have a great day!
I don't like the idea of adjusting the cross hairs "by eye". Personally I want the cross hairs to be perfectly 90 degrees with the the axis of the action.and the scope. Other than that. I think he did a good job of taking his time and good attention to detail.
+BottledWater If the rifle is sighted in at long range to begin with there is no difference at intermediate ranges. Other than extreme offsets of the reticule.
+Mike Nelson. Normally it would make a difference. But you are correct if you can hold the rifle exactly the same way every time. I shoot from a bench. So I don't really know anything about the complexity of the "Ghetto stance".
+Mike Nelson. I was only trying to be funny. I'm happy you didn't take offense. Have a good day.
Great job. Thanks for explaining eye relief, and how to get it right. I can't stand the factory rifle scope combos that you buy already mounted. Always set them up yourself.
Thank you for your kind words, Troy!
Great video. I would just take exception to one thought. I believe the label on your screwdriver illustration on the wall, should more appropriately be labeled with the bottom depiction as taper ground, not hollow ground. You leave folks with the impression that they should not use a "hollow ground" screwdriver and that is not the case. They should not use a taper ground or carpenters screwdriver, but a flat ground or hollow ground screwdriver is completely appropriate. Please note that I am not referring to a hollow grind as used in knife blades, they are different than hollow grind as applied to screwdriver blades. A hollow ground knife blade is shaped like a taper grind screwdriver. Gunsmith screwdrivers are commonly referred to as hollow ground screwdrivers.
The easy answer to not allowing any lapping compound fall into the action is to simply lay a paper towel or rag over the action. Bingo.
I mask off the entire area with painters tape.
Great video - thank you very much for sharing!
Do you have a video on putting a mount on a Winchester 30-30 model 94
Greetings!
We currently do not have a video at this time. However, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at sales@opticsplanet.com and one of our Product Experts will be happy to assist you.
what is the recommended torque for the tiny turret cap screws
He said he doesn't want any lapping in his action... Got to 22:07 lol
Yes good point he had a large piece fall into the action there. Cover it up with a cloth is best
Good eye. Missed that.
Excellent video! Thanks!
Glad you liked it, thanks for the comment!
Good video. You can not tell me that you can eyeball a scope and get it perfectly level. That is impossible. The reticle has to be perfectly leveled to the action to use any elevation adjustments or holdovers.
Why not lap it upside down vs. right-side up? It's a lil unorthodox, but it keeps the paste from getting into your action.
Awesome video ,very knowledgeable
+Mathew Gaudreau
Appreciate it. Thank you. There will be more videos like this in the future.
Acetone will remove the Loctite without harming the surface.
Very informative thank you!
such a nice video..... very informative :)
Will the screws withstand the recoil? Don't you have to additionally glue the bases?
No glue needed.
Buy warne rings and you don’t need to lap.. dovetail mounts suck..
Outstanding video!
Hi Lawrence,
Thanks for the comment, glad you liked the video!
Loved your video..
hello I would like to start with saying nice video,, I have a rifle I have had a very hard time finding a scope mount for and I hope maybe you can help,, I have a very nice cond 1953 jc Higgins model 50 270 win,, it is a Belgium made fn mauser 98 action,, I have found allot of mounts they claim will fit but don't,, mainly because they are drilled and tapped at 22mm front and 13mm rear,, but my action was factory drilled and tapped at 22mm front and rear,, with the rear mount thicker than front,, would you possibly know of a mount that will fit this rifle I would be happy with 1 or 2 piece mounts I do have the factory mounts but they are 15mm dovetail mounts that seems that no one seems to make rings for that are ex tall for 1 in scope tube,, any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated,, I would like to be able to use my rifle,, thank you for your time,, Robert
My scope came with tape on the top ring and on the bottom ring . Should I get rid of the tape .
excellent video
Top tutorial. Many thanks.
Good video.
The "Hollow ground", "Flat ground" screwdriver diagrams are reversed. Protect your gun screws and make sure you use the correct type. The top example is Hollow.
+Paul Evans correct.
Maybe use an o-ring for the bottom of the lapping bar handle.
so what are all the pieces i need? To mount a scope
Now this is competence!
I've never lapped rings I just torque it down and go...however I don't shoot heavy recoiling high powered rifles.
What is the make and model of the rifle in the video?
He says right at the beginning -- a Howa 1500.
Will the medium rings fit a 50mm scope?
Greetings!
We'd recommend going with high height rings, unless you are mounting the scope to a flat-top AR which you would need extra high height to allow for enough clearance.
Phenomenal video. Also nice to see someone working on a real rifle instead of something that looks like the prize from the bottom of a cereal box.
Fantastic video! Thanks! -J
This is a 'peacocking' free video. I approve!
Great video and thanks for taking the time to do it. But I must say, that's not how you use a torque wrench. You're using it more like an impact driver, those extra clicks are adding to the torque.
Greetings!
We appreciate your feedback. One of the benefits of a torque wrench is that once you reach the set torque level, it starts clicking rather than tightening. The clicks do not impart additional torque. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!
OpticsPlanet yea, ok.
He had the torque settings for a steel base but not for an aluminum one.
hey bud! i could really use some help. My dad has a nice old 7mm Ruger with a leopold scope on it. I'm not sure what kind of mounts are on the gun because he bought it years ago, but if i took some pictures could you give me your email and help me figure out how to get the right parts?
Hi Blaine,
We’d be happy to help! Please email us at sales@opticsplanet.com
Chart shows 15-20 inch pounds. You adjusted to 25 inch pounds in your Fat Wrench. Inconsistent there. Leupold recommends 25 inch pounds on the rings, 30 on the bases.
Our factory's sights are also very cost-effective
So if you level the scope by "eye" if the reticle is slightly out of vertical surely that will be amplified down range. Surely you must check the vertical reticle is plumb with a plumb line to check the reticle alignment and verticality against the plumb line. Fixing the scope with eye only cant be professional surely. Without lasers etc. surely the plumb line is the only way !!
Calibrated eyeball
All that with the mounts and you don't level the gun and use a plumb line to level the scope cross hair . I'm sorry but if you don't use a plumb line and level your gun your going to have nothing but trouble at long range shooting .
I agree for precision shooting but using a level is a can of worms. Most of the levels are not really level and most of the caps on scopes are not really level. You can eyeball it on a plumb line closer and faster than using levels. I have both and I can level better without them using my eye and plumb line. You do know that scope cross hairs should bisect the bore and a level won't get this right you need a mirror do that that. Levels give a false feeling of being correct when most the time they are not. You are assuming the caps, the gun etc all have true surfaces. They don't and more often than not are out of alignment more than if you just used your eye and wall to align the cross hairs.
@@Physics072 Where are you getting that? I've used a level for 30+ years and have never had a scope NOT be leveled.
Buildings in every city would be like the leaning tower of pisa. Ridiculous comment.
@@muhammadsteinberg I am saying most scopes are "Close enough" The scope can be level but the bore might me shifted 1mm to left or right. The rails, scope etc can be off and usually are a little.
Just because the scope is level does not mean everything is lined up correctly. Most will have a can't error. Lining it up with the bore using the mirror method can get rid of these errors but then you need to have a level on the scope so you hold the gun the same way each time. Its more of a issue for target shooters than hunters. Most people have these errors and never know it.
@@Physics072 For some shooters close enough will do, so I agree with you on that.
I was commenting on your assessment about levels. When I put a scope on I use a stand that I level, put the rifle on it and level that. Level the rings. Level the scope in the rings. A reticle canted left or right will consistently make your shots yaw left or right.
@@muhammadsteinberg I'm sure you are doing a fine job. On Levels I have like 10 of the little ones and many of them can't be trusted. I ended up getting a engineering level that seems to be true. Also its hard to keep the level on the gun sometimes when mounting the scope. What some do is to get the gun level using one on its receiver then strap a barrel level on so both levels are in sync. Then you can remove the rear level and not worry about knocking it off the gun when moving the scope about. There are many ways to get the job done.
Not a fan of 2 peice scope rings, but nice video
Vinyl Flexible Tubing make the tricks
excellent thanks
"turn it just until it clicks.." keeps turning it
Isaac Wipfler I'm guessing you've never used a torque wrench..
Smart man, virtually every rifle scope ring made is not perfect, you have to lap them. I have not owned any rifle rings that didn't need lapping. The effort is well worth it and will help zero faster and accuracy will be better.
How does lapping the rings make zeroing faster and accuracy better? I agree that lapping the rings makes for more even ring pressure on the scope.
i dont think i like the leupold style rings ill stick w/ weaver style
You remind me of the deaf lion who ruined the concert by eating the piano player.
Interesting, but if you really want to know about scope mounting, search “Formidilosis”. Best scope mounting info across several forums.
by the eye is not good, 100 meters is zero, but for 200 or more it will be 6 "sideways
I LOVE USA❤
Me too, and don't you forget it.
Scope level cross hairs hello
What if you are just a regular Joe and you don't have all of these fancy equipment?
No need to lap rings, it's just a slightly more quality job overall if you do, and there's very little chance of scratching your scope tube!
Holy shit. All this equipment looks like it cost another 2-3 hundred dollars on top of what ever scope you bought. I wonder how much a gunsmith will charge to mount a scope for you.
Cost me $25, but I am a repeat customer to my gunsmith and he is a family friend, but it shouldn't be that much more.
Kinda scared me when you shouldered that gun lol.... All fast
+TWDxKILL3R
Hi TWD, thanks for the comment. Steve L is one of our most experienced & seasoned experts at OpticsPlanet.com. Don't attempt at home :)
lmfaoo he straight up said WD-40 aint a good oil.
+Anderson Paulose ... not a good oil to use when gunsmithing is what he probably meant.
Good info, but why isn't Steve wearing safety glasses? He gives that advice, but he should also model the behavior.
How to boil a egg next week / week after how to hang a picture on the wall /
Too meticulous of mounting a scope. I do it another way.
I other words now same price and made in China????? Viva America!!!!