Best scope mounting video! Very precise! I would add that when tightening down the rings to the scope, that you continually check to see if the ring gaps on both sides are even. They are notorious for getting off easily. The only thing I would add is base rings like Talley require lapping every time. Picatinny ring systems are not one solid piece that connects to the rifle. Therefore more forgiving when mounting a scope (no binding points).
@@pey7759 because picatinnys ring mounts are not one solid piece that connects to the rifle. Therefore more forgiving when mounting a scope (no binding points).
One comment, at 1:38 where you slid the scope back and forth in the rings, be careful, it can lead to an annoying scratch in your beautiful anodized finish on your brand new expensive scope!
@@Peter-od7op So where would you put it? And how would you get the scope clocked precisely (reticle horizontal/vertical) without one? Just “eyeball” it?
@@RandomName27264 i take gun out of stock find place on barrel to put level. Oh i use vise to hold barrel. Once level i put bases on use machinists square to true up bases. Once all that done put scope on and use plum bob and line up crosse hairs with string on plum bob.
@@Peter-od7op I disagree. Just like in the video, you put a level on the rifle and a level on the turret. One ensures the rifle is level and the other ensures the scope is level. I also use a plumb bob. Most people don't want to needlessly disassemble their rifle and use a machinist's square when you can achieve the same results without doing so.
There you go! No ring lapping silliness, just use a couple of levels and you are good to go. My benchrest rig was done the same way as this and it is a bughole shooter. Put the money saved toward load development!
Lapping was needed back in the day but with a set of good quality rings it's unnecessary. The tolerances in manufacturing are so much better today than they used to be.
I'm asking the question about mounting and as usual everyone has a different way. One person told me just orient the reticle to gravity regardless of the gun but I'm thinking then bullet would go askew up and down veering away from the verticle line on the reticle. I'm thinking the scope needs to be perfectly oriented to the rifle regardless of gravity since once you hold the rifle you should orient the reticle up and down and you're all set to shoot. Which is right?
You are right. If the scope is not lined up with the rifle it's really hard to make adjustments bcause when you move the reticle up it will not go straight up if the scope is not leveled on the gun. And you will have a hard time adjusting.
Instead of the spirit level on top of the scope, hang a plumb line. Use a powerful flashlight to project the reticle next to the plumb line then adjust as needed and tighten. This insures that any tolerance difference between the turret and the reticle is not stacked.
This is the old school way and much more dependable as a level reticle will line up with gravity every time, vs a top turret or turret cap could be canted. But most these folks ain’t shooting past 400 yards
I know this comment is a month old, but I got the Wheeler levels, and they are great! Get the one with the basic level and barrel level that let's you start your level on your rail or action, then you put the barrel level on and perfectly level it to the first level with a thumb screw
If you want more vertical adjustment for long range shooting, you can buy a picatinny rail that is at an angle, such as a 20 MOA rail. You can also buy 10, 20, etc MOA scope bases too if you are not using a picatinny rail.
Hello, I am currently mounting my vortex scope to my tikka t3 compact tactical rifle; the mounting rings are made for a 30mm tube size scope and the scope itself states that it is 30mm, but when I put the scope on the mounts it wasn't able to move back and forth easily at all. Should I be worried?
This method makes an assumption that the top turret is level with the horizontal of the reticle. I would think that the leveling of the reticle is the actual objective (no pun intended, well maybe) with rifle and with a plumb line (gravity) to ensure that at distance, that cant is not causing undue shift in left or right POI.
Those are used to set your zero stop. Here is a video showing how to set your CRS Zero Stop: ua-cam.com/video/O93LjGzTfIs/v-deo.html You don't need to use them if you don't want to set your zero stop. There is no harm in simply leaving those out.
There was a time when keeping the ring caps the same orientation on the same bottoms was important because they were made in one piece and then split in half. Is that still a concern, or have manufacturing methods gotten more precise?
50 lbs of torque sheered the torx bit when mounting to the picatinny. Is that right? I lowered it to 36 figuring it's double what you stated to use on the Vortex rings. I'm using a Snap-On digital torque wrench too FWIW.
Is your snap-on torque wrench measuring in foot pounds or inch pounds? I don't mean to insult you by asking, but my buddy used his torque wrench from the garage to try and mount his scope and also had serious issues. An inch pound torque wrench is very different and you shouldn't have any issues. If you ARE using an inch pound torque wrench, then I don't know what to tell ya.
No - thread locker will lubricate the threads and cause the torque wrench to cam over beyond its intended torque setting - thus, you'd likely end up over-torquing the fastener
@@nolangaudreau It would seem to make sense, but that would only be necessary if the rings fully closed together, but since rings are designed to have a gap between their two halves, they keep the screws that hold them together under tension. That tension eliminates the need for any threadlocker and keeps the screws in place even under recoil and hard use.
I have a vortex viper 4-16X44 HS and mounting it on a Bergara B 14 wilderness ridge 300 win mag. What mounts to I want? low medium or high? This is a hunting rifle not long distance shooting.
I just mounted my new Diamondback tactical 6-24x50 with vortex pro rings on the factory piccatinny rail of my model 700 . The rings are medium height and I have the 50mm objective about a half inch off the barrel. I hope this helps you decide. I’d go low or medium. I think high mounts would be way too high.
@@kwiturbitchin5277 I have the same Bergara wilderness (but in 6.5CM) and the same DB 6-24x50 scope on a EGW 20MOA base and I can confirm that the high rings are indeed way too high. I have the precision mounts coming in the mail today in medium and they should be a much better fit.
Generally speaking, no. You won't have to lap any of our rings, but some others from various manufacturers may require lapping. Give us a shout if you have any questions!
We do not recommend using Loctite on the ring screws. Loctite acts as a lubricant causing your torque wrench to slip. This can add about 40-50% to your value. Even with magnum calibers simply using the proper torque setting is plenty to hold it in place if you are using a good quality set of rings.
My rifle doesn't have a scope mounting rail so I can't use that method to level the rifle prior to mounting the scope. I think I will use the 2 screws used to mount the recoil pad. I will remove the recoil pad and mount a wooden jig with a line going through the screws' center line. Once that line is perpendicular I can secure the rifle in the vise then mount and level the scope. Anybody think this is a sound approach? Or am I missing something? :)
You may be able to find another flat surface on your rifle, across the mag well, on top of the receiver, across the tang. What are you attaching your rings too. Depending on the style of rings you can level across the top of the bottom half of one of the rings. Check them both for consistency.
I had my new vortex scope Mounted to my new rifle that I bought at bass pro shop and it’s so crooked I can’t even adjust it to the left of the target. I can’t even reach left in the target I should be able to go a little after a little write a little above or a little below mine is way above and way to the right even when maxed out. Do I go back and just say please start over?
Haven't had a chance to test if it holds zero, but mounts just fine and has nice clear glass. Centered vertically true to a plumb line with the crosshairs which is always a plus!It's a great ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxc4K63Fd5LglDMObu7-Bgapxp_ef0W8hE scope. There's no parallax adjustment or focus ring, so may be limited to 3-7x, have to see how it is on the range. Also be aware that the rings are "look through" so you can still use irons, but they are really tall if you only intend to use the optics. On a 22LR no biggie since I'm not shooting competitions or worried about a hard cheek press. Will boresight and range test, if all goes well, I'll leave it at that!
Unrelated question to Vortex or anyone else. Viper HST 4X16 Mrad. On the zoom its marked 4 5.3 8 16 Why 5.3? I'm guessing for ranging, but wouldnt 6 be between 4 and 8? I'm seeing nothing explaining why
5.3 is *Roughly* 1/3 of 16, so if you're trying to use the subtensions on a lower magnification than the claibrated 16x, that's a good guide to help you understand the ration of target size to reticle size being that it is a SFP optic. Does this help?
Shouldn't the rings be "snugged" down both front and back before the torque specs are applied? Shouldn't be torquing down rear rings before the front rings are "snugged" down? Maybe done off-camera? :-)
I had a friend who's super experienced with rifles set up my scope on my actual rifle for me, but I recently bought a fairly high powered air rifle for shooting pellets in the backyard just for fun. For a gun with basically no recoil does anyone have any suggestions as to how close I want the scope to be to my eye? I have currently have it at about an inch from my eye when the butt of the gun is firmly in place, and it seems to work pretty well in that position. The air rifle is about 1000-1100fps depending on what sort of pellet I use, but has little to no recoil at all, so I'm not too worried about it smashing into my face. Is it just kind of personal preference at that point, or is there an ideal distance? I've shot some bigggg actual guns where having the scope an inch away would have for sure given me a black eye or knock my eye into the back of my skull. With the length of the rails and length of the scope I probably have 4-5 inches of play to mess around with. I could move it back so it's basically right against my eye, or move it forward so it's nearly 3.5 inches further away. Ironically I'm more well versed in real guns than pellet guns. :P
Which scope are you using? Our scopes have a specific "eye relief" that will give you the best distance to keep your eye from the riflescope in order to give you the biggest/clearest eye box. That's what we'd recommend and we can find that measurement for you if you let us know what scope you're using!
So this is how I mount all rifle scopes regardless of brand I recently sent in 2 vortex HST Viper 4-16x44 scopes that the reticles cant left 15° or so when the turrets are level. The repair technicians in barneveld said they put it on an inclinometer machine and said my turrets were what was crooked not the reticle. Short point is that why is it I run into this problem with vortex but no other companies? Turrets and reticles line up near perfect on my leupolds, Burris, and even nikon and Simmons scopes. Your representative also told me that when they mount a scope they just eyeball it and get it close never mentioned using a bubble level at all. I'm not very impressed right now 1800$ in 2 scopes and 2 mounts to deal with all this.
No. If we choose to level off the turret rather than using a plum bob (Which we have another video on here ua-cam.com/video/TMqL17KwcoA/v-deo.html) we want to stack as few tolerances on top of one another as possible. The outer turret is quite a few components away from the actual reticle that we are trying to level, and is not a part that is machined to be extremely precisely level across the top. Its function is to be grabbed by fingers and spun, and to have accurate laser markings for measurements of adjustments, so it really doens't need to be. Removing it and going to the inner turret underneath, which is much more precisely machined, helps us get closer to the reticle and to have a more reliable level. Hope this helps! - Jimmy H jchamilton@vortexoptics.com
I guarantee with some shooting, those rings and bases will come loose!!!! I've seen it happen many many times with proper torque applied!! Pu some clear finger nail polish on the screw threads and then torque them!! Guaranteed to hold and you can still remove them when needed. Don't use red loc-tite. You will have a time getting them off. Use the nail polish every time.
When you demonstrated eye relief, it looked like the scope would smash into your eye when the rifle was fired. Is it just trial and error, determining a safe distance for the scope?
its not trial and error - the scope should have a certain amount of eye relief to get a full clear reticle picture. this is a few inches normally, which should be plenty of eye relief so that you dont get hit. if its set up properly , then its no issue .
How about a little advice for ppl that don't have a fancy inch pound wrench? Best way to tighten with an Alan wrench without stripping aluminum threads??
If you have your riflescope mounted at the highest magnification and it is set properly there you are good throughout the rest of the magnification range as well. If you set it at the lowest magnification it is much easier to get your head into, but you may find yourself fishing to get into the window when increasing the magnification.
@@VortexOpticsUSA oh, ok., that makes sense. Yes, it's very hard to get the right eye relief at 40 power, with the parallax (25yd to infinity), all I see is a liittle light at the end of a tunnel..lol Btw, Hmm, at 2:05, when you say that (to get the eye relief at the highest power setting), you turn the power knob clockwise. On my scope, that's to the lowest setting....lol Also, at that point , is it necessary to be focused? Because I'm in my workshop and there's not really anything that far away to focus on.
@@clarencecouch6755 the direction the magnification ring turns will vary optic to optic, so no worries there! When mounting, it's not at important to have it focused, but more important that you are getting the full field of view right when pulling up.
followed all steps, but scope slid 1/2 inch after only 30 rounds of .308! I purchased Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 with Vortex tactical 30mm rings... I used inch-pound torque wrench at 18lbs. What should I do?
You'll want to get rid of the tactical rings ASAP - we don't list those as riflescope rings for the fact that they are designed primarily for red dots like the Strikefire II Red dot but shouldn't be used with riflescopes. A set of our Pro rings would be a much better choice. They are on backorder right now, so another option would be the precision matched rings, but they are a good deal more expensive. Otherwise a set of Burris Signature Zee rings would be another good option that we've had good luck with, too.
@@VortexOpticsUSA Thank you! I should have done some research. Thank you for the suggestions as well. I purchased a ~ $60 Warne ring set. Hopefully they will hold tight.
@@Wyo2Wis Warnes are good. Most of them are vertically split rings so you'll just want to make sure you torque them appropriately. Rather than a lug nut pattern alternating left to right and top and bottom, you torque the bottoms first and then the tops once those are completely set.
I always hang a plum line out at 50 to 100yds and make sure my vertical reticle crosshair is aligned with that plum line rather than rely on the reticle being being perfectly aligned with the turret.
Why use a picatinny rail. Seems odd on a bolt action. Beside the one piece alignment idea, picatinny seems more a style found on black semi auto long guns. I prefer the dovetail design built into the receiver aligning the rings and using my desired height ring. Dovetail seems to be more sleek and inline with a hunting or target bolt action long gun. Picatinny more for a tactical look made for quickly disconnecting different Peripherals quickly utilizing a long rail style system commonly found on black semi auto long guns.
Great question! We use a picatinny rail for a number of reasons - none of which are looks. It is a bit less sleek than dovetail mounts integrated into a receiver, but we can't always assume those to be perfectly aligned with one another - it's essentially the same thing as having a 2 piece base system. Having proper alignment is #1 importance and we can only do that with a quality one-piece mount design. The reason we go picatinny and not a lower profile weaver rail, for example, is because those rails often don't have as much flexibility. The picatinny rail allows us to put our rings in nearly any position along the rail so we can properly fine tune our scope's position for proper eye relief, which will greatly help our image quality in all circumstances. It might not be the "Prettiest" look or might be a bit more tactical looking than the more svelt 2-piece base systems or integrated dovetail mounts, but they are highly functional and precise which is most important in our book! Hope this helps
@@VortexOpticsUSA picatinny rails appear tactical because they are tactical. they have a tactical appearance and look tactical also.tac·ti·cal /ˈtaktək(ə)l/Submit adjective relating to or constituting actions carefully planned to gain a specific military end. here is the specific definition of tactical. so you understand my comment, it suggest it would give a tactical look which it actually does. the rail is tactical in a manner as intended when produced, as to quickly remove a scope and reattach it to a rifle as initially intended when first adopted by the military. the picatinny rail is not what i would use if the rifle is not a 16 inch carbine. the carbine is used in multiple applications and require fast connection and disconnection of peripherals. a picatinny rail is developed for this reason without having to lap and align a scope again causing scope tube damage. it looks tactical because it is tactical. i would not suggest a picatinny rail on a precision rifle. i would on a carbine.
i do not view this rifle as a carbine or using multiple peripherals but who knows lol maybe you will. i know if i were using a rifle capable of shooting out to 600 yards, i would not use a picatinny and if i did it would serve zero purpose other then to " look" tactical.
@@godwetrust1436 We couldn't possibly disagree more, but that's not to say that a two-piece ring system or dovetail system can't work as long as one is aware of the potential misalignments and lack of versatility offered by a one piece picatinny rail and the methods (Like lapping for one example) that would need to be used to fix them if they were present. Thanks for watching!
Ok so your position is you think this is a better system on a long range bolt action and will be removing and reattaching the scope multiple times as picatinny was intended to minimize realigning the scope and not having to lap the rings again. Sounds like you're install is intended for this repeated scope removal and install or for the use of attaching other accessories. Thanks for the information.
We actually don't recommend using blue loctite. When mounting an optic, blue loctite can give you a false reading on the amount of torque you're using when tightening it. When the loctite then dries, it will actually tighten even further and could potentially damage the optical system within the scope.
That's what I was thinking. Even in the Army, we never had a torque value so high. You just tighten it up snug with blue loctite, and you were good to go. Jeeez
50” lb is ridiculous for most bases. 18” lbs will crush a crossfire ii tube with a 4 screw ring. I know because 17”lbs does. Other brands hold up fine though. It’s just the Chinese vortex crap that fails.
1:59 Make sure your magnification is set to the highest power This former US Army Ranger sniper and sniper instructor says otherwise ua-cam.com/video/COoXVpGfXQE/v-deo.html
If you watch the video and listen, he says to start with a low power to approximate your sweet spot, then increase the power to ensure it's the correct position.
Assembled. The parts still come from China. Decades of good glass comes from Asia, we just don't do it as well here. I'd rather buy an import from an honest company than one that hides behind a half-true "made in USA" sticker. Don't get me started on the weatherbys marked Sheridan on top and Turkey beneath the forened.
Good comment. I have a Vortex Diamonback that, when you level the turrets to the base, the reticle looks canted to the right. I now never use levels...I just dial it in till it looks right.
I bet half of yall reading this comment are on the toilet right now. Im posting this comment from the toilet. Ok then, yall enjoy your day now, and drive safe!
I appreciate videos like this that get right to the point with useful information. Thank you, Vortex.
Thank you for keeping it short and on topic with clear, easy to follow instructions.
I use German tourqe on everything. Goodentight.
You sir made my night. Made astoner laugh really hard! 😂
You sir made my night. Made a stoner laugh really hard! 😂
Too tight can damage the scope tube, I've seen it happen.
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Best video for this out there. Never much been into bolt guns or scopes so this was very valuable.
Glad you liked it! :)
Thank you for posting this video. Very helpful for me as I am a first time student at assembling my rifle.
Great instructional, thank you! I'm going to be mounting my first scope to my Ruger American Ranch 7.62 x 39.
Best scope mounting video! Very precise! I would add that when tightening down the rings to the scope, that you continually check to see if the ring gaps on both sides are even. They are notorious for getting off easily. The only thing I would add is base rings like Talley require lapping every time. Picatinny ring systems are not one solid piece that connects to the rifle. Therefore more forgiving when mounting a scope (no binding points).
Hey, late as hell reply with a question: why is lapping not important for picatinny mounted rings?
@@pey7759 because picatinnys ring mounts are not one solid piece that connects to the rifle. Therefore more forgiving when mounting a scope (no binding points).
I don’t even have a Vortex, you guys are just goated.
One comment, at 1:38 where you slid the scope back and forth in the rings, be careful, it can lead to an annoying scratch in your beautiful anodized finish on your brand new expensive scope!
Thanks for making this easy to understand. I can do it myself now and don't need to go to the range to have my scope mounted.
I’m picking up a vortex viper hs lr 4-16 today for my .300 wby. I trust your optics enough to take it elk hunting in Colorado this October😁😁👍
Fantastic vid....going to use this method on my air rifle.....BIG thank you...Tom in uk.
Awesome - we're glad you found it helpful, Thomas!🤜🤛
Great Video! Thank you! Purchased your precision matched rings. Excellent quality product
Thanks for the support!
Not great this guy like many others has no idea that u never use level on top turret
@@Peter-od7op So where would you put it? And how would you get the scope clocked precisely (reticle horizontal/vertical) without one? Just “eyeball” it?
@@RandomName27264 i take gun out of stock find place on barrel to put level. Oh i use vise to hold barrel. Once level i put bases on use machinists square to true up bases. Once all that done put scope on and use plum bob and line up crosse hairs with string on plum bob.
@@Peter-od7op I disagree. Just like in the video, you put a level on the rifle and a level on the turret. One ensures the rifle is level and the other ensures the scope is level. I also use a plumb bob. Most people don't want to needlessly disassemble their rifle and use a machinist's square when you can achieve the same results without doing so.
Thanks, this was very useful!
There you go! No ring lapping silliness, just use a couple of levels and you are good to go. My benchrest rig was done the same way as this and it is a bughole shooter. Put the money saved toward load development!
Lapping was needed back in the day but with a set of good quality rings it's unnecessary. The tolerances in manufacturing are so much better today than they used to be.
I'm asking the question about mounting and as usual everyone has a different way. One person told me just orient the reticle to gravity regardless of the gun but I'm thinking then bullet would go askew up and down veering away from the verticle line on the reticle. I'm thinking the scope needs to be perfectly oriented to the rifle regardless of gravity since once you hold the rifle you should orient the reticle up and down and you're all set to shoot. Which is right?
You are right. If the scope is not lined up with the rifle it's really hard to make adjustments bcause when you move the reticle up it will not go straight up if the scope is not leveled on the gun. And you will have a hard time adjusting.
Zelo strokovno razloženo in narejeno.L poz.
Instead of the spirit level on top of the scope, hang a plumb line. Use a powerful flashlight to project the reticle next to the plumb line then adjust as needed and tighten. This insures that any tolerance difference between the turret and the reticle is not stacked.
I'm using this method. But a laser (vertical line) level instead of a hanging plumb line. Nice a bright looking through the scope.
@@icin4d admittedly my method I forgot to mention turning out the lights, makes it easier.
This is the old school way and much more dependable as a level reticle will line up with gravity every time, vs a top turret or turret cap could be canted. But most these folks ain’t shooting past 400 yards
@ if I’m closer than 600 it feels like cheating. But I shoot a lot more than most folks and I make OCW rounds for all my rifles
Question on tools: A good Torque driver? Good rifle levels?
I know this comment is a month old, but I got the Wheeler levels, and they are great! Get the one with the basic level and barrel level that let's you start your level on your rail or action, then you put the barrel level on and perfectly level it to the first level with a thumb screw
Thanks. Great video. To the point
Great video, what rifle is that?
Weatherby Mark V
Hello, excellent. I really liked it, one question, should the sight be parallel to the barrel or should it have some type of angle?
WTF? Are you stupid?
If you want more vertical adjustment for long range shooting, you can buy a picatinny rail that is at an angle, such as a 20 MOA rail. You can also buy 10, 20, etc MOA scope bases too if you are not using a picatinny rail.
What brand base level was that?
I know you don’t use loctite on the rings, but what is the reason for this? Also, is the same true for attaching the picatinny rail?
Thanks a million! Very important video
Hello, I am currently mounting my vortex scope to my tikka t3 compact tactical rifle; the mounting rings are made for a 30mm tube size scope and the scope itself states that it is 30mm, but when I put the scope on the mounts it wasn't able to move back and forth easily at all. Should I be worried?
Did you lap the rings with lapping compound?
Great video! Slightly off topic but which rifle stock model is that?
Update, talked to Vortex today. Torque varies by rings and my CM202 calls for 20 in. lbs. This should be listed on the rings/mounts.
of course it does. torque values always vary. just read the manual next time instead of extra needless markings for unintelligent people.
LOL did you just go off of what the spec was for his
Nice vid. How do you know what size rings to get? My island width is 1 inch, so I got 1 inch rings but they are too small.
This method makes an assumption that the top turret is level with the horizontal of the reticle. I would think that the leveling of the reticle is the actual objective (no pun intended, well maybe) with rifle and with a plumb line (gravity) to ensure that at distance, that cant is not causing undue shift in left or right POI.
I have a vortex VHS 4310 viper 6x24x50 . It came with brass shims. What are they for do, and do I really even need them???
Those are used to set your zero stop. Here is a video showing how to set your CRS Zero Stop: ua-cam.com/video/O93LjGzTfIs/v-deo.html
You don't need to use them if you don't want to set your zero stop. There is no harm in simply leaving those out.
Good video
Is there a reason to push one ring forward and one backwards on a pica-rail before fastening?
Or is forward on both the best?
I just received my Vortex pro extended cantilever mount should the half inch nuts be torqued to 50 inch pounds also?
We recommend 30 in/lbs for those base screws.
What brand pic rail level was that? I've always used the Arisaka defense wedge tool, but this looks like a decent level check.
CTK Precision!
There was a time when keeping the ring caps the same orientation on the same bottoms was important because they were made in one piece and then split in half. Is that still a concern, or have manufacturing methods gotten more precise?
Keep caps together in the orientation in which removed from bottom.
Very good asmr
You said 50 lb torque, the vortex scope I just got say to use 18 lb of torque, that is a big difference, which is it?
50 lbs of torque sheered the torx bit when mounting to the picatinny. Is that right? I lowered it to 36 figuring it's double what you stated to use on the Vortex rings. I'm using a Snap-On digital torque wrench too FWIW.
Is your snap-on torque wrench measuring in foot pounds or inch pounds? I don't mean to insult you by asking, but my buddy used his torque wrench from the garage to try and mount his scope and also had serious issues. An inch pound torque wrench is very different and you shouldn't have any issues. If you ARE using an inch pound torque wrench, then I don't know what to tell ya.
Where can I get that cool rifle stand??
Where?
Do you need the torque wrench?
Do you not use any thread locker?
No - thread locker will lubricate the threads and cause the torque wrench to cam over beyond its intended torque setting - thus, you'd likely end up over-torquing the fastener
@@VortexOpticsUSA Interesting. I always assumed thread locker was necessary. Good to know.
@@nolangaudreau It would seem to make sense, but that would only be necessary if the rings fully closed together, but since rings are designed to have a gap between their two halves, they keep the screws that hold them together under tension. That tension eliminates the need for any threadlocker and keeps the screws in place even under recoil and hard use.
@@VortexOpticsUSA What about the screws that attach the base to the receiver?
Great video! What gun vise is that?
Looks like a Tipton Ultra
I have a vortex viper 4-16X44 HS and mounting it on a Bergara B 14 wilderness ridge 300 win mag. What mounts to I want? low medium or high? This is a hunting rifle not long distance shooting.
I just mounted my new Diamondback tactical 6-24x50 with vortex pro rings on the factory piccatinny rail of my model 700 . The rings are medium height and I have the 50mm objective about a half inch off the barrel. I hope this helps you decide. I’d go low or medium. I think high mounts would be way too high.
@@kwiturbitchin5277 I am thinking low since I have the 44mm. Thanks for the advice
@@TexasStyleCuisine no problem! Good hunting!
@@kwiturbitchin5277 I have the same Bergara wilderness (but in 6.5CM) and the same DB 6-24x50 scope on a EGW 20MOA base and I can confirm that the high rings are indeed way too high. I have the precision mounts coming in the mail today in medium and they should be a much better fit.
Is it necessary to lap rings when a picattiny rail is used?
Generally speaking, no. You won't have to lap any of our rings, but some others from various manufacturers may require lapping. Give us a shout if you have any questions!
Blue loctite or not. With magnum calibers I always used blue loctite. Is this unnecessary?
We do not recommend using Loctite on the ring screws. Loctite acts as a lubricant causing your torque wrench to slip. This can add about 40-50% to your value. Even with magnum calibers simply using the proper torque setting is plenty to hold it in place if you are using a good quality set of rings.
Just wondering if you're suppose to hold the ring forward while torquing them to the rail? I just ordered my 5x25 pst gen II
Yes, hold the rings forward.
My rifle doesn't have a scope mounting rail so I can't use that method to level the rifle prior to mounting the scope.
I think I will use the 2 screws used to mount the recoil pad.
I will remove the recoil pad and mount a wooden jig with a line going through the screws' center line.
Once that line is perpendicular I can secure the rifle in the vise then mount and level the scope.
Anybody think this is a sound approach? Or am I missing something? :)
You may be able to find another flat surface on your rifle, across the mag well, on top of the receiver, across the tang. What are you attaching your rings too. Depending on the style of rings you can level across the top of the bottom half of one of the rings. Check them both for consistency.
I had my new vortex scope Mounted to my new rifle that I bought at bass pro shop and it’s so crooked I can’t even adjust it to the left of the target. I can’t even reach left in the target I should be able to go a little after a little write a little above or a little below mine is way above and way to the right even when maxed out. Do I go back and just say please start over?
Hey Chris - give us a call at 1-800-4VORTEX ext. 5 and we can see what's going on with your setup.
Haven't had a chance to test if it holds zero, but mounts just fine and has nice clear glass. Centered vertically true to a plumb line with the crosshairs which is always a plus!It's a great ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxc4K63Fd5LglDMObu7-Bgapxp_ef0W8hE scope. There's no parallax adjustment or focus ring, so may be limited to 3-7x, have to see how it is on the range. Also be aware that the rings are "look through" so you can still use irons, but they are really tall if you only intend to use the optics. On a 22LR no biggie since I'm not shooting competitions or worried about a hard cheek press. Will boresight and range test, if all goes well, I'll leave it at that!
Unrelated question to Vortex or anyone else.
Viper HST 4X16 Mrad.
On the zoom its marked
4
5.3
8
16
Why 5.3?
I'm guessing for ranging, but wouldnt 6 be between 4 and 8?
I'm seeing nothing explaining why
5.3 is *Roughly* 1/3 of 16, so if you're trying to use the subtensions on a lower magnification than the claibrated 16x, that's a good guide to help you understand the ration of target size to reticle size being that it is a SFP optic. Does this help?
@@VortexOpticsUSA
Yes, Thank you!
Aka mybronco2 (AR15.COM)
If I buy a vortex scope from my buddy do I need his original receipt in order to keep the warranty?
Great question, and no you do not! We will honor the VIP Warranty on secondhand optics, no receipt needed!
Screw it, I'm just gonna 👁 it. Don't wanna buy that stand, and two bubbles already spent too much lol.
Do it my way, make a Frankenstein stand with clamps and boards, and use a 2 foot level. Haha 😂
No need for Loctite?
Shouldn't the rings be "snugged" down both front and back before the torque specs are applied? Shouldn't be torquing down rear rings before the front rings are "snugged" down? Maybe done off-camera? :-)
wondering the same thing
Where can I het some extra ring fasteners ? I lost mine
I had a friend who's super experienced with rifles set up my scope on my actual rifle for me, but I recently bought a fairly high powered air rifle for shooting pellets in the backyard just for fun. For a gun with basically no recoil does anyone have any suggestions as to how close I want the scope to be to my eye? I have currently have it at about an inch from my eye when the butt of the gun is firmly in place, and it seems to work pretty well in that position. The air rifle is about 1000-1100fps depending on what sort of pellet I use, but has little to no recoil at all, so I'm not too worried about it smashing into my face. Is it just kind of personal preference at that point, or is there an ideal distance? I've shot some bigggg actual guns where having the scope an inch away would have for sure given me a black eye or knock my eye into the back of my skull. With the length of the rails and length of the scope I probably have 4-5 inches of play to mess around with. I could move it back so it's basically right against my eye, or move it forward so it's nearly 3.5 inches further away. Ironically I'm more well versed in real guns than pellet guns. :P
Which scope are you using? Our scopes have a specific "eye relief" that will give you the best distance to keep your eye from the riflescope in order to give you the biggest/clearest eye box. That's what we'd recommend and we can find that measurement for you if you let us know what scope you're using!
can u do video how to tighten scope rings without Torque wrench
It is always recommend that you use a torque wrench or take it to someone that has a torque wrench.
What scope and height is this?
So this is how I mount all rifle scopes regardless of brand I recently sent in 2 vortex HST Viper 4-16x44 scopes that the reticles cant left 15° or so when the turrets are level. The repair technicians in barneveld said they put it on an inclinometer machine and said my turrets were what was crooked not the reticle. Short point is that why is it I run into this problem with vortex but no other companies? Turrets and reticles line up near perfect on my leupolds, Burris, and even nikon and Simmons scopes. Your representative also told me that when they mount a scope they just eyeball it and get it close never mentioned using a bubble level at all. I'm not very impressed right now 1800$ in 2 scopes and 2 mounts to deal with all this.
50 in lbs just stripped my mount screw. Brutal.
Yeah Same! If it is "more than adequate" why recommend it? After watching this video I checked my Warne instructions and they recommend 25in/lbs...
@@mikemills465why on EARTH would you assume that your specs would be the same as the spec of a different mount
That's on you for not researching the spec for the mount you have
I assume it’s okay to reload the rifle after making sure it’s empty because the guy didn’t say I couldn’t.
What kind of level did you set at the top??
Just an old Wheeler flat bubble level - any flat bubble level will do.
No lapping of the rings?
No need with precision matched rings mounted on a one piece rail.
What hight are those rings
I was wondering the same thing?
Why are you guys not licensing the ACSS and new Grids reticles Dimitri is making? You guys would kill the market
Don’t you want the bell of the optic generally closest to the bore
Why use a level on the inner turret? Isnt the outer turret level enough?
No. If we choose to level off the turret rather than using a plum bob (Which we have another video on here ua-cam.com/video/TMqL17KwcoA/v-deo.html) we want to stack as few tolerances on top of one another as possible. The outer turret is quite a few components away from the actual reticle that we are trying to level, and is not a part that is machined to be extremely precisely level across the top. Its function is to be grabbed by fingers and spun, and to have accurate laser markings for measurements of adjustments, so it really doens't need to be. Removing it and going to the inner turret underneath, which is much more precisely machined, helps us get closer to the reticle and to have a more reliable level. Hope this helps! - Jimmy H jchamilton@vortexoptics.com
I guarantee with some shooting, those rings and bases will come loose!!!! I've seen it happen many many times with proper torque applied!! Pu some clear finger nail polish on the screw threads and then torque them!! Guaranteed to hold and you can still remove them when needed. Don't use red loc-tite. You will have a time getting them off. Use the nail polish every time.
When you demonstrated eye relief, it looked like the scope would smash into your eye when the rifle was fired. Is it just trial and error, determining a safe distance for the scope?
its not trial and error - the scope should have a certain amount of eye relief to get a full clear reticle picture. this is a few inches normally, which should be plenty of eye relief so that you dont get hit. if its set up properly , then its no issue .
No thread locker?
No thread lock or lock tight on anything? I have issues with this though the process is very sound
Whats the song?
Wondering why he didn't continue to apply forward pressure to the bases as he was tightening them down....
Because this was a tutorial. In real life he would have been pushing the rings forward as he tightened.
So you don’t lap the rings so they are perfectly in line? Even a few thousands off will put pressure and tweak the scope
It's recommended in 99.99% of cases not to lap your rings. Manufacturing in 2024 is quite precise now, compared to how it used to be.
@ I can see that on a machined one piece unit but def not on individually mounted rings. A few thousands is enough to put pressure on a scope
How about a little advice for ppl that don't have a fancy inch pound wrench? Best way to tighten with an Alan wrench without stripping aluminum threads??
Advice would be to find someone who has an inch pound screwdriver you can borrow.
@@88geauxtigers I have one now
Tighten to just before it breaks
eye relief at the highest power? I have a 10-40x50, so eye relief at 40 power? Why is that?
If you have your riflescope mounted at the highest magnification and it is set properly there you are good throughout the rest of the magnification range as well. If you set it at the lowest magnification it is much easier to get your head into, but you may find yourself fishing to get into the window when increasing the magnification.
@@VortexOpticsUSA oh, ok., that makes sense. Yes, it's very hard to get the right eye relief at 40 power, with the parallax (25yd to infinity), all I see is a liittle light at the end of a tunnel..lol Btw, Hmm, at 2:05, when you say that (to get the eye relief at the highest power setting), you turn the power knob clockwise. On my scope, that's to the lowest setting....lol Also, at that point , is it necessary to be focused? Because I'm in my workshop and there's not really anything that far away to focus on.
@@clarencecouch6755 the direction the magnification ring turns will vary optic to optic, so no worries there! When mounting, it's not at important to have it focused, but more important that you are getting the full field of view right when pulling up.
Close but no cigar. I usually check the rings to see if they need lapped.
followed all steps, but scope slid 1/2 inch after only 30 rounds of .308! I purchased Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 with Vortex tactical 30mm rings... I used inch-pound torque wrench at 18lbs. What should I do?
You'll want to get rid of the tactical rings ASAP - we don't list those as riflescope rings for the fact that they are designed primarily for red dots like the Strikefire II Red dot but shouldn't be used with riflescopes. A set of our Pro rings would be a much better choice. They are on backorder right now, so another option would be the precision matched rings, but they are a good deal more expensive. Otherwise a set of Burris Signature Zee rings would be another good option that we've had good luck with, too.
@@VortexOpticsUSA Thank you! I should have done some research. Thank you for the suggestions as well. I purchased a ~ $60 Warne ring set. Hopefully they will hold tight.
Do the Warnes work?
@@Wyo2Wis Warnes are good. Most of them are vertically split rings so you'll just want to make sure you torque them appropriately. Rather than a lug nut pattern alternating left to right and top and bottom, you torque the bottoms first and then the tops once those are completely set.
I always hang a plum line out at 50 to 100yds and make sure my vertical reticle crosshair is aligned with that plum line rather than rely on the reticle being being perfectly aligned with the turret.
Set my torque wrench to 50#, promptly snapped my Warne ring base in half.
PSA: check your manufacturer's torque specs, don't assume 50# is correct.
Is a gravity plumb more accurate?
Why use a picatinny rail. Seems odd on a bolt action. Beside the one piece alignment idea, picatinny seems more a style found on black semi auto long guns. I prefer the dovetail design built into the receiver aligning the rings and using my desired height ring. Dovetail seems to be more sleek and inline with a hunting or target bolt action long gun. Picatinny more for a tactical look made for quickly disconnecting different Peripherals quickly utilizing a long rail style system commonly found on black semi auto long guns.
Great question! We use a picatinny rail for a number of reasons - none of which are looks. It is a bit less sleek than dovetail mounts integrated into a receiver, but we can't always assume those to be perfectly aligned with one another - it's essentially the same thing as having a 2 piece base system. Having proper alignment is #1 importance and we can only do that with a quality one-piece mount design. The reason we go picatinny and not a lower profile weaver rail, for example, is because those rails often don't have as much flexibility. The picatinny rail allows us to put our rings in nearly any position along the rail so we can properly fine tune our scope's position for proper eye relief, which will greatly help our image quality in all circumstances. It might not be the "Prettiest" look or might be a bit more tactical looking than the more svelt 2-piece base systems or integrated dovetail mounts, but they are highly functional and precise which is most important in our book! Hope this helps
@@VortexOpticsUSA picatinny rails appear tactical because they are tactical. they have a tactical appearance and look tactical also.tac·ti·cal
/ˈtaktək(ə)l/Submit
adjective
relating to or constituting actions carefully planned to gain a specific military end.
here is the specific definition of tactical. so you understand my comment, it suggest it would give a tactical look which it actually does. the rail is tactical in a manner as intended when produced, as to quickly remove a scope and reattach it to a rifle as initially intended when first adopted by the military. the picatinny rail is not what i would use if the rifle is not a 16 inch carbine. the carbine is used in multiple applications and require fast connection and disconnection of peripherals. a picatinny rail is developed for this reason without having to lap and align a scope again causing scope tube damage. it looks tactical because it is tactical. i would not suggest a picatinny rail on a precision rifle. i would on a carbine.
i do not view this rifle as a carbine or using multiple peripherals but who knows lol maybe you will. i know if i were using a rifle capable of shooting out to 600 yards, i would not use a picatinny and if i did it would serve zero purpose other then to " look" tactical.
@@godwetrust1436 We couldn't possibly disagree more, but that's not to say that a two-piece ring system or dovetail system can't work as long as one is aware of the potential misalignments and lack of versatility offered by a one piece picatinny rail and the methods (Like lapping for one example) that would need to be used to fix them if they were present. Thanks for watching!
Ok so your position is you think this is a better system on a long range bolt action and will be removing and reattaching the scope multiple times as picatinny was intended to minimize realigning the scope and not having to lap the rings again. Sounds like you're install is intended for this repeated scope removal and install or for the use of attaching other accessories.
Thanks for the information.
I hate mounting scopes it’s such a nuisance for me
the 2 bubbles brand and where can i get them cheers nice simple vid
Ebay. 3 bucks for the weaver rail bubble level. And just about eny small bubbler will do on the turret :)
no blue locktite ?
We actually don't recommend using blue loctite. When mounting an optic, blue loctite can give you a false reading on the amount of torque you're using when tightening it. When the loctite then dries, it will actually tighten even further and could potentially damage the optical system within the scope.
Fun fact: the presenters name means "mosquito brain" in German.
0:55 when he almost knocked the scope over! I about had a heart attack! lol
Gone are the days of eyeballing it
I just slap it on. Bam
According to David Copperfield Thats not the way it is
I did this and I came loose at the range!!!!!! You need some thread locker
50 inch pounds what the heck???
That's what I was thinking. Even in the Army, we never had a torque value so high. You just tighten it up snug with blue loctite, and you were good to go. Jeeez
@@Blackhorseveteran hahaha yeah I was in the army 4 years active duty. I don’t ever think I saw any kind of torque measuring device in the arms room.
Did he mean to say 15 inch-pounds?
Those rings are made by Seekins Precision, they state 50 in lbs to attach to rail and 15-18 in lbs for top of rings to scope.
50” lb is ridiculous for most bases.
18” lbs will crush a crossfire ii tube with a 4 screw ring. I know because 17”lbs does. Other brands hold up fine though.
It’s just the Chinese vortex crap that fails.
1:59
Make sure your magnification is set to the highest power
This former US Army Ranger sniper and sniper instructor says otherwise
ua-cam.com/video/COoXVpGfXQE/v-deo.html
If you watch the video and listen, he says to start with a low power to approximate your sweet spot, then increase the power to ensure it's the correct position.
Asian made scopes 🤦♂️ why can’t Vortex assemble them in the USA? One reason I buy Leupold and Nightforce. Assembled by Americans in America.
Assembled. The parts still come from China. Decades of good glass comes from Asia, we just don't do it as well here. I'd rather buy an import from an honest company than one that hides behind a half-true "made in USA" sticker.
Don't get me started on the weatherbys marked Sheridan on top and Turkey beneath the forened.
Another genus that uses level on upper turret. You never ever do this gee
Good comment. I have a Vortex Diamonback that, when you level the turrets to the base, the reticle looks canted to the right. I now never use levels...I just dial it in till it looks right.
Where do you put the scope level then?
I bet half of yall reading this comment are on the toilet right now. Im posting this comment from the toilet. Ok then, yall enjoy your day now, and drive safe!
Please remove magazine & check chamber !!
5 minutes my ass lollololol