How to Tighten the Scope Rings? You Need to Learn this!

Rifles usually produce recoil. If this recoil is too strong, then it makes the scope get a bit loose on the rifle. When a scope is not tightly bound with the rifle, then it does not give you very stable visuals, and you end up missing your target due to loose scope.

If you come across this issue, then you might consider tightening the scope rings to ensure that the scope remains firm at its place, and doesn’t move due to strong recoil. Yes, the idea is right – but do you know how to tighten scope rings? This is an issue.

Small mistakes while tightening the scope rings can create serious issues even too tight scope rings can damage your scopes. But you don’t need to worry as I am going to give you an exact method of tightening the scope rings so that you avoid committing mistakes.

Related Article: How to Measure Scope Ring Height?

What are Scope Rings?

Scope rings are small, metal-made rings that are used to secure a scope onto a rifle. It won’t be wrong if I say they are holders that keep the scope intact or attached to the rifle. They are available in different sizes and you can choose which fits your scope and rifle.

The primary purpose of scope rings is to ensure that the scope remains securely attached to the rifle. When you shoot, your rifle produces recoil which can displace the scope. But these scope rings, your scope will remain firm at its own place.

How to Tighten the Scope Rings?

As I said earlier in the introduction, the shooters fail to tighten the ring properly and end up either damaging their scope or getting inaccurate due to parallax error caused due to too much tightening of the scope rings. But I don’t want you to suffer through that. 

This is why I am going to give you a step-by-step process that will help you in tightening the scope rings properly. So without any more delays let’s get started!

Also Read: How to Lap Scope Rings?

1- Arrange the Required Tools

First thing first, you will need to have some tools and without these tools, you won’t be able to tighten the scope rings properly. I highly recommend you buy the scope toolkit because if you are a shooter, and use a scope with a rifle, you will come across needing those tools more often than not. Here is the list of the tools that you will need for tightening the scope rings.

• Torque wrench
• Screwdriver
• Cleaning clothes.

A torque wrench is a must-have tool. Many people don’t use this torque wrench, so they just tighten the screws randomly without knowing the torque. So, they end up tightening the scope rings too much which is obviously not a good thing.

2- Clean the Rings and Bases

Before mounting the scope and tightening the scope rings, you will have to clean the scope rings properly and make sure that the rings don’t have any dust. If there remains any dust or the base contains any contaminants, then your scope won’t fit perfectly. So, when you shoot, the scope will move due to the recoil and you won’t get perfect accuracy.

This is why I highly recommend you clean the surface, and it will help to prevent any unwanted movement. In fact, you should use a cleaning cloth to wipe the surfaces of the rings and bases. These small mistakes can have a big impact so make sure to clean properly.

3- Mount and Position the Scope

The time has arrived to mount the scope on the rifle and position it in the desired location. Make sure that the scope is level and aligned with the rifle barrel. Tighten the base screws to secure the scope in place. Once the scope is placed in a perfect position, then you will have to tighten the rings to ensure that the scope remains firm in its position.

Once the scope is placed in the proper place, then you should Insert the screws through the scope rings and into the bases. Make sure that you’re using the correct screws for your setup. If your rings have multiple screws, then I highly recommend you to thread each screw loosely to ensure the scope doesn’t move around.

4- Tighten the Rings by using Use a Torque Wrench

Using a torque wrench, tighten the screws on the scope rings evenly. It is important to use a torque wrench to ensure that the screws are tightened to the correct torque. Over-tightening can damage the scope, while under-tightening can result in the scope moving during use.

Before using the torque wrench, I suggest you use a screwdriver to tighten the screws.  In the end, you must use the torque wrench so that you get the best and optimal tightness, use a torque wrench. Make sure not to tighten the scope rings too much as over-tightening the rings can have a bad impact on the performance of the scope.

Point to Remember: Always tighten the scope ring according to the torque recommendation of the manufacturer. Don’t tighten too much, neither too loose.  You can ask the manufacturer about the recommended 

5- Check Alignment

Once the scope rings are tightened, then you should always check the alignment of the scope. For testing, you can use the scope, and see through it, and ensure that the crosshairs are level and centered. If necessary, make any adjustments to the scope until it is properly aligned.

Also Read: What Does 4×32 Scope Mean?

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Tightening the Scope Rings

As you have read above, the process of tightening the scope rings is not very easy, and you will need some practice to keep the job done. However, during my research to write this article, I found that people make some common mistakes while tightening the scope rings which affect their accuracy. 

But I don’t want my readers to commit those mistakes. That’s why I am going to discuss those common problems so that you have a good experience while tightening the scope rings.  So without any more delay, let’s drill down and learn about those mistakes.

• Newbies usually Over-tight the screws of scope rings which is not a good thing. If you do this, then it can cause damage to the scope or rifle.
• Uneven tightening of screws can cause misalignment issues. Usually, when you don’t use torque wrenches you end up tightening the scope unevenly. This is why I highly recommend you use the torque wrench and tighten the screws evenly.
• Never use the wrong tools such as pliers or a screwdriver that is too small. Using the wrong tools doesn’t make your job easier – instead, they make you frustrated and you start thinking about giving up.

Also Read: Where Are Arken Scopes Made?

Frequently Asked Questions