Ring Lapping

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  • 85_Ranger4x4
    Warrior
    • Nov 2016
    • 264

    Ring Lapping

    Wanting to lap the mounts on my Grendel when I get a scope for it, no idea what to look for.

    Midway has a Wheeler set, comes with the paste and both 1" and 30mm tools for $50. I like that it also has two pointed bars so you can actually check to see how much they are out of alignment too.

    Brownell's has a Sinclair tool, just a solid bar with a handle for $50.

    Never been that impressed with Wheeler steel tools before, anyone tried them? Better options out there?
  • NugginFutz
    Chieftain
    • Aug 2013
    • 2622

    #2
    Mine works just fine. I know what you mean about some of the Wheeler tools, such as that worse than nothing punch set with minuscule brass hammer. The lapping tool, on the other hand, has proven itself to be, well, a bar of steel with a handle that you move back and forth with lapping compound. It has yet to evaporate or bend.
    If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

    Comment

    • 85_Ranger4x4
      Warrior
      • Nov 2016
      • 264

      #3
      Originally posted by NugginFutz View Post
      Mine works just fine. I know what you mean about some of the Wheeler tools, such as that worse than nothing punch set with minuscule brass hammer. The lapping tool, on the other hand, has proven itself to be, well, a bar of steel with a handle that you move back and forth with lapping compound. It has yet to evaporate or bend.
      I had the wet noodle punch set. My clamshell works great though...

      Didn't know if the bars would be really soft or if there was a way to cheap out on making them. I see for another $30 you can get them in a hard plastic case with the torque wrench too which I really like the looks of.

      Comment

      • NugginFutz
        Chieftain
        • Aug 2013
        • 2622

        #4
        If you don't have a F.A.T. wrench or the equivalent, then I strongly recommend going with the hard case and wrench. Mine were all purchased separately and are, therefore, kept in various plastic boxes or cases.
        If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

        Comment

        • jackwagon
          Warrior
          • Jul 2017
          • 127

          #5
          I have the full kit with wrench, has worked good on the 3 sets of rings that I have done. $89 on amazon with prime.

          Comment

          • 204 AR
            Warrior
            • Sep 2015
            • 239

            #6
            I've never lapped a ring, not saying you shouldn't. But something to think about with those pointed bars. Just because they may point at each other, doesn't mean your rings are lined up. If you think about it, it makes sense.

            Comment

            • Sticks
              Chieftain
              • Dec 2016
              • 1922

              #7
              I've mounted 5 optics in the last year, one Nightforce Unit mount, One burris P.E.P.R, Two Badger Ord. Steel and one Badger Alloy.

              All needed lapping - to the point where the first run removing the anodizing showed where the high spots were. On the Badger Alloy, it was on one side. On the steel rings, it was the front 1/2. The Nightforce was fairly consistent, and the Burris...well I can't remember. The badger rings (both the alloy and steel) were very tough anodizing and metal. Took quite a while to get them down to minimal anodizing. Had to break out the drill and use the whip attachment in my wheeler set. Just like honing a cylinder.

              Point being, it's worth it to lap them, unless you are tossing a $200 scope in them and are not concerned with minor marking or denting of the tube.
              Sticks

              Catchy sig line here.

              Comment

              • NugginFutz
                Chieftain
                • Aug 2013
                • 2622

                #8
                Originally posted by Sticks View Post
                I've mounted 5 optics in the last year, one Nightforce Unit mount, One burris P.E.P.R, Two Badger Ord. Steel and one Badger Alloy.

                All needed lapping - to the point where the first run removing the anodizing showed where the high spots were. On the Badger Alloy, it was on one side. On the steel rings, it was the front 1/2. The Nightforce was fairly consistent, and the Burris...well I can't remember. The badger rings (both the alloy and steel) were very tough anodizing and metal. Took quite a while to get them down to minimal anodizing. Had to break out the drill and use the whip attachment in my wheeler set. Just like honing a cylinder.

                Point being, it's worth it to lap them, unless you are tossing a $200 scope in them and are not concerned with minor marking or denting of the tube.
                Well said. My experiences shadow yours fairly closely. I lapped a P.E.P.R. and it was about the same as the others, with high spots running down the middle of both the base and upper caps. The only mount which made me question whether or not i needed to lap was an ADM with a 20moa cant. Very minor lapping was needed and I doubt it would have hurt the scope. But hey, now I know the rings are straight and true. That's called piece of mind.

                Just one last thing, though. The first set of rings I lapped were a set of Talley's, mounted on a bolt rifle. They were ok, for the most part, but definitely benefitted from the lapping. I recently traded the scope that had been on the rifle. Upon removal I noticed what looked like minor wear on the tube where the rings made contact. The fellow I traded it to sent me a message telling me how much he liked the scope, and noted that the only "defect" to the scope was the very easily removed lapping compound on the tube. I had a cringe worthy moment when I read that. I had obviously not cleaned off the lapping compound as thoroughly as I should have. Fortunately, properly torquing the rings prevented any motion which would have engraved the scope tube. I was told the tube was in perfect condition, so we both dodged a proverbial bullet.
                If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

                Comment

                • bj139
                  Chieftain
                  • Mar 2017
                  • 1968

                  #9
                  Originally posted by NugginFutz View Post
                  Well said. My experiences shadow yours fairly closely. I lapped a P.E.P.R. and it was about the same as the others, with high spots running down the middle of both the base and upper caps. The only mount which made me question whether or not i needed to lap was an ADM with a 20moa cant. Very minor lapping was needed and I doubt it would have hurt the scope. But hey, now I know the rings are straight and true. That's called piece of mind.

                  Just one last thing, though. The first set of rings I lapped were a set of Talley's, mounted on a bolt rifle. They were ok, for the most part, but definitely benefitted from the lapping. I recently traded the scope that had been on the rifle. Upon removal I noticed what looked like minor wear on the tube where the rings made contact. The fellow I traded it to sent me a message telling me how much he liked the scope, and noted that the only "defect" to the scope was the very easily removed lapping compound on the tube. I had a cringe worthy moment when I read that. I had obviously not cleaned off the lapping compound as thoroughly as I should have. Fortunately, properly torquing the rings prevented any motion which would have engraved the scope tube. I was told the tube was in perfect condition, so we both dodged a proverbial bullet.
                  It sound like that grit could have firmly anchored your scope in the rings. Interesting concept. Maybe like rosin?

                  Comment

                  • 85_Ranger4x4
                    Warrior
                    • Nov 2016
                    • 264

                    #10
                    Originally posted by NugginFutz View Post
                    If you don't have a F.A.T. wrench or the equivalent, then I strongly recommend going with the hard case and wrench. Mine were all purchased separately and are, therefore, kept in various plastic boxes or cases.
                    I don't have a fat wrench yet either, I have wanted one for awhile. Getting it and a case seems like a pretty good deal for $30 more than just the rods.


                    Originally posted by Sticks View Post
                    Point being, it's worth it to lap them, unless you are tossing a $200 scope in them and are not concerned with minor marking or denting of the tube.
                    It will probably just be a $200 scope anyway. When I switched my cheapie tasco from my AR-47 to my grendel (that started out on my muzzleloader) I noticed the the body was dented and dinged up from the rings. I had read about people lapping the scope mounts and thought it would probably be good to do before I got a "nice" scope for it.

                    Comment

                    • Sticks
                      Chieftain
                      • Dec 2016
                      • 1922

                      #11
                      Oh yeah. I can't imagine the emotional crying like a little girl episode I would feel when removing the caps on my $2800 HD scope and see two matching sets of creases in the tube from the rings. I'd pitch a fit with my $900 scope.
                      Sticks

                      Catchy sig line here.

                      Comment

                      • JJA Guns
                        Bloodstained
                        • Nov 2017
                        • 34

                        #12
                        In my experience cheap rings need to be lapped about 70% of the time. High dollar rings about 10%. The wheeler bars work really well, as does their torque wrench. Been using mine for about 12 years, still going.

                        Comment

                        • tracker12
                          Warrior
                          • Dec 2017
                          • 163

                          #13
                          In 40 years of shooting I have never lapped a set of rings. In my experience if you buy quality products you never have a problem.
                          AR's make shooting fun again!

                          Comment

                          • bj139
                            Chieftain
                            • Mar 2017
                            • 1968

                            #14
                            I bought the Wheeler kit from Midway months ago but have yet to use it.
                            I guess I have a wintertime project on a lot of scopes.

                            Comment

                            • PVBoom
                              Warrior
                              • Oct 2017
                              • 406

                              #15
                              Originally posted by tracker12 View Post
                              In 40 years of shooting I have never lapped a set of rings. In my experience if you buy quality products you never have a problem.
                              This.

                              No lapping done or issues with my A.R.M.S. or Seekins rings. The Warnes are OK also. It's down to the quality of the rings.

                              Comment

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