I remember these little black padding strips came either with the scope, or with the mount. I put them in and now one has drifted out. Is it necessary to have this? If so, what do I replace it with? Or can I just clamp it down metal to metal?
Another springer scope mount question.
- Thread starter ITACUD
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Between the ring and the scope you mean? Keeps from marking the scope and provides extra grip on some mounts. Why did it come out? Would make me wonder if the scope was slipping.
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That tape is put there on cheap mounts to make up for the poor tolerances of the mount. The call the tape friction tape and they say it's to prevent slipping. It actually promotes slipping because it's a compressible material held in place by an adhesive that melts in the heat.
You should be able to remove the tape. Clean the gooey adhesive off the rings and scope with mineral spirits or nail polish remover. Dry all the parts and reinstall the scope.
Good rings have perfect semi circles to fit the scope tube. No tape is needed to make up for sloppy cheap castings.
I always recommend genuine Sportsmatch rings. On the Hw30s use the Sportsmatch T02C. They use a larger rolled spring steel pin with adjustable depth. They hold secure without leaving a mark if your smart enough to read instructions. Genuine Sportsmatch rings are made in the UK specifically for 11mm airgun dovetails. Their machining, materials and hardware is light years better than the Hawke knock offs of them or any other cheap Chinese rings like the UTG. And they aren't expensive. AoA has them. The T02C are medium height and work well on the Hw30s and 50s. I use the T04C double bolt models on the Hw95 and stronger springers.
You should be able to remove the tape. Clean the gooey adhesive off the rings and scope with mineral spirits or nail polish remover. Dry all the parts and reinstall the scope.
Good rings have perfect semi circles to fit the scope tube. No tape is needed to make up for sloppy cheap castings.
I always recommend genuine Sportsmatch rings. On the Hw30s use the Sportsmatch T02C. They use a larger rolled spring steel pin with adjustable depth. They hold secure without leaving a mark if your smart enough to read instructions. Genuine Sportsmatch rings are made in the UK specifically for 11mm airgun dovetails. Their machining, materials and hardware is light years better than the Hawke knock offs of them or any other cheap Chinese rings like the UTG. And they aren't expensive. AoA has them. The T02C are medium height and work well on the Hw30s and 50s. I use the T04C double bolt models on the Hw95 and stronger springers.
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Ya to whats said above. Funny thing in your other post on mounts i was going to bring up that one screw ring cap deal and say be sure you go with a 4 screw cap. With 4 screw its hard enugh to toque proper to hold to springer recoil.
You maybe better without the pad in and have metal to metal grip? Ya, the ol' springer scope chase .. bright side is your gaining experience.. thats golden.
You maybe better without the pad in and have metal to metal grip? Ya, the ol' springer scope chase .. bright side is your gaining experience.. thats golden.
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Not a fan and never have been of the one screw ring caps. Yes, Hawke uses friction tape in their rings but in 35+ sets of them and they're my own personal favorites, I've never had that tape come out of a single set, even on a hard recoiling 24fpe springer.
I've also never had a single scope slip in them on any number of brands of rifles I've owned or still do. By all means, take what I said with a grain of salt since that's my own personal experience with them, I've had very good luck with them and why I've kept using them on my guns for the 7+ years I've been shooting.
I've also never had a single scope slip in them on any number of brands of rifles I've owned or still do. By all means, take what I said with a grain of salt since that's my own personal experience with them, I've had very good luck with them and why I've kept using them on my guns for the 7+ years I've been shooting.
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I have both Hawke and Sportsmatch. I prefer the fit and finish of the Sportsmatch to the Hawke but I’ve had zero issues with either. I’m gonna jump on the dog pile with everyone else and suggest you get some mounts with a 4 screw cap. Particularly if that’s on your 97?
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I suggest BKL mounts. They have an excellent line up of products and are made in The Great state of Texas.
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I actually have a set and no complaints. Had a picture in my head of silver scope mounts to go along with the silver parts on the butt pad and cheek riser of the Craftsman Vit stock I had coming for my HW95.
Looked around the several forums I'm a member of for posts about the BKL's and while I did find a few complaints, most comments were very good ones so I went ahead and ordered the set of 263 S double strap rings I'd been looking at. Also went to the local hardware store and matched the factory stock screws to a set of stainless ones. Again, no complaints and they've stayed put for a bit over 800 shots now.
At the end of the day, everyone has their favorites. They usually came about after a given shooter bought and tried a few, stuck with the ones they liked best and you can find many of us here suggesting the ones we like when someone asks...lol
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I imagine the radius of the hole is wrong without the tape. Does it match the scope tube now? If it doesn't at very least you're gonna get some ring marks. Might affect your ability to zoom as well. I personally don't seem to have any problems with various brands as some seem to. Only Sportsmatch I have are on my Daystate which is recoiless and in this case they are really overkill. I never needed bank vault rings for my .22RF's so why would I need them on a recoiless? The scope tube slipping has never even been an issue on any of my many springers. Have to say BKL are nice because they mount your scope squarely over the barrel. Side clamp mounts don't ever quite accomplish that. I have single strap BKL on my magnum Tomahawk (22 ftlb) and the scope tube has not slipped yet after several shooting sessions. I tried them because I had them here on hand
If the shoe doesn't fit don't wear it.
If the shoe doesn't fit don't wear it.
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Thanks everyone, between the advice here, and on my other thread, I think I'm just gonna start over with scope mounts and buy something recommended here.
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I for one cannot give a definitive answer. I have a Diana 54 Air King Pro, recoilless and it is alleged one of the guns to be super destructive of scopes. The need for a tight fit both to the scope and the rings to the gun may have to do with the recoil impulse, impulses being contained within the air gun cylinder barrel assembly and attached scope, On my other recoilless rifle, a FWB 300 that is what I can see occuring, although I only have ever had the factory diopters mounted on it.
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People like what they have. If it works for them God bless.
I will tell you the Sportsmatch are a better design and better made than BKLs. Primarily because the BKLs have been known to slip because there's no recoil pin.
The part about the BKLs tighting evenly is a non issue. All rings tighten evenly. This is different than being centered. For that the BKLs are much better than the cheap Chinese Hawke or UTG. The Sportsmatch are made specifically for 11mm airgun dovetails so they are centered within a few thousandths of an inch when tightened.
The Sportsmatch rings don't need any bogus tape to make up for sloppy tolerances. They are also made with better materials and fasteners. The dovetail clamps will hold the recommended 53 in lbs with no problem. The Hawkes and UTGs will strip long before that.
The Sportsmatch rings and caps fit the round scope tube perfectly. They secure my heavy Airmax scopes on my 20 fpe R1 with only 16 in lbs of torque.
I know I sound like a broken record about this. In fact there's people here that mock me about it. Frankly I don't care. This is mechanical tangible facts not bias.
Use what you like.
I will tell you the Sportsmatch are a better design and better made than BKLs. Primarily because the BKLs have been known to slip because there's no recoil pin.
The part about the BKLs tighting evenly is a non issue. All rings tighten evenly. This is different than being centered. For that the BKLs are much better than the cheap Chinese Hawke or UTG. The Sportsmatch are made specifically for 11mm airgun dovetails so they are centered within a few thousandths of an inch when tightened.
The Sportsmatch rings don't need any bogus tape to make up for sloppy tolerances. They are also made with better materials and fasteners. The dovetail clamps will hold the recommended 53 in lbs with no problem. The Hawkes and UTGs will strip long before that.
The Sportsmatch rings and caps fit the round scope tube perfectly. They secure my heavy Airmax scopes on my 20 fpe R1 with only 16 in lbs of torque.
I know I sound like a broken record about this. In fact there's people here that mock me about it. Frankly I don't care. This is mechanical tangible facts not bias.
Use what you like.
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Ron, Please don't get tired of posting your insight and experience. Even if there's some opinion mixed in sometimes, I like it and we need it. Often these questions come up. Either from new members or new springer shooters or seasoned guys that have been reading somewhere else for a while. Good info!
Ron, You maybe, and probably are, right about the 56 in lbs, but why on earth would anyone need to torque the rail screws that tight?
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One thing I've run in to was the clamp jaw needed to be turned around . Dont know if one way fits 3/4 and turned to be 11mm. Or put on wrong at factory..
Anyway somthing to check before you crank the screws down..
Anyway somthing to check before you crank the screws down..
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I wrote 53 and 16 in lbs because that's what I've been using. I just double checked and I was wrong. Sportsmatch recommends 55 in lbs on rings with 5mm dovetail clamp screws and 38 in lbs on mounts with 4mm dovetail clamp screws. They recommend 15 in lbs for the caps. Not 16 as I suggested. Their Weaver clamps are tightened to 28.
As far as why tighten them that much? Because you can without hurting anything and it ensures that they don't move and damage the gun by relying mostly on the recoil pin. Recoil pins can elongate and sometimes plow through the receiver with Cheap and or improperly installed rings.
Most scope mounts use small threaded set screws with smaller tips as recoil pins. These screws aren't usually even centered to the dovetail so they ride the side of the hole. Which isn't ideal. Also the small tip focuses the load in a small area which can elongate or plow through the receiver. Plowing usually is a result of the set screw or pin not being fully engaged in the hole. This IMO is from improper installation. Some people have said that the set screw can work it's way out of the hole from vibration and then plow when the engagement becomes too shallow.
Either way Sportsmatch uses a substantial rolled spring steel pin that is pressed into the ring. It's height /depth is adjustable. With a larger smooth sided press fit pin there's no chance of it vibrating out and or damaging the receiver when installed correctly.
There's reasons behind my recommendations.
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I think i said this before ? Some cheap mounts the aluminum used is soft and i found the screw holes so to say would crush/compress under the screws head and cause the loosenss i may can get a picture of this if i hold my mouth just right with this crummy device camera..lol
The best i could do how the screw head can crush out the holes shoulder
The best i could do how the screw head can crush out the holes shoulder
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No one laps their scope rings anymore?
Granted, manufacturing tolerances have greatly improved over the years, but lapping the rings can only improve the accuracy of a given rifle scope.
Granted, manufacturing tolerances have greatly improved over the years, but lapping the rings can only improve the accuracy of a given rifle scope.
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I see that BKL rings and mounts are manufactured from aluminum; their “self-alignment“ feature is accomplished by relief cuts and flexing.
No thanks. I’ll stick to my old-school materials and continue using steel rings and lapping them.
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