Hawke Warranty
- Thread starter PopaSmurf
- Start date
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TimeRabbit did not say Blue locktite is OK on the base screws , I have no idea how it was made to look like that .
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JEFFPPC quoted your post and gave his own thoughts/reply in the same box as the quote.
I'm sure it was just a mistake on his part?
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Thanks WoodWelder I did not know that it was possible to add to someone's quote it seems like this could cause problems .
Sorry JEFFPPC definitely did not mean to offend.
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That is a flaw in the platform template that a member can click in the quote box and type away.
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I agree...Been using BKL products for many years and have never had an issue. When removing scopes used with their rings, never any ring marks left behind on the tubes and always a good solid platform with their bases. The folks make great products with their unique design., my go to source.
Kind of a poor mans Kelbly
Oh another thing....a "little" blue LT doesn't hurt anything in my personal opinion in proper aplication, never ever had a problem, only positive results
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any Loctite will lube the threads and change the actual applied torque if you're using a torque wrench on the screws or bolts. So your measurement will not be accurate.
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The last 3 scopes I've sent back to Hawke they have claimed we're overtorqued. I spoke to Mitch at Hawke last week about a replacement Airmax and we had a long talk. He said they visually inspect the scope and if they can see ring marks they count that as overtorquing and 90% of returns "show overtorquing".
I explained that if the tube was deformed a caliper would show some runout on the tube. That a scope that had been mounted a couple times may very well have visible marks on the finish but that does not mean the scope tube is deformed or overtorqued.
Before i sent the replacement scope back I visually inspected it. It had only been mounted for a few days and was in pristine condition. Sportsmatch mounts torqued at 15 inch pound using a calibrated Fat Wrench. Sportsmatch specs say 18 inch pounds. I put the calipers on the tube and there was zero run-out where the rings were. There was .006 on the tube right in front of the objective bell bend and .004 in front of the eyepiece bend.
I'm certain they will replace it. I'm certain it wasn't overtorqued. I'm certain they will say it was. I'm hoping the second replacement will perform as well as the original.
I've had a dozen Hawke scopes and they are a good scope for the price. I like them. But the tubes are not very durable and bend easily. A slight bump will bend them. I suspect some will tweak and bend with proper torque.
I have an old 1" lapping bar I lay in the saddles to insure the mounts are straight. You would be surprised at how crooked some mounts are. The Burris steel z rings and the Sportsmatch rings have been close to perfect. The others are hit and miss. Some would definitely have point bearing on an edge that could cause an impression in the tube even when torqued properly.
I have often used some sort of bedding on the modern scope finishes. The scratch resistant finishes slip easily where the polished finishes offer much better contact with the ring.
A little lacquer in the saddles work dandy to keep torque values on the screws low. I imagine vibra tite would work great. A thin coating of soft epoxy works great. CA glue works. So does the wicking type of silicone seam sealer. A little bedding in the saddles fills the texture in the scope finish and creates full contact with the rings without much torque. It's easy to remove and sidesteps a lot of problems on a hard kicking gun.
I explained that if the tube was deformed a caliper would show some runout on the tube. That a scope that had been mounted a couple times may very well have visible marks on the finish but that does not mean the scope tube is deformed or overtorqued.
Before i sent the replacement scope back I visually inspected it. It had only been mounted for a few days and was in pristine condition. Sportsmatch mounts torqued at 15 inch pound using a calibrated Fat Wrench. Sportsmatch specs say 18 inch pounds. I put the calipers on the tube and there was zero run-out where the rings were. There was .006 on the tube right in front of the objective bell bend and .004 in front of the eyepiece bend.
I'm certain they will replace it. I'm certain it wasn't overtorqued. I'm certain they will say it was. I'm hoping the second replacement will perform as well as the original.
I've had a dozen Hawke scopes and they are a good scope for the price. I like them. But the tubes are not very durable and bend easily. A slight bump will bend them. I suspect some will tweak and bend with proper torque.
I have an old 1" lapping bar I lay in the saddles to insure the mounts are straight. You would be surprised at how crooked some mounts are. The Burris steel z rings and the Sportsmatch rings have been close to perfect. The others are hit and miss. Some would definitely have point bearing on an edge that could cause an impression in the tube even when torqued properly.
I have often used some sort of bedding on the modern scope finishes. The scratch resistant finishes slip easily where the polished finishes offer much better contact with the ring.
A little lacquer in the saddles work dandy to keep torque values on the screws low. I imagine vibra tite would work great. A thin coating of soft epoxy works great. CA glue works. So does the wicking type of silicone seam sealer. A little bedding in the saddles fills the texture in the scope finish and creates full contact with the rings without much torque. It's easy to remove and sidesteps a lot of problems on a hard kicking gun.
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I have to believe Hawke is right about most returns being overtightening. I know lots and lots of shooters and I would say easily 90% of them over tighten, ans some by a massive amount. I know guys who use acraglass on bases and red loctite on rings! And that's on a 22LR! I've seen scopes so deformed that the turrets were locked up and huge dents in the tube, and the shooter bashing the cheap scope.
I bet it's been 20 years ago when I started preaching to stop over tightening scope rings and mounts.
The only trouble I've ever had was on springer and some of them can make you pull your hair out.
I bet it's been 20 years ago when I started preaching to stop over tightening scope rings and mounts.
The only trouble I've ever had was on springer and some of them can make you pull your hair out.
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Very true in what you said. It’s a shame That so many people don’t understand how to mount a scope.
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Hard kicking springers need a little extra help holding a scope. Especially with the "new" matte finishes. A dab of something in the saddle eliminates the need for overtorquing.
If a scope slips most guys reposition them and wrench them down a little tighter. The torque on the screws is not the problem. It's the slickness and profile of the scratch resistant finish on the scope tube. Often on matte alloy rings the saddle is finished the same way. It can be impossible to stop a scope from slipping without scratching up that finish or using some sort of bonding interface to create good contact.
A slipping scope can be cured instantly by spinning it in a piece of 400 grit paper where the rings and straps go around. Then profiling the finish on the rings the same way. It's ugly but it works every time. It gives more mechanical bond between the scope and mounts and increases the friction exponentially. You get the same effect by using a sticky interface that fills the profile on the finish.
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For a springer I wonder if anyone has tried double stick tape around the tube cut so as not to be seen when in the rings?? I tend too use 18 inlbs torque on ring screws.
I sold my springers because of the scope slipping issues, but also the action screws vibrating loose, etc, so not a concern anymore.
I sold my springers because of the scope slipping issues, but also the action screws vibrating loose, etc, so not a concern anymore.
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It's a struggle for sure. The thin double sided "tile tape" works good but the glue migrates out and is messy. I was always wiping the glue off.. especially in hot weather. And sooner or later the scope would start rotating.
I just got rid of the optics on most of mine and shoot them open sights. At airgun ranges it's (almost) as precise and much less hassle. At the moment I've only got one scoped air rifle...the one without open sights. I've got it glued in there with lacquer and it's been stable for many Hundreds of shots.
From my experience a scope on a springer is constant problems. Sooner or later it twists, slips or the POI shifts. Thermal shift is real. Getting a rail low enough with some drop compensation is a challenge. You wind up with $100 invested in mounts and rails that put the scope up too high or your cranking up the elevation to compensate. Optics on a springer have been one issue after the other. When you finally get it figured out and working right the scope takes a dump on you.
Open sights sidestep that whole circus. I can shoot thousands of trouble free shots for cheap. I've decided not to spend any more on optics and shoot the springers bare.
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