Posted: 7/15/2012 8:28:45 PM EDT
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Mounting optics...do it yourself or have it done at a shop?
Advantages of shop doing it...they have tools I don't have like levels, something to hold a rifle while working on it, bore sighter and they have experience. The cons are cost, time, travel.. Advantages /disadvantages of me doing it...just flip the above. On the surface it's not a difficult thing to do by any means but I also know someone with experience can do a much better job overall... This scope is the Leupold VX-R 1.25-4x20 Pig Plex with a Burris PEPR mount going on my AA 50 Beowulf......what says the brain trust? I honestly just want to do it myself because of it's simplicity but then I think about not even having a way to make it perfectly level and I change my mind....what do ya'll say? |
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like chuck said "it ain't brain surgery" or they're be a lot of messed up people; but scope mounting is easily accomplished with a bit of knowledge and some common sense.
when I'm feeling to lazy to hit the shop to mount the rifle in a cradle I just put the bipod on the rifle and a bag under the stock. then I secure the mount/base/bottom of rings to the rifle, place the scope into the bottom rings, put the ring caps on a put the screws in loosely to just hold the cap to the scope but still allow it to move fairly easy, I then adjust eye relief and level the crosshairs, then tighten the screws a little at a time/equal until the scope is held securely checking now and again to ensure the crosshairs haven't pulled one way to the other; tighten the screws to a max of approx 20 in/lbs. here's a link to a write up about proper torque, the "fat wrench" pictured isn't the best but it's good for most of gun owners needs and worth adding one to your gun tool inventory. because it is possible to indent/crease a scope tube with the stronger ring sets without breaking a cap screw; I've done it with both allen wrenches and screw/torqs head drivers. http://www.shootingtimes.com/2010/09/23/optics_st_mountingmistakes_200812/ |
| So you need a torque wrench type wrench for the scope mount...I guess I could do it myself by feel erroring on the side of not being tight enough and then have it checked by a smith next time I'm at the range. I'm eager to see it mounted, can you tell? Hopefully the Burris PEPR is going to work, I keep seeing people say they had to switch to high mounts. |
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you really oughta try it yourself.
its a pretty simple way to get your toe wet in the working on a AR pool. you would have to do something completely against all common sense to screw it up. even then it would be easy to fix. and as for a bore sighter, you can literally do just that. secure the upper, remove the BCG and look down the bore. then adjust the scope to the same place. that'll get you close. |
| The bore sighter is not just for this, we have several guns that could benefit from a bore site, rifles and handguns both. The only scope I ever mounted myself, several years ago, I did by just marking a target and looking down the barrel so I'm familiar with the process. Not having access to an outdoor range and only short distance indoor ranges it's nice to be able to get sights close before shooting. |
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Quoted:
Had a Burris PEPR and I say it sit just right not to low not to high I will buy one again when needed . I used one to mount my Nikon 22 scope on my M&P15-22...I really like them. I'm just concerned it won't be high enough because others have said they had to switch to higher scope rings on the Beowulf but I don't know why, I guess I'll find out :-) |
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The bore sighter is not just for this, we have several guns that could benefit from a bore site, rifles and handguns both. The only scope I ever mounted myself, several years ago, I did by just marking a target and looking down the barrel so I'm familiar with the process. Not having access to an outdoor range and only short distance indoor ranges it's nice to be able to get sights close before shooting.
yes, it is. i was chasing the sights, off the paper at 100yds sun with irons. |
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Quoted:
So you need a torque wrench type wrench for the scope mount...I guess I could do it myself by feel erroring on the side of not being tight enough and then have it checked by a smith next time I'm at the range. I'm eager to see it mounted, can you tell? Hopefully the Burris PEPR is going to work, I keep seeing people say they had to switch to high mounts. a torque wrench isn't absolutely necessary it just makes it easier for you not to over tighten the screws. I've got a couple of the pepr mounts and unless your head is the size of a basketball you're not going to need higher mounts 
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Do it yourself. Dad bought a rifle the other day that was supposedly set up by one of the "experts" at the shop. We went to sight it it and it would be almost there and then move. After handing me the rifle and 10 or so shots it try to see how tight the rings were mated to the mount––finger tight. I busted my screwdriver out and torqued the ring and Whamo, we were busting golf balls.
BTW, you will love the Hog Plex. That is what is on my AR. |