SBH Hunter Scope Rings

For those who have one of these excellent revolvers, what do you use to tighten the scope rings base onto the barrel rib?

None of my screwdrivers is thick enough for a good fit, which resulted in a little mishap to my stainless finish. I just left Home Depot and the thickest screwdriver they sold was still a sloppy fit.

I was able to use my largest screwdriver but it still did not fit the full slot. Per my local gun shop gun smith - most don't tighten these screws enough. I tightened & loosened several times as I also worked the rings to the scope. I now feel that I could remove the scope and reinstall it and be reasonably on paper (assuming I had too during a hunting trip).

you can simply use a coin, worked for us years ago,,,,,,less chance of slipping and boogering screws slots OR the surface of the gun when it slips..............
yes there are "short" handled, large sized tip screwdrivers available for Brownells....have them at the work bench.......and NO do NOT over tighten 8) :roll: :wink:




as 'mn' pointed out above, put them on and off a few times, work the meshing parts into a better "fit"....

sjs said:

For those who have one of these excellent revolvers, what do you use to tighten the scope rings base onto the barrel rib?

None of my screwdrivers is thick enough for a good fit, which resulted in a little mishap to my stainless finish. I just left Home Depot and the thickest screwdriver they sold was still a sloppy fit.

Click to expand...

*****

As rugerguy says, try a coin. Hold a nickel or quarter in a ViseGrip or plier to tighten the clamp screw on Ruger rings. Alternatively, the blade of a large screwdriver may be filed or ground to match slots of the clamp screws.

Fingernail polish applied to clean threads secures the ring. Otherwise, recoil and vibration may loosen the clamp screw. These screws are too short to fully bite threads in the ring.

1) Apply fingernail polish to CLEAN bolt and ring threads.
1) Set rings on rib. Push forward to remove slack and finger-tighten.
2) Set scope in rings. Adjust eye relief. Level crosshairs. Tighten rings on scope.
4) Tighten rings to barrel rib.

David Bradshaw

The ID of the rings I just installed were extremely rough and undersized so I use 400 and 600 grit paper around an under sized dowel to lap them some. I also used a feeler gauge in the gap of the cap side to side as I tightened the screws. I asked my local gunsmith about loc-tite and he said he doesn't use it (finger nail polish would have a similar effect). I can say that there can be careers made out of threaded fastener torque/tension studies/theories and if and what type of thread locker to use or not. It on screw/bolt is properly tensioned it gets to the point where it acts like a spring. When in this condition thread locker isn't adding any additional resistance to backing out. Unfortunately this point can be close to the point where it can break, so we all tend to under tension screws/bolts. And I can most definatily state that "standard" torque tables are only a starting place to attempt to achieve the desired tension - there are far to many variables for torque to tension for be able to be used for critical applications with out some true experiments done. While I wish I installed enough scopes to justify purchasing a Wheeler Fat Wrench - my method was to use the supplied L-wrench and torque evenly back and forth until my fingers were uncomfortable with the pressure. No loctite. Note that loc-title or finger nail polish will act like a lubricant while installing the screws and for me that mean less feel of the torque/tension. About a year ago I sat through a two day training session from a major bolt supplier (Wurth) on this subject and they advocate using a elongation calculation method - tighten to the mechanical stop (just past finger tight) (this assumes your parts are all metal to metal) then a calculated amount of rotation (using the thread pitch) to put the bolt into its "spring" phase. I will say that 20 years ago I mounted my 30.06 Ruger rifle scope this way (no loc-tite) and really tight screws and have never had it move - have only re-zeroed it when I wanted to change the zero from 100 yds to 150 yds for a western elk hunt.

A quarter seems to fit reasonably well.

I use a Wheeler FAT (Fire Arm Torque) driver which came with a tip that fits the slots perfectly.

I use a bit of blue thread locker, and tighten them to 30 inch lbs.

I use these.
https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/sight-scope-installation-tools/scope-ring-wrenches/magna-tip-windage-clamp-screw-bits-prod492.aspx

Rumrunner said:

I use these.
https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/sight-scope-installation-tools/scope-ring-wrenches/magna-tip-windage-clamp-screw-bits-prod492.aspx

Click to expand...

Would you happen to know if these wrench handles are a standard size? I have a B Square magna tip screwdriver set and I need to get a Brownells set for Ruger single action screwdriver bits. Maybe I need three separate handles but maybe not.

Just because a screw slot isn't a common size offered by the good old boys hardware store,,, does NOT mean you can not get a PROPERLY fitting screwdriver or driver bit.
I have gunsmithing screwdrivers, and I have a total of 4 proper fitting bits for these rings. A single bit is not expensive,,, you just have to order one. In the long run, you'd be better served if you bought a gunsmithing screwdriver set anyway. Even one of the lesser expensive ones can prevent ruined or buggered screw heads.

contender said:

Just because a screw slot isn't a common size offered by the good old boys hardware store,,, does NOT mean you can not get a PROPERLY fitting screwdriver or driver bit.
I have gunsmithing screwdrivers, and I have a total of 4 proper fitting bits for these rings. A single bit is not expensive,,, you just have to order one. In the long run, you'd be better served if you bought a gunsmithing screwdriver set anyway. Even one of the lesser expensive ones can prevent ruined or buggered screw heads.

Click to expand...

I am not a gunsmith, nor particularly handy, but I do attempt some things from time to time. I got the B-Square 28 bit set years ago with hopes it would be suitable for most work I would do on a firearm and it is surprising how many times it does not have the bit I need.

Is there a screwdriver kit/set that you think is likely to handle most revolver chores?
I have double and single actions and most all are Rugers. How big a set is needed?

sjs,

I bough a kit from brownells years ago and the bits fit their screwdrivers. I also have a stubby screwdriver from Lowes or Menards and the bits fit in them as well.

Also Brownells sells kits that are gun specific, and "Shop Ruger" also has some.

sjs,,, I bought the professional Wheeler kit several years back to supplement my hodgepodge of Brownells, Chapmans & odd bits I'd accumulated. Never regretted it.

A quarter has always worked for me

I use one of these. Spark plug gap taper gauge.

I use a nickel coin in a pair of pliers and tighten until the nickel begins to bend.
I have used this method for 40+ years and never damaged a screw or had a mount loosen.