Has anyone ruined a scope mounting it? Leupold VX-6

[NevadaMike]

I have been happy with my Leupold VX-5 scopes so I bough two new VX-6 scopes to upgrade one and one for a new rifle. I used the proper sequence and increased torque gradually making my way around the rings. I have the Wheeler mounting set and I am reasonably mechanical understand torque etc. While torquing down the rear Tally ring on my Fierce 300 PRC I remembering hearing a very slight click/snap I thought was strange. I would need to go back to the Leupold info but I believe maximum torque was 18-20 inch pounds. I doubt the Wheeler is a super quality torque wrench but I have mounted several before with in without problems. I did not lap the scope rings and there was not an obvious dent in the scope when removed. These same rings were used with the VX-5 and not removed before installing the new scope.

The scope was very hard to sight in and when I was getting close to a final zero at around round 18 the scope went blurry. The side focus would not make the image clear. While attempting to return to minimum magnification the zoom stuck at 5 and would not go lower. I brought it back up to 10 and shook it a bit. The zoom went back to 3 with I slight hesitation at the 5X setting combined with a catch and a click. I returned them both to the store.

Thoughts?

 

[huntnful]

That's a bummer Mike. But it sounds you did everything right. It was just a scope failure. You can over torque a scope, but not with 18in lbs. I would assume the cracking sound would have been a crack in the ring itself, since I've seen two sets of talley break right there by the bolt holes. But since the scope was malfunctioning, it sounds like something busted loose inside it during the mounting process.

 

[hicountry1]

Leupold has been on a roll....

 

[redneckbmxer24]

99% chance your rings were not perfectly in line and it stressed the optic, scopes don't like that. If you're not going to use a high quality one piece mount or lap your rings at the very least you need to use alignment bars to check the rings. I'd bet money that if you clamped alignment bars into those rings they wouldn't line up.

But it's easier to blame the optic than a mount or mounting issue.

 

[wapitibob]

you absolutely can flex a scope tube with a scope ring

 

[hicountry1]

99% chance your rings were not perfectly in line and it stressed the optic, scopes don't like that. If you're not going to use a high quality one piece mount or lap your rings at the very least you need to use alignment bars to check the rings. I'd bet money that if you clamped alignment bars into those rings they wouldn't line up.

But it's easier to blame the optic than a mount or mounting issue.

What's interesting, is that before I mount and torque the top half of the rings, I place a scope to be mounted in the rings, and make sure it freely moves, obviously prior to mounting the top half of the rings.

Easy alignment test. I've never had one bind, and I almost exclusively use Talley LWs.

I find it hard to believe bases, and or action is that far out of alignment as to cause a scope to fail as described.

I stand by my statement....Leupold is on a roll.....a freaking VX6 to boot......

 

[NevadaMike]

99% chance your rings were not perfectly in line and it stressed the optic, scopes don't like that. If you're not going to use a high quality one piece mount or lap your rings at the very least you need to use alignment bars to check the rings. I'd bet money that if you clamped alignment bars into those rings they wouldn't line up.

But it's easier to blame the optic than a mount or mounting issue.

I figured that click was me. I guess since I just pulled out a VX 5 mounted by fierce it would be straight.

 

[hicountry1]

I figured that click was me. I guess since I just pulled out a VX 5 mounted by fierce it would be straight.

I've mounted dozens of scopes on dozens of different rifles. I've never seen anything like that.

Lay the VX5 in the rings, and move it. See if it binds

 

[BinWA]

I've never damaged a scope but it's certainly possible. I lap rings every time.

 

[rollinrifleworksllc]

Watched a local guy at club destroy his buddies nightforce by pinching the rings too much on one side and not evenly gap them. Left a huge dent in the tube. It’s possible.

 

[eric1115]

No, but I've ruined a rifle or two by mounting a Leupold on it.

 

[journeyman713]

I'm going to guess user error is the most likely cause. Not the scope.
Make double sure the gaps are even before starting to snug anything down.