It wasn’t Talley - it’s apparently me. Scope won’t stay fixed - Update: fixed. Added to first post

[BjornF16]

When you torque those 4 top ring screws, are you alternating sides incrementally, stepping up to final torque or are you torque-ing all in one go?

I try to keep the gap between top ring and bottom ring on either side close to same. Definitely don’t want to bottom out on one side.

Check Six!

 

[SDHNTR]

Or better yet…. Throw that rifle of yours in the jet, I’ll meet you at Miramar, I’ll dial your scope in, and then after you take me for a ride in the jet. Deal?

 

[Fatcamp]

Put on the rail and rings and go shoot it.

Interesting about your career. I wondered what your story was based on your tolerance with the thread. People be sensitive.

 

[Rich M]

Got thru the first page and cant figure out whats wrong w yer stuff?

Cant hit regular in the same hole?

Analysis paralysis?

Most guys just torque the acrews down. Go back and forth from side to side and make sure all srews are snug. and then snug em a little bit more. Should be good til yer old and gray.

 

[Bluto]

When you torque those 4 top ring screws, are you alternating sides incrementally, stepping up to final torque or are you torque-ing all in one go?

I try to keep the gap between top ring and bottom ring on either side close to same. Definitely don’t want to bottom out on one side.

Check Six!

Yup, I do exactly that. After all of this, I think the Talley’s were (hopefully) just a torque issue. Gapped evenly, but hopefully just not enough.

Do I smell a Fiend?!

 

[Bluto]

Here’s what bugs me. I probably never ran into this because I probably didn’t care.



Seems like if these things were “right,” that rub mark wouldn’t be there rotating the scope.

This is not fully tightened. Just snug. When screws are in but loose, it’s relatively fine. Tighten at all, rubs and mars the scope.

 

[Bluto]

Got thru the first page and cant figure out whats wrong w yer stuff?

Cant hit regular in the same hole?

Analysis paralysis?

Most guys just torque the acrews down. Go back and forth from side to side and make sure all srews are snug. and then snug em a little bit more. Should be good til yer old and gray.

I’d confess analysis paralysis to some degree.

But - it shoots fine. Until the scope rotates and then obviously not so much.

 

[Bluto]

Ok, I’m done until I get new parts.

Pictures don’t show just how bad it is. Forget a feeler gauge or alignment tool. I can see light under the scope tube on the forward ring base.

 

[sndmn11]

Ok, I’m done until I get new parts.

Pictures don’t show just how bad it is. Forget a feeler gauge or alignment tool. I can see light under the scope tube on the forward ring base.

View attachment 446181

Is that tightened down?

 

[Bluto]

Bases tightened. No caps. Scope won’t rest flush in the bases.

Also can’t get the damned thing leveled. Looking closer at the back of the action (where it’s square,) the stock juts up above the action on the left side. So I get three different level readings on the action, aft base, and forward base.

I get the sneaking suspicion a rail may need bedded, but we’ll see.

 

[KTL715]

Following and now I’m worried…my VX-5 mounted to a Christensen RL 300 win mag with lightweight talley’s decided to turn clockwise today after about 120 rounds…

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I'm sticking with my base holes misaligned theory. Remove the bases, put the screws in the action, then use something really straight, like a .001 straightness arrow or machinists tool to see if they're all actually in a line. That gap is bad, something is way, way off.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Following and now I’m worried…my VX-5 mounted to a Christensen RL 300 win mag with lightweight talley’s decided to turn clockwise today after about 120 rounds…

Did the scope rotate or the reticle?

 

[Rich M]

I’d confess analysis paralysis to some degree.

But - it shoots fine. Until the scope rotates and then obviously not so much.

Now I see the light!

Rotating scope not so good. I missed that, tho' you may have written it.

That's odd. I've seen some rings with double sided tape or rubber inserts in there, I assume are to keep just that from happening. It shouldn't happen.

My dad taught me to wipe the inside of the rings with silicon grease prior to installing scope - just a film... Never questioned it and still do when installing scopes - rarely/never get scope marks and haven't had any issues.

Hope you got it figured out.

 

[Bluto]

I'm sticking with my base holes misaligned theory. Remove the bases, put the screws in the action, then use something really straight, like a .001 straightness arrow or machinists tool to see if they're all actually in a line. That gap is bad, something is way, way off.

I thought it was pretty bad as well. I’ll yank the bases and do that.

Now I see the light!

Rotating scope not so good. I missed that, tho' you may have written it.

That's odd. I've seen some rings with double sided tape or rubber inserts in there, I assume are to keep just that from happening. It shouldn't happen.

My dad taught me to wipe the inside of the rings with silicon grease prior to installing scope - just a film... Never questioned it and still do when installing scopes - rarely/never get scope marks and haven't had any issues.

Hope you got it figured out.

Many thanks. Yeah, I almost went the silicon route this time. But the stuff I have, though I’m sure it cures as it should, was so greasy it seemed like it would just make it easier to slip. So I left it alone. (With the scope gap I never got that far anyway.)

 

[Bluto]

Pulled bases, installed screws, they all line up with a straight edge. Inline with the bore? No idea, but they’re straight.

 

[sndmn11]

Bases tightened. No caps. Scope won’t rest flush in the bases.

Was it like that in both rings? I'd have tightened the ring screws up to see if that gap disappears.

Send that picture to Brian and Chris to hear their thoughts. If you're not happy with the answer, they wwould probably exchange those for a pic rail.

 

[Bluto]

Only the front that I could see that plainly. It likely would have if I tightened the caps. I could press firmly and it would close up, but that tells me there’s uneven force somewhere from the edge(s) of the base. Lapping candidate? Probably?

I’m sure one of the local shops has that wheeler kit. I’ll email Brian and see what he thinks about sending them in as-is or giving lapping a shot. Although the screws have been installed in the bases three times now.

 

[260madman]

Chalk this up to what aesthetics over functionality gets you. Toss the Talleys in the trash.

 

[SDHNTR]

I hate to say this, but that’s common with Talley’s. If you want to stay with them, you have two choices. Lap away. Or, just tighten. That aluminum will conform around your scope tube and will clamp down to round. Yes, there will be stress, which will likely leave ring marks and could, in rare cases, crack down the line. Or lap and remove the stress. Your choice. It just the nature of the beast. Or ultimately, if you don’t like those two options, a trip to the trash can is in order.