Sportsmatch ring fit?

[ElPollo]

I have a new set of Sportsmatch TO84 rings that I am using to mount an SWFA 3-15 on a Tikka. The issue is that the rings seem to be a hair too small for the 30mm scope tube. They fit over the tube, but the tops of the rings rock back and forth significantly before you put the bolts in. If you tilt it to one side, there is a 5/64” gap on the other side between the top of the ring and the base (see picture). I mounted the scope, apparently not paying much attention, took the gun to the range and got 2-4 MOA groups. So I brought home to check everything over and noticed different sized gaps on each side of the rings. If I loosen one side, the other is already loose. I cannot recall ever having a scope ring that was this undersized. Has anyone else seen this? Doesn’t seem right to me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tod osier]

that is how rings are, you have to tighten them evenly. Work them snug and then work up to torque evenly. Having said that even if they were tightened unevenly that is an aesthetic issue.

 

[TxxAgg]

Need equal bolt pad gaps on both sides

 

[ElPollo]

That seems odd. It’s like they milled too much off the mating surfaces. Seems it would put a lot of stress on the tube. I tightened them down as I normally do, working it down slowly going cross-wise between the the bolts.

 

[TxxAgg]

That's to ensure you get full contact across the entire tube. Talley rings are the same. I work in Pipe, Valve, & Fittings across high pressure lines...and pipe couplings are the same.

 

[ElPollo]

Thanks. Guess I’ve traditionally used split rings like Warnes that have screw at the top and bottom and haven’t noticed it. But that means I haven’t found why this gun is shooting 3 MOA groups. Everything is appropriately torqued.

 

[ElPollo]

Ejected cases also hit the turret and bounce back into the ejection port. So far I’m struggling a bit with the Rokslide special combo of Sportsmatch ring/SWFA/Tikka. Really wish more scope manufacturers would do a dialable elevation turret with capped windage turret and a reticle that allows you to hold for wind.

 

[TxxAgg]

The gap in your pic looks pretty wide. Is it equal to the opposite side?

 

[SDHNTR]

Start over. Keep the ring gaps the same on both sides. And consider a different scope. That model has a huge windage turret. Plenty of scopes have capped windage, or at least smaller turrets. The Leupold Windplex or Swarovski 4W reticles will do what you want too.

 

[ElPollo]

The gap in your pic looks pretty wide. Is it equal to the opposite side?

That is no screws, just pushing the other side down with my fingers.

 

[BuckSnort]

Rings look normal.. What model Tikka? T3 or T3x?

The older T3x’s have a better ejection port and don’t have these issues.. IF you have a T3 you can use higher rings or remove the bulky windage knob

 

[ElPollo]

Thanks all. I re-leveled, remounted, and retorqued, and re-loctited everything including the action screws and got some different ammo. It improved across the board, but still struggled a bit with some loads. I put 150, 165, 180, and 200 gr factory loads down the tube today. It’s a little counterintuitive given the 1-11” twist. The only one that was consistently. sub MOA was the 200 gr ELDX. Last group with the was 5 rounds in 3/4”.