The Phenomenon Of Guns or Scopes Shooting Loose

[huntnful]

I’ve had a scope slide in the rings, when torqued to factory specs. I’ve seen 2 rails come loose from the action. I’ve seen two sets of Talley rings with cracks near the cap screws.

 

[grfox92]

I bet most guys don't shoot enough to have their scope shoot loose if they mounted it with any amount of common sense. The "phenomenon" likey occurs with guys who actually get out there and shoot the piss out of their guns, and don't degrease, lock tight, and torque.

I has a scope ring come loose on an AR this winter, it happens.

I also for what it's worth used to have a Savage 110 .270 that the front action screw was too long you could only make it "finger tight" otherwise it would bottom out on the action and bind the bolt. At the time I didn't know any better and still shot the gun like that. It never shot under an inch at 100.

 

[TaperPin]

Like many of you, I seem to get a number of friends who bring guns over for various projects. As a normal part of touching their guns I automatically check all the screws - almost nobody has a torque wrench and 95% don’t know enough about gun screws to know how tight is correct by feel. I even had a professional mechanic barely tightening screws - on cars there aren’t any small hardened screws that can take that much torque and to this day I’d bet lunch his guns are full of loose screws. I think over the years almost half of all guns I’ve checked had at least one loose screw from operator error, not from shooting loose. It’s the same with Stihl chainsaw bar nuts - those are nice and hard for a reason and people are afraid of stripping them out so they don’t get torqued enough.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

For those that Loctite the action screws, how are you heating up the screw to remove it? I would think you would damage the stock.

I had my Talley scope bases come loose on my Kimber. The base screw holes go through the top of the receiver. I think that while cleaning the patch would rub the top of the boly area a bit and oil migrated into the threads because when I removed them there was oil under the base.

I don’t know anyone who uses it on action screws.

 

[SloppyJ]

I don’t know anyone who uses it on action screws.

I'm willing to bet that most everyone here does. Or some sort of paint pen/nail polish. I know I drench mine in it.

 

[Wrench]

I just had my edge come loose. To be fair it's wearing the biggest scope known to man. I did not use thread lock and I will need a steel base as the aluminum one took a beating.

 

[Weldor]

Do you guys think scopes slipping and base's coming loose has anything to do with the heavier scopes of today vs lighter weight ones from the past?

 

[Weldor]

Do you guys think scopes slipping and base's coming loose has anything to do with the heavier scopes of today vs lighter weight ones from the past?

 

[Sandstrom]

Do you guys think scopes slipping and base's coming loose has anything to do with the heavier scopes of today vs lighter weight ones from the past?

I would say no, I have had front sights on a 22 pistol shoot loose until loctited.
Ryan

 

[RockAndSage]

Do you guys think scopes slipping and base's coming loose has anything to do with the heavier scopes of today vs lighter weight ones from the past?

Yes. Especially when combined with lightweight guns and heavy-recoiling cartridges.

 

[Wrench]

My s8 is 49oz....plus steel rings. When I add the Ram 200 it adds another 12ish oz.

I really should pin a steel lug.

 

[Reburn]

Yes.

 

[mcr-85]

I went to pull the stock off a little Howa .223 to put a picatinny rail on the fore end a couple days ago. Both action screws were super loose. My little boy was disappointed he missed even hitting the plate the 2nd shot in the cold bore challenge...his dad set him up for failure with loose screws.

I'll loctite and torque them and go take him out shooting again soon and see if he does any better.

 

[ZAR EC]

Multiple. Rail, rings, action screws, bipod rail and even bipod screws have come loose. My experience is it's not so much the shooting that works them loose but the traveling. Driving on corrugated and bush tracks will work loose screws incredibly quickly. My policy now is that if it's threaded it gets locktighted - and that means literally every thread on a rifle system.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I would say no, I have had front sights on a 22 pistol shoot loose until loctited.
Ryan

This. It’s not uncommon for Glock front sights to come loose. Also aftermarket suppressor rear sights will sometimes walk back and forth if they are not degreased and Loctited.

 

[Rich M]

Ive had stuff get loose. Messes w the grouping, even if it is only 1 screw loose out of 8.

My dad always used red loctite. Once it was on it wasnt coming loose. Use a soldering iron to heat it to take it off.