Rifle loosening the scope ???

[Jack Stanley]

For years I've used Leupold scopes and have been very happy with them . Now that I'm getting older I am liking optics on a rifle even more . And since I like throwing thirty caliber ball dowrange I bought a Rock River .308 to do the job . The rifle is easily compatible with a scope but just to be sure I called the Leupold "Expert" they have on staff to be sure . My concern was with as heavy as the bolt is , would the cycling of that beast shake anything loose on their FX six power scope .

After being assured the scope could stand to anything any shoulder fired rifle could dish out I bought one along with good rings and mounted it solidly to the rifle . It zeroed in real easy but after not many rounds downrange the lock ring securing the occular bell came loose . I hand tightened it yet again and kept firing and it loosened from the recoil yet again . I kept this up untill I figured it would do this untill doomsday so I wrote to Leupold . After they read my problem they advised ..... are ya ready for this ? Tighten the lock ring hand tight ...... no kidding ??? I wonder if they understood what was happening . So I reminded the lad I had been tightening it all afternoon and it only took six rounds to shake loose again . So the fella said send it back with a note completely describing the problem . So , shipped and insured with a note about the problem it went to Leupold . About two weeks later it came back and the paperwork acknowleged the lock ring kept coming loose . Apparently they had gone through the entire guts of the scope and sent it back without ever actually fixing the original problem . Lock ring still loosens under recoil , not a happy man here .

OK another E-mail to them four days ago and I'm still waiting for a reply .

Here's something you guys might be a help with , if you have a Rock River LAR-8 . Do you have any problems with the lock ring loosening on your scope ?

Thanks , Jack

[Jack Stanley]

Leupold finally did get back with me , the verdict is they want to see it again . So yet another twenty bucks of shipping and insurance to get it there .

Anyone else have a Rock River LAR-8 rifle ? What type of optics do you use ? Do they work well ?

Jack

[runfiverun]

I wonder if it's just the scope itself.
I know a few guy's with other brands of ar-10 type rifles and they report no scope problems.

[Jack Stanley]

I sure hope this time around they find out why the ring won't stay in place and fix it .

Jack

[Jack Stanley]

Well fellas , the scope came back from the Leupold "inspection" department for the second time . I put it back on the rifle and zeroed it in with only sixteen shots the ring was loose yet again . This time rather than send e-mails , I sent a letter to the supervisor of the customer service department .

Thinking perhaps I might get a run around this last time sending it in , I had a backup plan . Natchez is having a sale on some of the Nikon scopes they carry so I ordered one . It arrived the same day My Leupold got back from Oregon . After the Leupold nose dived yet again , I strapped the Nikon onto the rifle and began sighting in . About a hundred rounds later everything is still in place but time will tell all .........

Jack

[starmac]

That would almost make a guy want to hand deliver it the next time. Maybe they will make it right and give you a new one.

[Jack Stanley]

I'd just be happy if it works as advertised , it's supposed to be a lock ring you'd think it would stay in place . Image quality and the LR reticle are points I really like about the scope and I shouldn't have to find a more tame rifle when they said it would handle the LAR .

Jack

[gwpercle]

Try a little Loctite on them screws, be sure to use the Loctite 222 Purple so you can remove them when you want. Scope mounting is what the 222 is formulated for.

Gary

[Jack Stanley]

After round two with the scope I managed to get ahold of someone else in the company . They listen patiently to my discription and offered to send a shipping label to get the scope back to them . I didn't hear from them for quite a while and then one day a brand new scope showed up on my doorstep . I know it's different because it has a different serial number on the tube .

Now the question is do I really want to take the Nikon scope that has worked perfectly off of the rifle . Even though the Leupold has the features I want and the clarity is a bit better .... maybe I'll decide before the end of winter .

Jack

[Victor N TN]

Put the new scope in the safe and leave the Nikon on the rifle. If the Nikon acts up you have a backup.

Victor

[Jack Stanley]

I may just do that .... thanks Victor

Jack

[smokeywolf]

If I had to guess, I'd bet that the threads on the original scope were out of spec. (under the pitch dia. tolerance) and they stripped the threads trying to tighten the ring. That's why they broke down and sent an entirely new scope.

Out of tolerance threads (insufficient thread contact) could also explain why your lock ring kept loosening.

smokeywolf

[54bore]

Just tightening the lock ring itself won't do it! Finger tighten the lock ring and then grasp the occular bell with a full hand grip and tighten it TOWARD the lock ring hard! Put a rubber glove on so the occular bell won't slip, this should fix your problem