Torque Tamper Detection

[Omega]

Anyone use this or something like it to mark the screws on their scope mounts? I have a .270 rifle that lost it's zero, I suspect the screws were either not torqued correctly (gun shop), or I bumped it loose (of course it could be the scope too). Since I now have to reset my scope and mounts with the correct torque, I figured I'd mark them so in the future I would have a visual indicator if they loosen up again, though I may just be overreacting since this is the first time it has happened, I use blue loctite on my screws.

https://smile.amazon.com/Viz-Torque-.../dp/B07Q3SQ53V

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01HC3QIEY

[KenT7021]

Any fairly thick paint will do the same thing.We used the paint for slippage marks on Army helicopters.

[Dukeconnor]

I used use nail polish to detect tampering by "I didn't touch it" customers.

[metricmonkeywrench]

+1 for nail polish and you have a better choice of colors.

[samari46]

this may be a little OT. So here goes,as we all know the factory rings are machined as a pair. That is front ring and base and rear ring and base. I take an automatic center punch and mark one ring (usually the front one first) with just one dot on both halves of a ring set. Rear rings get two dots on both halves of the rings. This way if for some reason if I have to change scopes all I have to do is count the dots. Most people never see the dots. Buddy's boss bought 4 Browning BAR's in various calibers as gifts to his good customers. And 4 top end Leupold scopes to go with them. So after spending over 5k for guns and scopes the store wanted to charge $50 each to mount the scopes. I marked the rings as stated and lapped them as well. His boss calls up wanting to know when I would be done. I told him an hour or so. But don't come empty handed. How about some food and Cold drinks, iced tea no sugar for me. Hour later he shows up with a huge cardboard box with 4 steaks done to perfection, onions and mashed potatoes and two large apple pies and an assortment of drinks including the iced tea and sodas. Finished up just as he showed up. Steaks were great. When asked where he got the stakes, RuthChris is where he got them. Big fancy restaurant. And no complaints from the guys who I mounted the scopes. Frank

[nicholst55]

I've used the stuff a lot in professional applications, but never for personal use. I've only ever had one scope come loose, and that was due to operator error.

[Winger Ed.]

We used to put little red 'tamper dots' on the screw heads for parachute harness risers.

Nobody outside the paraloft knew it was common fingernail polish.

[ulav8r]

this may be a little OT. So here goes,as we all know the factory rings are machined as a pair. That is front ring and base and rear ring and base. I take an automatic center punch and mark one ring (usually the front one first) with just one dot on both halves of a ring set. Rear rings get two dots on both halves of the rings. This way if for some reason if I have to change scopes all I have to do is count the dots. Most people never see the dots. Buddy's boss bought 4 Browning BAR's in various calibers as gifts to his good customers. And 4 top end Leupold scopes to go with them. So after spending over 5k for guns and scopes the store wanted to charge $50 each to mount the scopes. I marked the rings as stated and lapped them as well. His boss calls up wanting to know when I would be done. I told him an hour or so. But don't come empty handed. How about some food and Cold drinks, iced tea no sugar for me. Hour later he shows up with a huge cardboard box with 4 steaks done to perfection, onions and mashed potatoes and two large apple pies and an assortment of drinks including the iced tea and sodas. Finished up just as he showed up. Steaks were great. When asked where he got the stakes, RuthChris is where he got them. Big fancy restaurant. And no complaints from the guys who I mounted the scopes. Frank

I put the dots on only one side of each ring half in order to keep them turned the same way when putting back together, assume you may do that also.

[samari46]

Yes, I put the dots on only one side of the rings. Learned that lesson after a buddy brought over a heavy barreled Ruger 77 and he had installed a very expensive scope on it not realizing that the two sets front and back had huge burrs on both rings. Which left two corresponding rings on the scope body. Filed off the burrs, then stoned the same area and then a marathon ring lapping session. And many test fits. Then the automatic punch with the dots on one side of each ring set. All told took about 6 hours. And just so happened I had a 1" round Norton India stone in the garage. That ring lapping kit sure paid for itself that day. Frank