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Thread: Ruger factory scope rings - caution!

  1. #1
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Ruger factory scope rings - caution!

    I have a Ruger M77 Hawkeye All-Weather that I haven't gotten around to setting up. (Before I spent too much time here at P-F, I used to spend too much time over at 24HourCampfire.) I decided to check out the rings awhile ago, and found one of the screws had damaged threads when I removed it. Got another ring, went with a low so I could mount the scope a little lower, rather than just replacing the high one that was damaged. Well, the replacement also had damaged threads on one of the screws when I removed them. Some of the other screws felt a little gritty, as if the problem was blast media left in the threads when the screws were installed. (The rings are matte stainless.)

    I procured new Ruger scope ring screws and a #6-40 tap to chase the threads. Both items were delivered today, so I proceeded to chase threads this evening. Which gave me time to handle and inspect everything a bit more closely. On one side of two of the rings, both thread sets were angled relative to the holes, so they started out uniform at entry, but by the bottom, one side of the hole had really deep threads and the other side had really shallow threads. And the tap that followed the existing threads was obviously not perpendicular to the machined surface that faces the machined surface on the top strap.

    The worst thing, though, is that I realized the inside saddle surfaces, at least on the top straps of the rings, appear to be as-cast, with very significant casting flaws on the surface that bears against the scope tube. I had initially thought these surfaces were just grit blasted to "matte" them after machining, but no machining process could leave the defects present on the parts I have here. These defects could/would cause serious damage to a scope tube if the rings were tightened, which would almost certainly not be handled by a scope warranty (with the possible exception of Leupold's).

    On the basis of these parts, and assuming they are representative due to the uniformity of their condition, my opinion is that Ruger factory scope rings should not be used without serious rework. At a minimum, correcting the flaws to make the rings serviceable would require filing or stoning the lumps down, then heavy lapping or even reaming the rings to ensure they are straight, round and smooth so the scope will not be damaged.

    It would probably be cheaper and easier, and likely yield a better result, to just buy quality rings from another supplier, such as Leupold, and drop the factory rings in your recycle bin.

    I believe the rings are essentially the same for the big revolvers, so this would apply to those parts as well.
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    Not another dime.

  2. #2
    Yar.

    How old was the original ring and the new one?

    My 2000 vintage M77Mk2 hasn't exhibited any of those problems. If it's recent production, I wonder if they are just shoving shit out the door as fast as they can.

    I bet Ruger would swap those rings for you, but if it's trend you might just wind up with another pair of messed up rings.
    I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.

  3. #3
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    The rifle was purchased on clearance a few years ago when the last of the stainless Hawkeye All-Weather models were being sold off. The third ring was actually provided direct from Ruger as a warranty part when I complained about the one with the problematic screw and messed up threads, sometime in between then and now.

    It's weird to me that I haven't heard about it, but the problems are severe on two different parts obtained in two different ways at two different times, seemingly from the same root cause. It wouldn't be the first time that a lot of people just go along not noticing a problem that's obvious and obviously a big problem once I see it.
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  4. #4
    I like Seekins rings for a good balance between quality and affordability.
    #RESIST

  5. #5
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Rugers have a proprietary mounting system, so rings or rails have to be specific to Rugers to work with them. Leupold and Warne have applications, I'm not aware of others off the top of my head.
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    Not another dime.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by OlongJohnson View Post
    Rugers have a proprietary mounting system, so rings or rails have to be specific to Rugers to work with them. Leupold and Warne have applications, I'm not aware of others off the top of my head.
    Not Ruger RPRs, I know for a fact. So you’re saying the Hawkeye rifles have proprietary rails?
    #RESIST

  7. #7
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Yeah, it's that sorta-circular divot clamping spot with a recoil lug keyway in the top surface.

    https://ruger.com/products/Hawkeye/overview.html

    Also used on revolvers with integral scope mounting features.

    https://ruger.com/products/newModelS.../overview.html

    On the Hawkeye, they're offset vertically, so you use two different ring heights. The vertical height difference becomes the increment in ring height variation, so if you want to go up or down a step, you keep one of your rings but move it to the other position and get one new ring that's the height needed (up or down).

    RPRs and RAs are made to be compatible with "normal" stuff.
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  8. #8
    Bummer about that on the Hawkeye. There's a lot of neat features on that rifle otherwise.

  9. #9
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    I don't think it's a reason to not get a Hawkeye if it's what you want. You just need to buy rings separately, like with most other rifles. Or invest in conditioning the included ones.
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    Not another dime.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by OlongJohnson View Post
    I don't think it's a reason to not get a Hawkeye if it's what you want. You just need to buy rings separately, like with most other rifles. Or invest in conditioning the included ones.
    I’ve never been really impressed with the Hawkeye line. If I wanted a Mauser type action, I’d save up for an American Rifle Company action (drool).
    #RESIST

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