How easy is it to kill an LPVO through over tightening and how do you level the optic

[4RNR]

I installed a Vortex 1-8 strike eagle LPVO on one of my rifles and the genius that I am I grabbed the FOOT -lb torque wrench not the inch-lb one! I wish I was at least drunk at the time so I'd have an excuse.

Anyway.....I torqued and torqued and tried to get it to 15 Ft-lbs! The wrench never broke but it wasn't for lack of trying. I gave up thinking the wrench was busted. 2 days later it suddenly dawned on me that I was using the wrong tool.

So, is it possible to break the LPVO, or that LPVO by oveetightening the bejesus out of it? And how will I know if it is, aside from any visual or audible cues.

2nd question. How do you level the optic without any specific tools. Im not big on optics and the few I did do I did at a friend's house with access to vises and rifle rests. I no longer have access to that. So if I wanted to go shooting tomorrow or Saturday what's the best way to "kitchen table" level the optic?

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[Wake27]

Send it back to vortex. They’ve stated before that the single biggest cause for warranty is people over-tightening scopes in the rings and damaging the body. I don’t know how that plays out for diagnosis but after trying to troubleshoot an issue that eventually turned out to be a detached reticle, it can be time consuming and frustrating. Their CS is great and I just used them to replace a broken throw lever, super responsive still.

An easy way to eyeball it is to line the reticle up with something that should be pretty level, like countertops and cabinets. Obviously the gun has to be well secured to do this so a bipod or rest would be ideal if no vise. That said, the Arisaka scope leveling kit is inexpensive and they ship fast so worth buying even if you only have one LPVO.

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[LittleLebowski]

It’s probably fine, please go shoot the gun to test, and you level the rifle and scope and make sure it’s supported well while you’re dicking around with the scope, then square up vertical by adjusting to be true on the string of a hanging plumb bob, I think I do mine at 25 yards or so on my property (but then I start shooting at a 100 ). I doubt you have parallax adjustment on this scope, but if you did, you’d pay attention to that too when setting up your scope.

[Wake27]

Ok so I should back peddle a bit. If you can get it to the range quickly and are able to spend some time and maybe ammo to check, then it’s probably worth shooting. However when I was figuring out my problem, I wasn’t sure if it was the barrel, scope, mount, etc so I had to put in a good amount of effort to try and isolate each component, to include several types of match ammo.

The biggest problem was that there was no consistency. Sometimes I’d have groups dancing all over the place, sometimes I couldn’t group, and sometimes it grouped pretty well. I even had Robb Jensen take a look at the upper. After a lot of back and forth with BCM in trying to diagnose, they just replaced my barrel. Still turned out to be a detached reticle in my Razor. So this was a long and tedious process to know for sure that there was a problem and where it stemmed from.

After all of that and having used Vortex’s warranty a few times to replace throw levers, a cheap red dot that showed up DOA when I bought it used, and that Razor, I’m now convinced that I’ll probably get it sent into vortex, repaired or replaced, and sent back to me before I’d even be able to get it to the range to check for myself.


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[4RNR]

Took it out yesterday. Started at 25. Sighted in at 50. Then played in the 100 yard line for a little bit. At each position it seemed consistent. No weird or random patterns. Going to take it out again next week just to double check but looks like I didn't break anything

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[Clusterfrack]

@4RNR, I’m glad you posted about your dumbassery. Overtightening scope rings is common so you’re in good company. Some rings are designed to prevent this, but most are not.

As long as the load is spread evenly around the scope body, most decent quality scopes can survive heavy clamping. Again, some rings are engineered that way.

Look for visible or felt deformation on the scope body. Lacking that, I bet you’re good.

Rule of thumb: it’s possible to properly tighten scope rings with finger strength. (Man strength not required, you ape).

[EMC]

Confusing ft lbs with inch lbs is a mistake typically only made once. I'll give you credit for at least using a torque measuring device though. [emoji869]

Regarding leveling techniques without special tools. Kyle Defoor shows a method with a water bottle.

I myself have used a standard hardware level and a mini-blind pull cord as a plum bob in my front room before. Also there is the automotive feeler gauge quick method (where you stack the gauges under the flat spot beneath the turrets and then snugging the rings). That method assumes reticle is level within the scope body.

[LittleLebowski]

Also, the Arisaka scope leveler is money well spent.

[TicTacticalTimmy]

Also, the Arisaka scope leveler is money well spent.

Personally I use the Arisaka leveler and think its great. A plumb bob is the technically correct procedure, but IMO if your posting on PF the type of rifles and scopes you buy will likely always have perfectly square turret bodies and rails, so the Arisaka product should work just as well.

I also love how the Arisaka weighs almost nothing and is very tiny so could easily fit into any pack, in case you had a scope/mount come loose in the field.

[Up1911Fan]

Also, the Arisaka scope leveler is money well spent.

I hadn't seen that before, pretty slick.