How to Mount A Scope on a Rifle
Seminar by Henry Repeating Arms 22 Plinkster
How to mount a scope on a rifle is the subject of this seminar, and several details should be considered. While it’s true that you’re essentially just bolting it on, the long-term reliability of the connection can be the difference between repeated accuracy, filling the freezer, missing opportunities, or worse yet, wounding game. In this seminar, 22plinkster shows you how to mount a scope on a Henry 6.5 Creedmoor Long Ranger rifle. The principles apply to mounting a scope on any hunting rifle.
22plinkster has mounted hundreds of scopes on rifles and his method is to teach you how to mount a scope quickly, easily and correctly.
First, for this particular rifle, he mounts a Picatinny rail onto the rifle. He uses a Wheeler torque wrench to tighten the screws to 20 inch-pounds. This amount of pressure is tight enough to be secure without warping the rail or breaking the screws.
The next step in how to mount a scope is to attach the scope rings to the Picatinny rail. The Picatinny rail allows several mounting locations for the rings. You can adjust where you put the rings based on the particular scope you’re using. He torques the screws attaching the ring bases to 25 inch-pounds. Note that 22plinkster doesn’t use Loctite on the scope rings; that’s his personal preference.
When the rail and scope-ring bases are attached, the next step in how to mount a scope is to ensure you mount the scope so that the horizontal reticle is level. A scope leveling set is very helpful for this, as is a gun vise. He places the scope on the bases, then uses the leveling kit to ensure everything is level. Once level, he attaches the top of the scope rings with the provided screws, alternatively tightening the screws a little at a time, ensuring the scope stays level. He tightens all the screws to a final torque of 16 inch-pounds.
If you haven’t done it much, there’s more to how to mount a scope than you may have thought if you want to ensure it’s solid and accurate. The devil’s in the details.