Do you guys mount your own scopes?

I not only mount my own scopes, but if I'm building a rifle I D&T the holes for my scope bases. I know some guys pay or let others mount scopes for them, but I think there's probably no other work one can do on a firearm that's as easy as mounting your own scope. And very easy to bore sight them too; especially with a bolt action, single shot, or any type action where I can see through the bore.

I mount all my own scopes. One can do it with very affordable tools, bench vise to secure firearm and a couple levels and some blue threadlocker.

I have purchased over the years tools that make it easier and more accurate, but not necessary.

How does one guarantee their scope is adjusted in the rings for their shooting position? If not mounting the scope for themselves. I guess one can sit around as it's being mounted and give feedback to the tech doing the work, at that point why not just do it myself?

I guess why it is so confusing to me why people don't do it themselves is simply some users of rifles are simply not gun people. They look at their rifle as strictly a tool to hunt with, when looking at this topic from that perspective, I guess it makes sense to have a gunsmith mount the scope and be there to provide feedback for the scope location in the rings for eye relief. Still even then, it wouldn't hurt a person to figure out how to.

Torque driver, plumb bob, levels, mounting jig. I stress-free bed non-integral rails, I lap or bed rings if I'm putting lipstick on pigs. I mount my scopes myself, perfectly. It's not a complex system, it's a tube and a dozen or so screws. It's so easy and inexpensive to do it well, I'm not sure why someone willing to do it themselves wouldn't do it well.

I have always done it myself and really have never understood why anyone would pay to have it done. The process itself is simple, and the tools available and affordable.

Always do it myself using a plumb bob, a level that attaches to my barrel, and a torque driver.

I then use either a SiteLite laser boresighter or a Leupold "Zero Point" to bore sight.

Been doing it myself since the 1980's. I have much better tools for job now to include torx wrench, gun vice and levels.

Did one on a .22 rifle. Easy— no problems at all. Plumb bob & torque wrench. Held the gun in my shop vise with leather lined wooden jaw adapters. Bore sighted it on a fence post 25yds away. I hardly needed to adjust it after that.

Since I do it for a living.....yes, I mount my own scopes.

Always mounted my own. I think a torque wrench is really the only tool necessary and I have done it without that. I have levels and all that, but all I really need is torque wrench and a window grid or corner of a building.

Every single time since I can remember. Besides I get a sense of accomplishment doing things for myself.

Jeremy

Always! I have a plumb line and level, not much else needed but the tool to tighten the rings.

American_Fusilier said:

Do you guys mount your own scopes, or do you take them to a Smith to mount?

I always do everything myself. Mostly because I can't afford to pay a Smith. Or I just don't want to pay for it.

Do I do it perfectly? Ha ha ha, not at all. But good enough...

I don't have a torque wrench or any special gunsmithing tools (other than AR assembling tools, and some small levels for scope mounting).

What do you guys do?

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I mount them myself. You could have a gunsmith or someone else do it for you but you have to be present when they do so that they can get the correct eye relief.

I have never paid anyone to mount or zero a scope. I'd rather mount and zero a scope, than clean the firearm. Easier, faster and less dirty of a job.

I also do it myself! A couple of bubble levels one for the rifle and one for the scope. For me the trick is to keep everything level while slowly tightening the scope rings. Moving side to side on the scope rings as to not rotate the scope!

Always done it myself. Never understood folks that have someone else do it. How do they get the eye relief right? Guy at the local shop is always mounting a scope for folks. I don't get it. That said, I don't use a level, plumb bob or torque wrench. I use The Force.

I always do it myself. I've got several different leveling tools and small torque wrench for it.

Honestly though you can get by with a small bubble level and a homemade plumb bob (string and a fishing weight).

Always did my own.
Was pretty darn good at it, found it easy.

Of course that was before I needed bifocals.
Takes me longer, a couple of attempts.
Still get it done.
But now is of some stress.

Unlike the old days.

Hookeye said:

Always did my own.
Was pretty darn good at it, found it easy.

Of course that was before I needed bifocals.
Takes me longer, a couple of attempts.
Still get it done.
But now is of some stress.

Unlike the old days.

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Come on man. Never underestimate the power of a man with readers

Have to at least lap them assuming the alignment is pretty good.

Always myself; torque wrench, plumb bob, levels, can lap rings if necessary. No issues that I can identify if I do it.

Once bought a used 270 Savage 111 that wouldn't shoot worth a darn....had the original Weaver scope on it that it came with and it was loose. I'm convinced someone sold it because of a bad mounting job.

I bought a used FP10 in .308 a few years ago. It came with rings already mounted, and were "in the white" inside the rings. I called the guy I bought it from ( who claimed to be a retired Marine who instructed at the Scout/Sniper school) and he told me about lapping the rings to avoid torquing or marking the scope tube. I've been doing it ever since, both 1" and 30mm scopes. If you install your rings, torque the bottom halves to your desired tension, then put a dot of lapping compound inside the rings and lay the lap mandrel(?) in the rings and lightly screw the ring tops down, loose enough to rotate and move the lap forwards and back a few times. remove the lap and clean the rings. If you have scuffs from the lapping compound ALL over the rings, you probable don't need to lap them much, if at all.

Wheeler Engineering has a lapping kit (#305172) available from www.MidwayUSA.com.

I do, I tend to have a hard time paying people to do stuff I can do myself.

Yes.

But, as @Hookeye noted, it sure seems to take a lot longer these days than it did way back when.