Mounting scope yourself vs at store

[mainecoon]

In theory, everyone who works at a gun shop should know how to mount a scope. However, I have had two occasions where the guy at the store mounted the scope with the wrong rings. In general, is it better to mount the scope yourself on a bolt gun? I generally let the store do it since I figure they will have more rings available.

 

[troy fairweather]

i never let anyone mount my scopes, even the rifles with the bases on i don't like, most times there something wrong. i would help out when i was a kid at the gun shop my dad worked, i mounted them as it the were mine. i made some good tip money back then. the one that is shooting the gun has to be there to check the fit.

 

[badkarmamib]

I mount my own scopes and rings. If I buy a rifle with the scope already mounted, I pull scope, rings, and mounts, and reinstall with thread locker and proper alignment. You would be surprised to see what passes for "factory installed and boresighted"...

 

[Steve in PA]

Let's see.....I've been hunting/shooting for a lot of years. I'm pushing the 6-0 mark......and I've always mounted my own scopes.

 

[nettlle]

I'm not an expert on guns by any means. And if I ever meet someone in a gun shop that I felt is knowledgeable enough to mount a scope on my gun I will be more than happy to give them a go. I am kind of thinking finding them isn't ever going to happen.

 

[horsemen61]

I like to do mine myself

 

[WrongHanded]

When I mounted my first scope, I didn't realize there was a "guy at the the store" who'd do it for me.

Now, if I were to have anyone do it for me (and I wouldn't, unless I lost a hand), it would be a gunsmith that I trusted.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Mount myself. And no single gun store can beat the online choices for rings (and prices) available to all of us.

 

[Yarddog]

I mount my own scopes & rings , always to my liken ; )
Y/D

 

[entropy]

i never let anyone mount my scopes, even the rifles with the bases on i don't like, most times there something wrong. i would help out when i was a kid at the gun shop my dad worked, i mounted them as it the were mine. i made some good tip money back then. the one that is shooting the gun has to be there to check the fit.

Well, yeah-you pretty much grew up working in a gun shop. Having worked in several gunshops myself, I do all mine, and many for friends and family. (though my younger son did his scope on his AR, and I checked his work, he passed with flying colors.)

 

[LoonWulf]

I do my own.
There are a couple places, and people i would trust to mount my scopes, but even some of the VERY knowledgeable, and helpful guys at the gun stores wouldnt be allowed to mount a scope for me.

Also as Troy said, Id have to he there anyway to check fit.

 

[edwardware]

In theory, everyone who works at a gun shop should know how to mount a scope.

Why on earth would you think that? Does the cashier at the grocery store know how to cook the steak you're buying?

Hang a plump bob, break out the machine levels, do it yourself.

 

[Varminterror]

No retail clock jockey ever gets to handle my firearms or optics, let alone pursue something which could cause damage to them.

 

[Dibbs]

IF I get the scope and the rifle at the same store, and I know the guys doing it, I'll have them install it at the store. Coincidentally, the one time I had it done at the store it was done right.

You should be able to mount your own scope. It's not rocket science. After you procure a certain amount of firearms, it starts getting awful expensive to go running to a gunsmith for all the small jobs.

 

[GRIZ22]

I've always mounted my own scopes. I can't see how someone else can set up the eye relief for me.

 

[Garandimal]

Line my rings w/ 3M Vinyl electrical tape.

Try to get a LGS jock to understand that.






GR

 

[cdb1]

I worked the gun counter part-time at Cabela’s for two years. We had one guy other than myself I would trust to mount a scope. Since management wasn’t stupid he and I mounted all the optics. I’ve seen mounting jobs from other stores that were a travesty. Learn to do it yourself or take your gun to a qualified gunsmith.

 

[Chuck R.]

I prefer to do it myself and most of the time my components are purchased on-line.

I tend to choke up on rifles, so I prefer my scopes a little further fwd than the norm.

 

[hdbiker]

With the price of scopes I mount my own and lap the rings for proper fit and alignment. I've seen several scope tubes damaged from cheap rings and improper alignment. hdbiker

 

[CoalTrain49]

Never had anyone mount a scope for me. It just takes a few minutes and I'm going to tweak it for eye relief anyway at the range.

I do however have a friend who works for a large sporting goods retailer that provides a service for people who buy rifles from him. He will take them to our range, mount the scope and zero it if they need that done. There seems to be an increasing number of shooters who would rather have someone who knows the drill help them. We have a public day at our range and there is always 2-3 old hands there getting people up to speed if they need help. We have some ex military marksmen and armorers who are members. It's a great way to get people into the sport. I've done my share of that and I support it 100%.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Here's my story. Back at the dawn of time I was working in a place that sold guns. We sold this citizen a used Browning scope which was currently being sold new. My understanding is this scope was made by what became a major US scope maker. Citizen came back in several weeks later trailing smoke. We had ruined his western hunt because of the defective scope. He could not adjust the power. Citizen brought rifle in. We were out of scope mounts for his rig. He went to a big box. That's where the scope was mounted. When citizen finally fired the rifle the scope slipped forward jamming the power ring into the pot metal see thought rear ring. We would always refer people to a very competent gunsmith who had a 1" bar for adjustment of those pot metal wonders.

Addendum: I have bought two rifles recently where owner had mounted the scope. One had totally the wrong Weaver bases. The other had mismatched rings. Story works both ways. The first rifle was a Weatherby Vanguard. There's not much excuse for getting the wrong bases on that one.

 

[z7]

Do it yourself, spend $35 on a torque screwdriver, get decent rings and level the scope to a plumbob, set eye relief to you, in a comfortable and normal shooting position for the gun,

 

[entropy]

Never had anyone mount a scope for me. It just takes a few minutes and I'm going to tweak it for eye relief anyway at the range.

I do however have a friend who works for a large sporting goods retailer that provides a service for people who buy rifles from him. He will take them to our range, mount the scope and zero it if they need that done. There seems to be an increasing number of shooters who would rather have someone who knows the drill help them. We have a public day at our range and there is always 2-3 old hands there getting people up to speed if they need help. We have some ex military marksmen and armorers who are members. It's a great way to get people into the sport. I've done my share of that and I support it 100%.

I did that for customers at the last shop I worked at. First one I did was a pre-64 Win. Model 70 in .300 H&H a guy was bringing to Alaska, and didn't have time to go to the range himself.(Oh, honey, I HAVE to sight this gun in tomorrow!) I mechanically zeroed it, mounted and boresighted (the correct way; bolt out at 100 yds) then fired the first group (of 3, I only had 20 rounds to sight it in with) just 1/2" left of POA, adjusted it, next 3 were POA, my son fired a 3 shot group, (he wanted to try it, and we shoot the same ) POA again. The customer took his Alaska moose with one in the lungs at @75 yards. I was inundated with rifles to zero for the next 6 months until the (gunsmithing) season was over.

Ironically, on my AR carbine, which my son scoped, the scope is too far back for me. I grew up shooting unscoped AR's and M16A1's and A2's, so I put my nose on the rear lobe of the charging handle. He'd never shot an unscoped AR until he tried my pistol. I get that 'ring' around the reticle if I just throw the AR up quick; it doesn't change anything for quick shots, and he's got it set dead on (like I said, we both shoot the same for scopes otherwise), so I just leave it be.

 

[Hookeye]

Ive owned a few dozen rifles and shotguns that got optics. Worked in a gunshop for a while too.

Older....i dont trust myself anymore.....so bought the Wheeler torque driver. And promptly took apart every rifle i had ( 5 of them ). checked base screws and ring screws......was plus/minus a lb from spec....across all of the screws. Yup i still had the touch.....problem is brain doeant trust it now.

So i use the Wheeler all the time now ( no worries ). The problem with it is the lack of feel.....or the difference in feel. Double check your settiñgs before you twist.

Also.......use a 1 " rod to check for alignment probs before dropping scope in. Have seen mismachined rings before.

Never wrecked a scope but watched some others in different shops smoke a few. One a Ruger w diff height rings ...in wrong spots. Guy crunched a vx3 6.5-20x EFR.

A long time shooter bud just bought some $ stuff. Wants it done. Asked me....as he trusts nobody else.

LOL even the tradesmen at work bailed when it came to the little stuff inside machines costing a half million or more. I fixed em
Never got a grievance filed either

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Never wrecked a scope buy watched some others in different shops smoke a few. One a Ruger w diff height rings ...in wrong spots. Guy crunched a vx3 6.5-20x EFR.

Ruger Rings-DIY: I know this one. Came up with two used Leupold 3x9 scopes. One had Redfield rings an the other Ruger rings. The Ruger rings were two different heights. Both rings were tightened down all the way on one side-top and bottom touching. To top it off the screws had Red Loctite. Gunsmiths used a carbide bit to save scope and rings.

Addendum: One of the Leupold scopes did not appear right. Scope was sent to maker. Both elevator and windage adjustments were rebuilt. Scope was returned. Evidently one owner completed his work mounting the scope by zeroing the rifle. Both scopes work very well today.