What is your favorite material for rifle scope shims?

[MeekandMild]

I like layered aluminum foil or beer can material but I'm sure there is a wide variation of opinion about this. what is your favorite?

 

[DMK]

I've used tin foil. It's very thin so you fold it a few times layer it.

 

[tc300mag1]

aluminum here too

 

[kudu]

Pop can aluminum shims, or I will lap the scope rings down with a 1" solid round stock with lapping compound. I will only go through the trouble of lapping if its for a precision rifle. Too many shims may put stress on the scope.

 

[swifter]

Pop &beer can material, until I get Burris Signatures ordered & install 'em.

Tom

 

[uglymofo]

steel

I've only shimmed one scope base, but when I did, I checked several widths before cutting a tab off a piece of one thickness of a feeler guage.

 

[rust collector]

I use brass shim stock. Haven't had to go very far, but would lap the rings if I exceeded .030.

Only time I've done this was with a mauser someone went a little wild on while grinding the bridge. Still seems to work.

 

[MeekandMild]

.030 inches is about 3/4 of a mm? That seems like a pretty thick shim.

For lapping does one use a wooden or a steel mandril? I've been wondering if I could just use a 1 inch wooden dowel and a piece of 800 grit emory paper. I've only got about .5 mm to take off.

 

[Jim K]

Sheet and roll aluminum can be bought in varying thicknesses, but regular aluminum flashing will be found useful for many tasks besides shims.

(O.T., but one use is to make holders for electric candles to put in the windows at Christmas.)

Jim

 

[HankL]

I prefer the shim sets as sold by Brownell but must admit I have shimmed more scope mounts with stock cut from Budweiser cans.