Odd event - broken scope rings...

GC

GC

Well-known member
My dad, my son and I went shooting Saturday. Dad had his Browning BLR ’81 in .308 Winchester out to check sights and do some practice before deer season. This rifle has a Leupold VX-II 2x7x33 mounted with standard low Weaver bases and rings. Dad has had this rifle for a long time and those Weaver mounts have been there from the beginning. Anyway, he set the rifle on the bags and shoots three shots in about an 8” oblong horizontal triangle… not normal for either dad or the rifle. The load is a handload I worked out long ago for his gun and if I told you how well the lever gun shot that load you’d give me the raised eyebrow thingy. Pop is no spring chicken at nearly 78 years of age, but he can certainly shoot better than that!

Immediately I suspect something is wrong and I walked around to the bench from the spotting scope. Dad was sitting there and we were both just sorta looking at the rifle and not saying anything as we mulled over the possibilities. Then I realized the nut on the lower half of the Weaver ring that locks the cross bolt to the base was gone on the back mount. It was snapped slick off so there was nothing to keep the back of the scope from shifting left-right. OK, there is the problem! I wondered how that broke off, the rifle hadn’t been dropped or bumped, but the end of the cross bolt was sheared off smooth with the base. Oh well, I had another set at home and could replace it.

So, Sunday afternoon I decided to remount the scope and replace that back ring. After disassembling the scope and back ring (which just fell off because of the broken cross bolt nut) I thought I might as well take off the front one too and go over everything all together. To my surprise when I touched the screwdriver bit to the front cross bolt nut – it just fell off too! It was broken also and had just been hanging on!

I can’t understand how BOTH of those snapped off like that when there was absolutely NO accidental drop, bump, ect on the rifle or scope. There isn’t a mark or mar on either the receiver of the rifle or the matte finish on the scope. I questioned dad and he said he hadn’t taken a spill while hunting. I know that is true because either I or my son always stay with him now with his age. The gun hasn’t been messed with in any way and just sits in the safe. It is only a .308 with moderate loads and the scope is lightweight so I can’t attribute this to recoil. Is it just too weird that both cross bolts would catch a severe case of metal fatigue at the exact same time? I’m having trouble figuring this one out…
 
Had that happen to an AR-15 using Weaver Rings on another mount.

First time, I just thought it was fluke, but the second time on the same ring, & I was thinking it was an incosistency in the base the rings were mounted on...I think it was in a bind.(The cross bolt, with the mount angle. It was mounted correct, though...so it may have been the crossbolt was just crystalized.)

It's worrysome though, because not eveyone carries that part around with them in case one breaks.
 
Never seen that before... How does the break look? Sheered?

Got pics? Interested to see how it would have broke as they are pretty strong unless there was a manufacturing error?
 
My guess (and I am just guessing) is that someone wanted to make sure everything was tight and tightened them both down until they sheared off. I would doubt that they "just broke".
 
Thermal cycling maybe??!! Has someone been putting the rifle in the oven and then sticking it in the freezer?

That's a strange one for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: JoeBobOutfittersNever seen that before... How does the break look? Sheered?

Got pics? Interested to see how it would have broke as they are pretty strong unless there was a manufacturing error?

Looked just like a crystalized, broken off lug nut on a car to me.

Both times it broke on the side the threads were on. Sorry, I didn't take any pics. I did think about calling my buds at ATK if one more breaks though.
wink.gif
 
Could it have come with the wrong screws ?
Maybe it ran out of thread when it was first torqued down.
Fooled you into thinking it was tight...??

PC
 
I had em break on my Model 7 308 , I quit using em i only use Leupold or Burris steel rigs-bases now on everything from 22s up.
 
It`s hard sayin, but my best guess is like you said metal fatigue.Maybe 30 yrs ago they were over torqued just a little and finally gave up, after the first one gave out it put a little more stress on the second? Just a guess.
 
They looked as if they were cut clean and even right along the side of the ring. Just sheared off slick and like Barry said, the metal looked like "pot metal." I've used Weavers for many years off and on and never seen such a thing. That cross bolt is supposed to be steel. Could have been too tight maybe and finally gave up the ghost, but what are the odds both would let go at exactly the same time? Just weird...
 
Mine broke while my AR was just leaning in the corner. I looked down & saw the nut & the bracket on the floor and was not believeing it just broke while not even shooting it..
 
I think they have only become "cheap" recently.

I've had Weaver rings on rifles for decades with no failure.

Perhaps a run of bad material?
 
Barry, like you I have used them for years with zero issues. But these were not new purchases, best dad can figure they've been on that rifle for at least 15 years, maybe 20 years. Which I guess if you think about that, perhaps 20 years of service from what is a very inexpensive set of rings, maybe that isn't so bad. Still just the co-inky - dink of both letting go at the same time is a little freaky.
 
I may go ahead & call my buds at ATK & see how they address the issue.

I thought I had an isolated case, but apparently not...

I'll get back to you guys about what they say.
 
Originally Posted By: GCBarry, like you I have used them for years with zero issues. But these were not new purchases, best dad can figure they've been on that rifle for at least 15 years, maybe 20 years. Which I guess if you think about that, perhaps 20 years of service from what is a very inexpensive set of rings, maybe that isn't so bad. Still just the co-inky - dink of both letting go at the same time is a little freaky. Food for thought because seems like you might have missed this. Forgive me if this sounds smartalick, but say the wheel on your automobile was held on by two lug nuts, one of them breaks off..now the entire load is carried on the one remaining.When a fastener is tightened the bolt is under tension (streched to a degree depending on diameter). The thread on a fastener is going to be the weakest at its minor diameter or valley of the thread.I have not mounted very many scopes but from the beginning wished I owned an inch Lb. Torque Screwdriver.
 
Your welcome. I`m not an Engineer but a Machinist / Mechanic and have had some training on fasteners and torquing. Also steel can look just like you described when it broke off. I work in Nuclear Power Generation and have seen thousands upon thousands of dollars spent on "Root Cause Analysis" for similar failures.Perhaps rocknbar`s friends can give some insight as to how they broke. I know one thing for sure...you need some new rings.
 
That's crazy! I've always had very good luck with weaver rings. I'll have to keep an eye out.

Maybe the saying my dad imprinted in my head "snug is tight and tight is broken" finally caught up with 'em.
 
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