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Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:17 am
by stsbuyer
Evelio ask that I post this for him, I will let him add what he wants.

Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:58 am
by hambone49
Good info guys, I've always been a shimmer. It was great to finally meet up with y'all in Winny. Sorry we didn't say a proper goodbye. It is nice to know a beer can is three thousandths of an inch thick. At that rate I'll be reaching the mile mark soon.
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:58 pm
by Evelio Mc Donald
Hey guys, I would be very interested in your thoughts about the Weaver instructions. I know that a lot of you already are shimming your scopes, but I know there is a bunch that still think it will damage the scope.
Hambone you better stay away from that stuff, it will kill you !!!!!
Thanks Paul for the posting, I guess I will figure out how to do it one of this days.
Evelio.
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:23 pm
by CWS
I'd always heard that you shouldn't shim more than 20/1000's to avoid bending the scope tube. Sometimes that just isn't enough... It's much better to shim a one-piece base... you can do that to almost any degree you choose without risking damage to the scope. Both my 40X's have BIG shims under their respective one-piece bases in order to get the scope up into it's median range. The tracking is more accurate and you have more elevation / windage adjustment in the middle of each range. The inevitable question is 'Have I ever bent a scope?' You've seen me shoot.... how would I know?
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:47 pm
by BlauBear
Considering the price of replacement scopes, I still prefer drop compensated bases or rings.
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:12 am
by greenhead
WEAVER IS NOW OWNED BY ONALASKA OPERATIONS AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE # IS 1-800-635-7656. I CALLED AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE SHIM. THEIR RESPONSE WAS IT WAS TO GO BETWEEN THE RIFLE BARREL AND THE BASE ( EITHER ONE OR TWO PIECE ) AND AS LONG AS THE RINGS WERE NOT EXCESSIVELY TIGHTENED NO DAMAGE TO THE SCOPE BODY WOULD OCCUR. THERE IS A TOOL CALLED A " FAT SCREWDRIVER " AVAILABLE FROM BROWNELLS CAN BE USED BY US NONGUNSMITHS TO PREVENT OVERTIGHTENING OF THE RING SCREWS. CHARLES SULLIVAN, LITTLE ROCK, ARK.
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 8:24 am
by Bob259
greenhead wrote:WEAVER IS NOW OWNED BY ONALASKA OPERATIONS AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE # IS 1-800-635-7656. I CALLED AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE SHIM. THEIR RESPONSE WAS IT WAS TO GO BETWEEN THE RIFLE BARREL AND THE BASE ( EITHER ONE OR TWO PIECE ) AND AS LONG AS THE RINGS WERE NOT EXCESSIVELY TIGHTENED NO DAMAGE TO THE SCOPE BODY WOULD OCCUR. THERE IS A TOOL CALLED A " FAT SCREWDRIVER " AVAILABLE FROM BROWNELLS CAN BE USED BY US NONGUNSMITHS TO PREVENT OVERTIGHTENING OF THE RING SCREWS. CHARLES SULLIVAN, LITTLE ROCK, ARK.
Brownells has to have the worst search engine out there... no hits on 'Fat Screwdriver', lots of screwdirvers though. Did you have a part/item #
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:19 am
by malinois
Have you seen the new one on the midwayusa site with the built in torque settings.
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:14 pm
by Jason
That's the same one he's calling the FAT screwdriver, isn't it?
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=718023
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:19 pm
by Jerry G
I guess if you 'true' your rings, you should be able to shim till the cows come home. I guess another option is to use the rings with the plastic inserts. You can go up to 50 with them.
Re: Can You Shim a scope
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:07 pm
by rich56
I've use plastic from milk bottles or electrical tape in the rings without damaging scopes. When weight is not a factor I use Burris Signature with offset rings.