I missed a big hog last evening. Crosshairs were right on him, and he was standing still at 200 yards. And I just flat missed. That actually gave me a minor bout of depression and frustration. Shouldn’t have missed. So, this morning I checked the sights and found the POI to be about 3” low at 100. It’s the new Athlon scope, which has been perfect up till now, and I hadn’t hammered it against anything. Looked it over close and realized that the scope had slid forward in the rings. The screws were not just loose, but were very loose - all 4 of them. They were plenty tight last time I checked. Could cold weather cause an expansion difference between the aluminum Aero Precision mount/rings and the steel screws?

I’ve never been a Lock-tite user. Maybe I need to be.

Could be a CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) mismatch. That would be the property and characteristic to Google for each metal. But, I doubt it. Sounds like more a mismatch in flexural strength of the two materials. I'm not a fan of loc tite here either, but sounds like it may be a necessary evil here, IMO.

Good bases, good rings, low strength locktite, and typically tighten 5 in/lbs tighter than recommended.

Loose scope, and loose action screws cause big problems.

They most likely came loose due to repeated recoil, probably not temperature.

That's a pretty hefty increase, 25% on some rings. That would be compounded even greater with loc-tite. If someone tried that with a material mismatch they'd likely strip something. Good equipment, I go with the published spec, that was likely taken from a thread engagement table.

But, you did say "typically".

Blue loc-tite on all scope screws and mounts. There is zero reason not to do so.

I suppose the ‘screw loosener’ must have been recoil, but it’s a 223, so recoil isn’t much. And the AR really isn’t that light.

Oh, well, everything is back where it should be, and seriously tight. Still no lock-tite. The scope is again dialed in.

I'm willing to take the risk I'm taking. I've had things come loose before, too. Locktite and 5 in/lbs over is less of a risk than a scope coming loose.

I don't do that on other people's rings, just mine. But, what I buy hasn't broken yet.

Just me-
Anytime I mount a scope, all the screws get loctite, I put a
bead of loctite between the receiver and base, and I put a
thin coat on the inside of the rings. Mine won't get loose
and blow a shot for me. If I thought the scope would
never need to be removed, I'd epoxy all of that with JB
Weld or something similar. I know several that weld their
bases to their receiver.
Many other things might happen, but my scope will never
come loose at a critical time and cause me to flub a shot
or cut a hunt short for me. That's one variable I have control
over, and I'll never let it be an issue with my shooting.

Oh hell no. Just loctite the screws. Blue version.

If they come loose again, I’ll use the blue lock-tite. I’ll be watching em closely.

This here.

I'm in agreement with the folks who advocate for blue loctite.

If you use Loctite blue, remember that it takes 24 hours to cure. There is also a PURPLE LOCTITE that is for aluminum and brass.
Different LOCTITE Products and Uses.

Funny because I was just coming in to post on torque numbers for rings. I've had two rifles where the scopes are rotating off axis. I fixed my 6.5 and will fix the .308 later since it's still dead on (just tightened the rings a little). I'm going to 25 in lbs but what is everyone else doing?

I'll add some blue loctite if it happens again. I think the culprit is running around on the SxS over rough terrain

I use a fatwrench, torque to the ring/base manufacturer spec and put blue locktite on. Never had a problem.

All of the above for me red, but no loctite...sounds like I'm headed that direction

Purple Loctite on scope screws.

Purple works but Blue is stronger and still removable without heat. I see no advantage to Purple, am I missing something Cast?

Also degrease the male and female threads with acetone, Gun Scrubber, or something equally effective. Blue Loctite and a torque wrench are givens as are rings with either 4 or 6 screws per ring riding atop a pic rail. The bonus of using a pic rail and ring setup is switching scopes is quick and easy.

Fellas, I have the Fat Wrench and a rainbow of loktite. At the moment, everything is set up without the loctite and I’ll leave it that way for now. I keep telling myself that I had cranked those screws down tight last time, but the possibility remains that I didn’t. If even one of those screws shows signs of being looser from now on, the loctite gets used. Blue loctite.

I do this also - clean before installing with blue LT. I use the Wheeler Fat Wrench. Wish Wheeler could figure out an adapter for AR barrel nuts!

Yeah, it’s recommended by the scope guys and it holds until it doesn’t need too. You need red, blue and purple.