I’m more curious as to using loktite/paint etc in screws them selves. Everything has a break point but does wet vs dry screw torque matter in rings?

More asking on the integrity of ring to ring and base clamp screws/bolt. The wet rail isn’t an integrity issue, you aren’t going to crush the rail. I have seen other base clamps break at 45lb dry and wet(torque spec per CS was 25-30lbs) . Not the screw, and not the female threads on back side but base clamp it’s self , wet/dry torque difference was to minimal to measure

Example: I have rings that come with threadlocker, torque spec is 45base /25lbs top and since it comes with threadlocker/loctite/paint etc that would be a wet spec, but they have said it doesn’t matter. Have other rings from another company that are 68in base 25ring, you call them and ask them dry or wet, they say spec is spec and the same.

So is there a significant difference in wet vs dry torque specs on scope rings components them selves, my idiot testing from assuming torque specs on some lower torque spec rings says no, but that’s hardly a large sample size.


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Sorry On screw threads, specifically.

Yes anytime you lube the screw threads, it's going to decrease the torque required to accomplish the same clamp force.

Patriot07 is correct about above.

I think the scope of the original issue is friction from rings to base on a picatinny rail not allowing the rings to seat properly at the correct torque spec. Then when dropped etc (additional force) they do seat, causing a shift in windage.

Yes but to a degree that it actually matters?

That's impossible to say because it's situation-specific.

I think the concern that wp75169 mentions above is very legitimate. Rings already don't use a ton of torque. I think it would be absolutely possible to not set a base "properly" on the rail and have it bind a little bit until it's jarred by a heavy recoiling round or the rifle being dropped, but if you'd taken time to set it correctly, or possibly have had the base lubed up where it didn't bind to start with, it could have prevented it.

I repeated this test with a day scope mounted in a BoBro engineering mount. I shot 5 5rd groups removing the scope/mount between shot groups with a non-lubed rail/mount. The group opened up to a 1.1 inch group for the 25 rounds fired. I repeated the test but slightly lubed the picatinny rail where the BroBo mount contacted it. Interestingly the group shifted to the right by .2 inches. After the 25 rounds were fired, the group was slightly smaller at just over 1.05 inches. The group difference, probably is due to me shooting. The center of impact shift is up for debate. The Brobo mount is self-adjusting.

The brobo mount is probably 10 years old and well-worn in as is the AR-15 I tested it with. There might be a larger change with a new mount and or picatinny rail.

I tested it yesterday evening with zero wind and a very new Bobro. No difference and it zeroed back perfectly either way.

I appreciate you guys posting your results from testing