Al in Mi wrote:First thing...................Loctite those base screws down !!!!!
can't tell you how many RAR's I have seen and heard of accuracy issues that were traced back to loose bases.
I do not understand how ANYONE who considers themselves an experienced and competent rifle scope installer can install any form of firearm optic without FIRST cleaning all of the parts that make up the entire optic/scope mounting system including all the screws, all screw holes, bases, rings, top area of the rifle receiver where the scope bases are mounted including the threaded holes in the receiver where the bases attach. And by clean I mean the cotton swabs come up white as if unused clean.
I leaned a VERY hard lesson and realized good gun smiths are few and far between and I had better become able to do all but the most difficult gunsmithing myself.
About 25 years ago brought my slug rifle ( a semi-customized 12ga 870 Wingmaster in excellent shape I just got back from having sent it to Davis Basner (Basner gunsmithing of PA) to pin the Hastings AM fully rifled barrel he sold to the receiver and install a Hastings AM trigger assembly he also sold) to a highly recommended supposedly very competent local gun smith who lived near me to have him install my scope base, rings, scope and bore sight the scope supplied by me. Cost me $50 in 1998 or 1997. When I went to his shop that doubled as a LGS he wasn't there. The person who was behind the counter hands me my 870 and I instantly noticed multiple rather significant scratches on the top and both sides of the receiver that I knew absolutely weren't there when I gave it to him. The guy behind the counter was no help said I would have to come back and take up the issue with the owner "Doug" I did. When I confronted him, Doug was absolutely adamite that the scratches were there when he got the gun and he was in no way responsible for them. I really had nothing I could do besides never give him any more of my business and spread the word about his awful work practices as best as I could.
I did get a little satisfaction as he was caught up in a federal illegal firearms trafficking's sting, but was found not guilty as he pleaded entrapment, but it did put him permanently out of business.
About 5 or so years ago I personally converted two old Lyman 2500 vibratory case cleaners into a base for a single very large vibratory wet cleaner that I can vary both the size and capacity of the cleaning solvent container from a small 4oz container to a large gallon container. Every time I mount an optic without exception regardless if using a new or re-used scope mounting system I take all the parts of my scope mounting system clean all parts by hand then place them into a Pyrex appropriate sized container submerge all parts in my home-brew degreaser and vibrate them for one hour clean again by hand and spray with brake cleaner allow to air dry then install using gel thread-lock on all base screws, torque every last screw used per either ring manufacturer recommendations or industry standards for either aluminum alloy or steel rings and bases. I also allow my my bases to sit for 24hrs at room temp in my basement to insure the thread lock gel has completely dried then install the rings.
In 20+ years of mounting scopes I have never had a scope base work loose and only had two sets of rings come loose and that was among the first scopes I ever mounted over 20 years ago and didn't yet own a torque wrench for mounting optics. Once I purchased a optics suitable torque wrench AND became educated to what bases and rings should be torqued to I have yet (KNOCK ON WOOD 10x100x10k) to have any part of any scope mounting system come loose on me. BUT I make it a point to recheck all my scope mounting screws on a regular basis as in the first time I shoot that rifle that year and the day before I take the rifle to the range to confirm zero as close to hunting with it as I can.