Leupold dove tail base loosening

62flint

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I have a leupold VXIII 1.5-5 scope, rings and base on a Winchester m70 375hh.
I was swapping the scope out for a newer 1.5-5 leupold with the CDS ZL turret. I noticed when I removed the old scope the front ring. The one that turns in a half turn and locks, That the bottom portion of the ring was loose in the base and wiggled a lot. I sent Leupold a message and got a response that the rings where not intended to be reused.
I didn't moved the bottom part and as far as I known the ring has never been separated from the base.
Coincidently the rifle shoots very well somehow with the loose front ring. It maintained better than 1/2 -3/4 moa out to 250 yards for me. I was just putting on the newer scope so I could dial up for longer shots on plains game or western game if needed.
Leupold is sending me new rings, I can not complain about leupolds customer service or products really. But I am some what concerned if the ring loosened from the 375 recoil. I do not want to have a failure while I am traveling.
Should I switch bases and rings now or replace with the new rings and try again? I will take a better look at the front ring when I remove it completely and post pictures. I am just waiting for the new rings to arrive.
 
Sounds like a concern! Finding your scope to be loose after travelling half way around the world would be most disappointing!

Have no experience with Leupold bases on the big magnums, curious to know what others have found.

Have used Talley on multiple, hard-travelled, big rifles and had perfect performance.
 
Rings not to be reused? Never heard if such a thing.
 
Rings not to be reused? Never heard if such a thing.
Dovetail rings are not intended to be removed and reused as when you turn them 90 degrees to lock them in it swages metal out of the way.

Regardless they'll need to be replaced. What's the size and color? For example Dual Dovetail 1" High Matte Black.

Best regards,

Chance

Copy and paste from the leupold rep

My thought is if the base “swages” metal out of the way when it’s turned. Does the recoil of a 375 eventually move more metal to the point of a loose ring?
I think I am going to order a set of Talley rings and bases.
If nothing more , peace of mind.
 
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Leupold rings and bases have always been excellent quality, but to me the older dovetail design has always been suspect.

I've used the Leupold Backcountry one piece ring & base system with great success. Both the Warne and Talley quick release systems have been trouble free on my rifles.
 
I have never heard of that with the dovetail front, I have re mounted them before but only on rifles up to 35 Whelen. I have noticed some "rub spots on the dovetail on the ring, but they were solidly mounted.

I don't used the Leupold dovetail system on .375 and larger rifles. Talleys are my preference.
 
Pays to have and use scope mounting alignment/lapping bars. Also, sounds like those dovetail mounts were rotated past alignment at some time in their past. If so that will forever loosen them. I use dual dovetail (front and rear) mounts on all my heavy recoiling rifles. Never an issue, but I always use alignment bars and do not rotate them past 90 degree alignment.

2F0B2317-1120-45FD-9180-B493A40BE078.jpeg
 
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I switched to Talley after the windage adjustable rear mount on the Leupold bases stripped out of the dovetail under recoil on my .300Wby.

As years went by I noticed how common this problem was with Leupold bases/rings; while I am a fan of Leupold scopes for think their rings are of poor quality.
 
There is a difference between the 1/4 turn dovetail system usually seen on the front mount and the windage adjustable lock up clamp on the rear base on those type Leupold mount systems. If the front 1/4 turn dovetail is over-turned much past the 1/4 turn, 90 degree alignment, then sure it will forever be compromised. I have mounted and dismounted those 1/4 turn dovetails countless times and never had an issue of them loosening. But I used alignment bars and took care not to go past the 90 degree alignment.

For years I think Leupold received complaints about those rear clamp screws that broke when they were over-tightened. I think Leupold eventually beefed up that screw in an attempt to help prevent that issue.

I use the dual dove tail system that has the 1/4 turn type ring-to-base system on both front and rear rings/bases. Here is a Leupold dual dovetail mix and match with extension rings on both front and rear I used for mounting a short-coupled scope.

Win 70 416 DD scope mount open.JPG
 
CD772B86-981A-4383-954B-F1C34A599C4B.png

Just noticed this on Leupolds web site.
Up to a 300wm
 
I have the standard bases on my .340 Weatherby and haven't had a problem in 24 years of shooting heavy loads through it.
 
I have the standard bases on my .340 Weatherby and haven't had a problem in 24 years of shooting heavy loads through it.
Maybe it’s was just me or a fluke.
I have not owned this rifle long and do not know the history.
All I do know is when I took the top of the ring off to swap the scope the front twist in ring was very sloppy in the base. Surprisingly accuracy was still good.
With Leupold saying on the web site up to 300wm. I will take their word for it.
I have used Leupold products for years and will continue to.
But I just ordered steel rings and bases from talley for my 375.
Maybe I will save the Leupold rings and base I take off for the pre64 300hh I am longing for.
 
Here is a link to a chart on felt recoil that you can compare different cartridges.

For a example it shows a 375 HH at 42 felt recoil with a 300 grain bullet and a 340 Weatherby at 35.6 with a 225 grain bullet which is what I shoot, but up to 43 with a 250 grain bullet

 

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