Scope locks

A

Andy Cross

New member
HI Guys,
I recently caught up with a friend of mine who worked with me as an optical engineer. He still works in the industry where as I do not. As conversation progressed the subject of rifle scopes came up and I mentioned that some BR shooters are immobilizing the click adjustments because of movement and lack of zero holding.

He came up with a couple of ideas that could be fitted to a scope which would allow the mechanism to be locked up once set. It would allow it to be unlocked and relocked again if needed. I gave him an old lyman 24x with micrometer adjustments to play with.

I will keep the forum updated as things progesss.

Andy.
 
Tto elaborate a little.

Just to elaborate a little. The scopes internal adjustment system would need to be dismantled and the mechanism fitted. There would be a small knob protuding from the tops of the micrometer caps. About one half turn to lock or unlock.To cover the adjusters they would need to have different covers to screw over them. Of course if the scope was new you could say goodbye to any warrantee.

I will give him a call in about a month to see what he has managed to do.

Andy.
 
Some years ago, Burris had a "Posi-Lock" system. Never bought one. Does this accomplish the same thing.
 
Well the Buris one sort of accomplished it but the amount of backlash the locking system had sort of negated the whole purpose of fitting it in the first place. I think the backlash was necessary to avoid the problem of it not letting go when cold temperatures are encountered. The other system I employed years ago when I made a couple of prototype reflex scopes was to use electro magnetic adjustments. The cost of tooling up to produce these scopes would have ment that no one could have afforded to buy one. But with the magnesium/titanium housing and a mirror as the collector it sure reduced the weight of the optics.

Andy.
 
Andy,
Could you explain the backlash in a little more detail. It looks to me like the erector tube is trapped between three opposing screws. Also, I believe that there is some thought that lateral movement in erector pivot systems is an issue that modifications of the turret system does not address, and that in some cases, this instability may be a significant issue with regard to scope performance, for the most critical of applications.
Boyd
 
Andy, the minor problem with this is a statement you made. "The internal mechanism of the scope would have to be dissassembled". I have taken a lot of scopes apart, and that is no small matter........jackie
 
Reply to allen & jackie

Yep none of the systems addressed the lateral displacement of the erector. That has to be damped to the point of where it's no longer an issue. Separate from the locking system.

As with the dissassembly if you have to do this without the necessary jigs, clamps and sometimes special tools it can be a nightmare. In the lab I could pull a target scope to pieces including the movements, clean, adjust, collimate and reassemble in nitrogen in about 2 hours. Outside that environment I would't attempt it unless I wanted a headache.

Andy.
 
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