I have some blue Loctite 242. It says removable on it. Is this the best one for scope mounting?
Loctite for scope mounting?
- Thread starter G-Mac
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Fishinfool
Member
I have used Loctite Blue for years on scope mounts. Never had a mount "shoot loose" while using it, and never had any problems removing a mount when needed. It does not bond to the same extent Loctite Red does. It also comes in handy on small pesky motorcycle screws and bolts that tend to vibrate loose.
Larry
Larry
Deftone
Member
Yes. Blue Loctite 242, good stuff.
Hillbilly77
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Blue Loctite is medium strength, so it sounds good for that. I just don't think I'd use red - that's high strength.
In my case, I live with a house full of females. When I need some Loctite to mount a scope, I raid their nail polish supply and use a dab of nail polish on the screw threads. It works like a charm and I don't have to spend money on Loctite.
Luckily for me, there's about 17 gallons of nail polish in my house at any given time.
In my case, I live with a house full of females. When I need some Loctite to mount a scope, I raid their nail polish supply and use a dab of nail polish on the screw threads. It works like a charm and I don't have to spend money on Loctite.
Luckily for me, there's about 17 gallons of nail polish in my house at any given time.
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I see that I will be bucking the trend here on this thread, but IMHO there is just no need to use Locktite to mount a scope. Locktite is a terrific product and I do use it (mostly on motorcycles due to the heavy vibrations and terrible roads these days) but I am in general against using it on firearms. Maybe I am just lucky but other than my Colt SAA's (150 year old design) I never have screws just loosen up if properly tightened. On the Colt SAA's it's just the nature of the beast and I just check it after each cleaning. Been shooting rifles with scopes for 50 years now and I have NEVER had one loosen up all by itself - NEVER. As long as screws are properly tightened with proper tools they should be good for many many years.
It's your gun and your scope so feel free to do what your heart tells you, but I feel there is just no reason to use it. YMMV.
It's your gun and your scope so feel free to do what your heart tells you, but I feel there is just no reason to use it. YMMV.
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tomcatt51
Member
Yes. Clean the threaded holes and fasteners with acetone before applying the Loctite.
On the small diameter fasteners we're using, the "medium strength" blue 242 is really more of a high strength (but removable) threadlocker.
As others have said, that's it. Although they changed it to 243 now.
EDIT:
From their .pdf.......
Loctite
EDIT:
From their .pdf.......
Loctite
® 243™ Medium Strength and Loctite® 263™ High Strength Threadlockers
The NEW Loctite
R 243™ Medium Strength and 263™ High Strength Threadlockers offer all of the
performance properties of the original Loctite
R 242R and 262™ products, plus more, to meet the everchanging,
• Cure without primer, even on inactive surfaces such as stainless steel
ever-demanding industrial environments of today and tomorrow. The new formulas offer:
• High temperature performance able to withstand temperatures up to 360°F (182°C)
• Improved cure performance on oil-contaminated surfaces
• Improved cure performance on oil-contaminated surfaces
• Cure without primer, even on inactive surfaces such as stainless steel
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In my case, I live with a house full of females. When I need some Loctite to mount a scope, I raid their nail polish supply and use a dab of nail polish on the screw threads. It works like a charm and I don't have to spend money on Loctite.
Luckily for me, there's about 17 gallons of nail polish in my house at any given time.
If you are lucky you will also find the right shades to touch up your crank baits that have gotten chipped from casting around rocks and logs.
flintsghost
Member
I use clear finger nail polish on scope mounting screws and have never had one come loose. In addition it's easy to get off of screws and mounts with acetone. A screw driver can break them loose without any fuss.
Don't use red LocTite,,it's overkill and you'll have to use heat (around 400F) to break the bond to remove the fastener. Trying to remove one w/o heat will result in a twisted off screw head or a slot damaged so bad that you'll be drilling the screw head off anyway.
I'm actually with chief38 on this one and haven't found the need for any thread locker on scope or sight mount screws.
If they are loosening easily under normal use,,something is out of line and the screws aren't drawing down squarely in the first place. That allows them to easily loosen with very little vibration.
If you do use Loctite,, 'green' is fine as it can be undone with simple tools yet holds the fastener in position,,which is all it's supposed to do.
In a pinch, you can use a drop of SuperGlue on the threads for a loctite type hold. It works good too,,but you have to wind that screw in FAST!. Hesitate,,and that's where it'll be stuck as the glue sets up almost instantly in the confined space of the threads.
A little heat undoes the grip of the glue and the screw comes right back out.
I'm actually with chief38 on this one and haven't found the need for any thread locker on scope or sight mount screws.
If they are loosening easily under normal use,,something is out of line and the screws aren't drawing down squarely in the first place. That allows them to easily loosen with very little vibration.
If you do use Loctite,, 'green' is fine as it can be undone with simple tools yet holds the fastener in position,,which is all it's supposed to do.
In a pinch, you can use a drop of SuperGlue on the threads for a loctite type hold. It works good too,,but you have to wind that screw in FAST!. Hesitate,,and that's where it'll be stuck as the glue sets up almost instantly in the confined space of the threads.
A little heat undoes the grip of the glue and the screw comes right back out.
I'm a big fan of the blue, but of late I like the green wicking loctite, especially on screws that I want to stay in adjustment AFTER tightening them.
The red is for stuff you don't plan to ever, ever remove. I once had to use a hand torch on a screw installed with red on a mount screw to get it out on a very expensive optic. Got it out without damage--but a scary few minutes.
The red is for stuff you don't plan to ever, ever remove. I once had to use a hand torch on a screw installed with red on a mount screw to get it out on a very expensive optic. Got it out without damage--but a scary few minutes.
Blue Loctite is medium strength, so it sounds good for that. I just don't think I'd use red - that's high strength.
In my case, I live with a house full of females. When I need some Loctite to mount a scope, I raid their nail polish supply and use a dab of nail polish on the screw threads. It works like a charm and I don't have to spend money on Loctite.
Luckily for me, there's about 17 gallons of nail polish in my house at any given time.
With 17 gallons of nail polish in the house, I doubt you have the funds to buy Loctite.
Frank46
US Veteran
Just don't get carried away with the locktite, just the screw threads only. Local smith back home had to do some serious work to remove the screws from a remington 40x due to bubba with his locktite. Then came the time to change out the barrel on said 40x. The locktite had wicked down to the barrel threads. Lotta cussing on that one. Bought a nice marlin 336 with some el cheapo bases and rings. yep bubba done got that one. Managed to get the rings off but the smith had some serious work to get the base mounting screws out. All the screws on this rifle were glued in. Frank
Pisgah
Member
I agree with chief38 that in most cases any form of Loctite on scope screws is overkill. It's actually pretty rare for screws to loosen if they are properly tightened to begin with. But still, it pays to check screw tightness regularly, and if you are a belt-and-suspenders kinda guy then blue Loctite or fingernail polish sparingly applied to threads won't hurt anything and just might save you some woe.
It's kind of like oils -- put oil in the right spots, don't drench the gun, and it usually won't make the slightest difference exactly which oil you're using, be it the much-maligned WD40, old-fashioned 3-in-1, or the latest $10-for-4 oz. wonder-lube. Soak everything in sight and it likewise won't matter what you use -- sooner or later, there'll be problems.
It's kind of like oils -- put oil in the right spots, don't drench the gun, and it usually won't make the slightest difference exactly which oil you're using, be it the much-maligned WD40, old-fashioned 3-in-1, or the latest $10-for-4 oz. wonder-lube. Soak everything in sight and it likewise won't matter what you use -- sooner or later, there'll be problems.
