by B.B. Pelletier
Today we will adjust the B-Square adjustable mounts for windage. You may have noticed yesterday that the setscrews that lock the windage adjustment screws are on one side of the scope ring. When you turn the rings to adjust for elevation, these setscrews will either wind up facing out (to the back or front of the scope mount) or in (toward the other scope ring). With some scopes, that can present a problem for accessibility for the Allen wrench, so give it some thought before you decide on a setting. And extra half-turn in the rear usually doesn’t upset things too much, but just remember to leave some space UNDER the rings at the front.
This is the 10-40X56 Tasco Custom Shop scope I used for years in field target. It was mounted on my Harrier. The front ring on the left has 1/2 turn of elevation, and the rear ring has one turn. Because the Harrier is a PCP, it didn’t need much correction.
Windage adjustments
The adjustment screws work by pushing against the split ring that is screwed to the stud. Tightening an adjustment screw pushes the stud and split ring AWAY from that side of the scope ring, which pushes the scope ring TOWARDS the screw you are tightening. This is confusing until you think it through, so I will provide a table of adjustments.
Always loosen the adjustment screws first. Right and left refer to the sides of the rings when you are holding the gun as the shooter.
REAR RING
To move the pellet strike to the right, loosen the left adjustment screw and tighten the right screw. To move the strike of the pellet to the left, loosen the right adjustment screw and tighten the left.
FRONT RING
To move the strike of the pellet to the right, loosen the right adjustment screw and tighten the left. To move the strike of the pellet to the left, loosen the left adjustment screw and tighten the right.
Remember – BOTH rings adjust
Sometimes you will run out of adjustment on the rear ring. Just use the front ring to go farther. I have never seen an airgun so far out of whack that it could not be adjusted with these rings.
The object is to adjust the scope using the rings and leaving the scope’s adjustments alone. If you centered the scope’s adjustments before starting the mounting procedure, you will have the entire range of scope adjustment available after the rings have been properly adjusted.
You don’t always need adjustable rings!
If a three-part blog hasn’t convinced you, please believe me when I say that the mounting and adjustment process for B-Square adjustable rings/mounts is very cumbersome. But it isn’t always necessary to use them. Try to get by with non-adjustable mounts/rings if at all possible. However, when you are faced with a real scope mounting challenge – these are the rings to buy.
Final tightening
To snug your scope mount down, the windage adjustment screws must be tight. Remember that as you do tighten them, you may be moving the zero you have set, so try not to do that. I find it easiest to snug down one ring and then make the final small adjustments on the other ring as I am snugging it down. After both adjustment screws are tight, tighten the setscrews and the job is finished. If your scope is still not tight, you have probably gotten the noses of the adjustment screws out of the holes in the split ring. They must be in those holes for the ring to be secure.
Don’t over-tighten!
Reader Paul Capello reminded me of this important lesson. The mounts are made of aluminum and the setscrews are steel, so the screws will strip their threads rather easily. You don’t need to torque any of the screws that tight to have a rigid mount. Here is Paul to tell you in his own words.
I’ve found that with the B-Square 17101, by removing the top half of both scope rings and using a lighted magnifying desk lamp, I can easily align the dimples on the split rings with the points on the grub (set) screws. This also helps me approximate and center the bottom half of the scope ring. Once you get all the parts “floating” properly, it takes very little torque to clamp down the rings.
Once set up correctly, there has been 0% movement on my RWS Mod 34 after hundreds of shots. I do admit that I rushed setting up the first 17101 that I purchased, but B-Square was happy to replace the parts I stripped with no questions asked.
I did also clean the parts carefully with denatured alcohol right out of the package. This helped tremendously. This is a great product for droopers!
If you plan on using B-Square adjustables, I would bookmark this posting, which contains an index to all the others.
BB – is the JB compound that you use for cleaning rifle bores a mild abrasive?
B.B.,
I have been using the bsquare adjustable mounts for several years now…ever since my Diana 350 tore up the beeman adj mount that I was using. In adjusting these awesome mounts I recently discovered that you can actually adjust the elevation without taking the scope out of the cradle. Since we dont crank the windage setscrews really really tight, the splitring lets the elevation post turn, all you have to do is take out the mount screw that goes through the post and then you can turn the post with your fingers. Put the mount screw back in and tighten it and it’s done!!! In addition to not having to take the scope out this allows a person to turn a post 1/2 turn without ending up with the windage lockscrews pointing to the inside, therefore eliminating the difficult access to the lockscrews. Works for me!!! Happiness is an easy to adjust bsquare ring. 🙂
–Dave Ennis
Vince,
Yes it is.
B.B.
Dave,
The really great thing about this blog is the stuff I get to learn.
Thank you!
B.B.
Sam,
B.B., Or any one who knows.
Can i put a Leupold Scope on my Beeman R7, or will the R7 break the scope? what about a Leupold Scope on a PCP such as a Talon SS?
Sam,
Thank You.
sam,
You can put a leupold scope on a talon ss or any pcp in terms of recoil. It will handle an R7 recoil too.
-sumo
BB,
I still have not chosen a scope for my airwolf. I found a burris 8-32×56 that i like. I was going to get a nikko 10-40×60 but decided it was to big.
Would a burris work well with that gun and is it a quality scope?
thank bb.
-sumo
Hi BB,
Thanks for rekindling my interest in air guns, again… You’ve got the best site I’ve come across and a lot of dedication to keep this up every day! I’ve just come in from the garage where I was doing a little experimenting with a .22 Lothar Walther barrel, my Prochrono and an air hose hooked to a compressor. It pushes a MeisterKugeln at about 330 fps with a steady 125 psi. Why am I doing this? I started to get back in to air guns last January after buying a TF 99 and being completely disgusted with it. I did a lot of rework to get it likable again and wrote a review of it on airgunsmith’s website on the Chinese Qb36 2 (same gun) under the name of Shooter. You’re welcome to read it if you have time. Anyway, at the end of the review, I said it might be easier to build a nice rifle from scratch (it’s not), and so here I am doing just that. Maybe not all scratch, I bought the barrel. It will be a hybrid of Mr. Nibecker’s differential piston air-spring and Mr. Whiscombe’s twin springer. I realize these are patented, but patent law permits copying a design for personal use, not for profit. Yes, I still enjoy the “MORE POWER!!! Stage now and again. I’m sure it’ll take me a good while to get this project to come together, but I’ll keep you posted. Lot’s of shop drawings so far.
A little about myself- My 1st air gun was a Daisy 1894 back in the 60’s. My Dad taught me how to shoot in our front yard. Wore it out and then had a most wonderful Christmas when I found under the tree a Crosman 760 Powermaster. Yes, they were Powermasters back then, not Pumpmasters. That gun traveled with me and my friend, who got one not long after I did, all over our neighborhood, fields and schoolyards for years (after school was out and everyone was gone of course, but try that now…). Got a scope for it and killed many mice, birds and even a skunk that I had trapped, although with it’s smooth bore it wasn’t such an accurate setup. It didn’t take much shooting to find out that BB’s penetrated better than the wadcutter pellets that were available back then. Cheaper too. I’ve shot air guns on and off all my life along with real firearms, both pistols and long guns, and now a lot more on with the air guns thanks to all the info and people I’m finding on your blog. Sorry for droning on so long…
Thanks again,
Another /Dave- Shooter
hey BB. recently had a brainstorm. what if the airgun companies were to produce a gun that would use a more standard shell and round, with the pellet in place of the bullet, and in place of the powder, compressed air or C02? hammer could open a valve, releasing the air, and sending the pellet down the barrel. only downside would be of course price of the shells, but surely they wouldnt be more expensive than normal firearm rounds. just a thought. it would be something nice for us that like something extremely realistic, but not as dangerous as a real firearm.
I dont see that as realistic…
all that does is bring the source of air closer to the pellet. Same basic function, just complicates things.
-sumo
Sumo,
The Burris 8 to 32 is a classic scope that’s been a favorite of field target shooters for years.
B.B.
Dave – Shiiter,
I’m on the road with the NRA National Airgun Championships right now, but I’ll try to get your report when I return.
Welcome to the exciting world of findinjg out what works and what doesn’t. In a few years you’ll be a crochety old guy like me and nobody will understand you, either.
Good luck!
B.B.
Shells,
Did you just reinvent the Brocock Tandem Air Cartridge? Each one costs many time what a firearm cartridge costs, but they are reloadable.
B.B.
Thanks bb.
-sumo
B.B.
Thanks for this series – it really helped me. Got my B-Square mounts adjusted perfectly. Made some mistakes though – lots of things to check on.
I just am amazed that a company with an advanced product would provide such crude instructions along with it. I think I’ll send them an email recommending their technical writer review for clarity.
Thanks again
Springer John
Springer John,
For many years B-Square used a condensed version of the instructions I have given here. I’m sorry they don’t still do that.
B.B.
B.B., In yesterday’s comments you wrote, “barrel weight doesn’t affect me because I shoot from a BENCH.” Please describe this bnech in a way a real “airgun novice” will understand. Are you standing?, sitting?, leaning? Maybe then I” understand how you get these 1/2″ groups. Everythng I know about airgunning, I’ve learned from you.
Thanks, JR
Sam said: Can i put a Leupold Scope on my Beeman R7, or will the R7 break the scope? what about a Leupold Scope on a PCP such as a Talon SS?
Sam,
I checked out Leupold’s site, and after poking around a bit, I found that they rate ALL their scopes, both for longarms and handguns, as being able to withstand the towel-snap recoil from spring piston airguns, including the likes of such scope killers as the Webley Patriot.
Leupold’s other major American rival, Burris, also touts the same ruggedness with their scopes.
I have a Leupold VariX-III 2.5-8×38 scope riding on my centerfire Ruger, and it always makes me proud to know that I forked over the premium for it when I could.
It’s a work of technical art.
Oh, I would think that nearly any scope would withstand the recoil of a pump peumatic or PCP, as those only recoil rearward, and then only slightly so.
-Scott
JR,
I’ll do better than describe it here. I will blog it next week.
A shooting bench.
B.B.
Well I have a problem with the B-square 17101 mount. I have purchased four in the last year and noticed a few changes, the earlier ones I purchased were matte black with b-square stamped in the side of the block and had decent sized bolts to fasten it to the scope rails. The recent two have been different, all these have been the same model #17101.
The new ones do not have B-square stamped on them are blued coloring and worst of all, the bolts are a smaller hex size on the head and the shanks appear to be smaller leading to an inability to clamp to Diana scope rails (I have several Diana’s 24, 34 and 52) naturally the pin keeps the mount from sliding back but there is not enough clamping pressure to keep from sliding forward the mount and scope can be slid right off the gun! and this with the screws as tight as as i dare without damaging screws. I was just falling in love with the B-squares and now it appears they have changed the design for the worse is there another alternative for Diana guns? is this happening to anyone else?
BB,
I have been having trouble with my mount. After I set the whole mount, I just shoot a few shots. Even this makes the mount come loose. It’s not any of the small pieces, the whole mount wiggles. I was wondering if you have any insights as to how I could fix this.
Mike,
When the whole mount moves, it’s not set in the dovetails correctly and probably not anchored, either.
B.B.
BB,
I’m sorry about the two posts. This is the first time I’m using a mount that didn’t come with a gun. Is there a post that can explain how to set the mount on correctly? (Anchoring, ect.) I just need to know how to get the mount on the gun properly.
Mike,
Pyramyd AIR has a large selection of articles on their site. Go to the bottom of the home page and click on Articles. That will take you here:
/
Here are three articles you should read, at a minimum:
/article/All_about_scopes_Part_1_January_2005/19
/article/All_about_scopes_Part_2_February_2005/21/
/article/All_about_scopes_Part_3_April_2005/22
B.B.
I just have one more thing to ask.
Is there a certain hole that the c-mount’s peg should go into? There are two, and so far, I have been putting it into the front one. And lastly, is that refered to as anchoring a mount? If not, what is anchoring a mount?
Mike,
Have you been trying to mount a scope on an RWS Diana rifle? Because the procedure for all those rifles is completely different than any other air rifle.
Tell me.
B.B.
Yes, The 34 panther to be exact.
Mike,
Okay, you cannot mount a scope to a 34 Panther in the normal way. The two holes you have noticed are too shallow to stop the scope mount from moving. I have been developing a special scope base for all RWS Diana rifles, which have had this problem for over 25 years, but if you want to mount a scope now, here’s what you need to do.
Please read my entire RWS 34 Panther report, paying particular attention to part 2, in which I describe how to mount a scope to this gun.
/blog/2007/7/rws-diana-34-panther-part-4-final-report/
You will also have a problem with barrel droop. The back of the mount has to be higher than the front by a considerable amount, if you want to have any scope adjustments left. You are using a C-Mount, which is adjustable. Unscrew the front ring one full turn and the rear ring three full turns to begin with
B.B.
BB,
I read what you said, and I think I understand
everything. First of all, I’m confident I know how to adjust for the drooping barrel. As for putting the mount on, I just wanted to confirm. The tab will be in front of the rail, and the tab will be in front of the actual rail.
After that, if what I said is correct, do I tighten all three screws, are do I tighten the two rearward screws. I ask this because the tab will be off the rail.
Mike,
I think you have it. And, yes, tighten all three screws, because they spread their tension along the rail. Even though the screw may be partway off or entirely off the base, it will still help with the clamping pressure.
By the “tab” I assume you mean the recoil stop pin. If so, everything you said it correct.
B.B.
BB,
Yes, I meant the scope stop pin when I said “tab.”
Thank you for your help. I’ve been making the best of it and getting great groups with the iron sights, but I’ll be much better with the scope. I’m also sure that the scope will be secure.
Thanks Again!
Michael
Mike,
The 34 Panther is one of the nicest breakbarrel under $300, in my opinion. The accuracy is really something. I know you will enjoy it with a scope mounted.
B.B.
O.K., so it’s 8 years after the blog was last posted. I’d like to find some B Square adjustable scope mounts…one or two piece, in both 1″ and 30 mm sizes. Apparently, some company names “Safariland” bought out B Square and then stopped making most of the product line (?!). You wonder why anyone would buy a business just to ruin it, but anyway. What is the next best thing on the market today that offers both droop and wind age adjustments?
Motorman
St. Louis, MO
Motorman,
Don’t get me started! B-Square was bought by Armor Holdings — a company that makes armor for HumVees. They had so much business that they let the B-Square division peter out.
I don’t know if the company B-Square became after the sale is still in business or not, but I certainly could never recommend their mounts unless I tested them again. When they moved the manufacture from Ft. Worth to China the quality went into the toilet.
I don’t have a “next best” recommendation. If I did, I’d be shouting it from the rooftops.
B.B.
I was wandering the nooks and crannies of Pyramyd Air’s website this evening and noticed the two-piece Sun Optics adjustable ring mounts. No, they’re not the same as the sadly-no-longer-available one-piece B Square AA mounts of old, but they look very similar. Any experience with these?
Motorman
Motorman,
No experience. All I know about Sun Optics is they source their products in China.
B.B.
B.B.:
O.K., so I ordered a set of Sun Optic’s imitation B Square adjustable mounts. It was the worth the $40 or so to see if they are a viable alternative to the lamented discontinued B Square product. I’ll let you know what I find.
Motorman
St. Louis, MO
Motorman,
Okay. I will be interested in the outcome. The chief complaint of the Chinese-made B-Squares is the metal is soft and the screws strip out. Watch for that.
B.B.
Hiya
Not sure if this would be of use but the mounts currently sold under the BSA name are, by looks at least, identical to the B-square mounts. I got to this page from a link on a British air gunning forum as these are the only mounts available to me that will fit the BSA Maxirail scope rail on an old Superstar air rifle. So if you do get stuck have a look for BSA Scopemaster Mounts. Hope it is of help to someone.
The company i buy them from does ship world wide so if anybody needs to know where to get them from feel free to send me a message.
BSA Nut,
Welcome to the blog.
B.B.
Many thanks B.B.
As i said there was a link to this page on a British airgun forum as the BSA adjustable one piece mount doesn’t always come with instructions, This is the only reference i can find on how to set it up so thank you kindly for the very useful info.
Any more news on potential replacements for the B-Square Adjustable mounts? @Motorman, how did the Sun Optics version work? @BSA Nut what about the BSA Scopemasters?
I’ve seen FX No Limits mounts elsewhere, but these do elevation only. I’ve seen several one-piece adjustable mounts as well, however, I’m pretty sure they won’t work on my M-Rod because of the mag.
jrfuda,
Welcome to the blog.
B.B.