Serious question, why do so many folks use the wrong screwdriver bit on scope mounts?

I mean, I used to just grab whatever torx bit looked close enough, idk. But after I stripped a screw on a customer's Nightforce mount last month, I really looked into it. The torque specs for those tiny screws are super low, like 15-20 inch-pounds, and using a worn or slightly wrong bit can mess up the head before you even hit that. Now I check every bit for perfect fit and keep a fresh set just for optics work. Has anyone else had to learn this the hard way?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliviabarnes6d ago

My buddy Jake torqued his Leupold mount to spec but still stripped two screws with a worn T10 bit.

spencer_webb6d ago

Was the torque wrench actually checked for calibration? A worn bit can slip and mess up the reading, so hitting the number doesn't mean the true force was right. That combo is a classic way to end up with stripped heads.