jrtMA Posted February 11 Report Share Posted February 11 (edited) I recently had a conversation with a very knowledgeable source who mentioned armorers he knows have been recommending purple 222/222MS over blue 243/242 loctite for handgun optic screws? I may have completely missed the boat and not paid attention on this front but are you seasoned optics people using purple? I’ve recently had issues with screws walking out when blue is used. Curious if there is really that much of a difference. I didn’t see anything on the forum from a quick search. Thanks. Edited February 11 by jrtMA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 11 Report Share Posted February 11 2 hours ago, jrtMA said: I’ve recently had issues with screws walking out when blue is used. Brother, that's gonna be a torque issue, over a thread-locker issue, no doubt. Here's the deal with purple - it's all about the screw size. Those handgun optics screws are so tiny, that Blue Loc_Tite will actually seize those things in place, and you'll strip the heads when you try to remove them to change a battery, or something like that. Blue is just too much, based on the screw size. Here's a cheater chart: I use Green, too, when it's serious. I don't use that 290 stuff in the picture above, I use 670. My definition: Bearing retaining compound, serious shiit when I don't want a wheel bearing outer race to move. If I need to change wheel bearings, I have to do it with a 20 ton press, or blow through a whole bottle of MAPP Gas to heat that shiit up and make it easier. I'll use Green for motorcycle footpeg bolts, too - I don't ever want those fuqrs falling off... Purple has it's place, and those tiny ass screws are the perfect place. I'm a big fan of Vibra-Tite, as well. For gun shiit, I think it's the better product. For suppressor-host muzzle devices, there is only one... Rocksett. My $0.02... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrtMA Posted February 11 Author Report Share Posted February 11 13 hours ago, 98Z5V said: My $0.02... Great information, thank you. I was clearly not putting enough thought into all these specific intended purposes. Purple it is 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrtMA Posted February 12 Author Report Share Posted February 12 @98Z5V I was looking into Vibra-tite. I like the sound of it and don’t mind spending a little more. I’m always picking up something new here. Is VC-3 a good option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 On 2/11/2026 at 4:21 PM, jrtMA said: Is VC-3 a good option? That's the best. That's what I use for optics mounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnMike Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 Learned something new. Never knew loctite was size rated. Always just used blue. But I also generally buy a gun, buy the optics I want for the gun and leave it that way. Hopefully that won't bite me in the ass in the near future when I plan to remove a nice Leupold from one of two rifles (haven't decided which yet) to replace it with a recently acquire thermal. Of course I could just buy another rifle for the thermal to go on ... more than one way to skin a cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 14 Report Share Posted February 14 On 2/13/2026 at 3:26 AM, MtnMike said: Hopefully that won't bite me in the ass in the near future when I plan to remove a nice Leupold from one of two rifles Easy way to defeat Loc-Tite on tiny screws... FIre up your soldering iron, and sit the pointed tip right into the screw head that you want to remove. Be patient, wait for that screw to get hot hot, and you'll be able to remove it easily, right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnMike Posted February 15 Report Share Posted February 15 I appreciate 19 hours ago, 98Z5V said: Easy way to defeat Loc-Tite on tiny screws... I appreciate that and will keep it in mind. Typically, that's the type I knowledge I acquire, after I've broken something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Cross Posted February 15 Report Share Posted February 15 On 2/15/2026 at 8:53 AM, MtnMike said: Typically, that's the type I knowledge I acquire, after I've broken something. I didn't know there was any other way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 11 hours ago, Matt.Cross said: I didn't know there was any other way... TRUE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunuckgaucho Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 On 2/15/2026 at 5:53 AM, MtnMike said: Typically, that's the type I knowledge I acquire, after I've broken something. The only way to truly know a limit is to actually exceed it, otherwise it's just theoretical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 On 2/16/2026 at 4:31 PM, Cunuckgaucho said: The only way to truly know a limit is to actually exceed it, otherwise it's just theoretical. I practice this daily... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnMike Posted Friday at 09:26 AM Report Share Posted Friday at 09:26 AM Took the easy way out. Just ordered a relatively cheap new Tikka 3X Lite Compact on which to put the new thermal scope, rather than risk stripping the screws removing scopes from other guns (where they belong anyway) ... I will install the new rail with some Vibra-tite VC3 - if I can find some. So, I have learned something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted Saturday at 09:56 PM Report Share Posted Saturday at 09:56 PM (edited) On 2/27/2026 at 1:26 AM, MtnMike said: Took the easy way out. Just ordered a relatively cheap new Tikka 3X Lite Compact on which to put the new thermal scope, rather than risk stripping the screws removing scopes from other guns (where they belong anyway) ... I will install the new rail with some Vibra-tite VC3 - if I can find some. So, I have learned something. Hell yeah, brother! Way to go! I got you hooked up with the Vibra-tite... hit Amazon, they have 30ml bottles with brush tip applicators for about $30... Edited Saturday at 09:59 PM by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnMike Posted Sunday at 11:54 AM Report Share Posted Sunday at 11:54 AM 13 hours ago, 98Z5V said: I got you hooked up I appreciate the info but I've got some coming in for pick-up to my local Grainger Monday 3/2. I've had the ATM thermal scope and QD mount for awhile now. DNZ picatinny rail and Limbsaver recoil pad coming from Optics Planet on 3/2 and gun should be delivered to my FFL on 3/3. So everything should be put together and bore-sighted by next weekend. I've never shot a rifle with a thermal sight before. Theoretically, it's a 2 shot process. Reality remains to be experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooterrex Posted Sunday at 08:28 PM Report Share Posted Sunday at 08:28 PM I have 2 ATN thermal scopes. I took a watter bottle and warmed it up in the microwave. stuck it in the middle of a sheet of Styrofoam insulation. Aimed at the watter bottle. Took my cigar and stuck it in where the 1st shot landed. used that to adjust scope and it was on 2nd shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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