Of mounts and rings and things

Guns Magazine, July, 2004 by Glenn Barnes

Reams of material have been transposed onto newsprint by authors raving about the perfect barrel for accuracy, the best trigger for this or that, the most rugged stock design, or perhaps the most superior optics. These subjects are clearly informative and make for interesting reading, but the fact is that no one component of a precision rifle's structure takes precedence over any other. All parts must work in harmony with one another to create the perfect whole.

Barrels, triggers, stocks, and optics are the more glamorous topics of discussion while sharing a campfire with your buddies, but there is one important part of the "whole" that goes virtually unnoticed, receives little or no coverage, yet is equally as important. What is this conspicuously ignored part of your rifle you ask? This salient feature is none other than your bases and rings.

Thirty years ago, I was without doubt one of the most intelligent creatures ever placed on the planet earth. The fact that I was greener than a sick goose's poop and still wet behind the ears somehow escaped me. I was nine years old and knew everything there was to know about any given topic. Especially when the theme of conversation drifted towards firearms in general and hunting arms in particular.

I vividly recall the day Dad presented me with my first rifle. Back then, poor old Dad wasn't the smartest fellow in the world. It often beleaguered my quick-witted and clever little brain how he even managed to survive the harsh and cruel world without drawing upon my wise counsel.

My new shooter was a spanking brand new Winchester model 70 Super Grade reamed to 30-'06. It wore a Redfield 3x9 variable scope in low profile mounts and rings. I was excited and most appreciative of my new hunting machine, but Dad, in his ignorance, forgot to install high profile see-through scope mounts on the rifle. In our neck of the woods everyone who knew anything about shooting rifles used over/under scope mounts. Being full of youthful wisdom, I deemed it imperative I use them as well.

Dad relented and soon 1 had a set of shiny new see-through scope mounts on my rifle. They came with a stout warning issued from Dad, "Be careful how you use them or you're likely to bust your noggin. Use either the iron sights or your scope. Don't try to use both."

What did he know about rifles?

A few weeks later, Dad and I sat perched in a tree stand watching a group of does work their way towards us. I peered through the scope and then eyeballed the iron sights. A mixture of buck fever and indecision raced through my veins. Opting for the iron sights, I settled the front bead on the nearest doe's shoulder and yanked the trigger.

I missed of course and also suffered the indignity of a lacerated forehead caused by the scope bustin' my noggin. To my credit, I took the pain like a man and shed not one tear. Dad, with the enduring patience only a parent can understand, said nothing. He just reached for his handkerchief and wiped the blood away.

Today, 30 years later, Dad is without doubt the smartest man I've met, and sadly, I've discovered I'm not quite as bright as I once thought. In the intervening years I've used, abused, and tested practically every type of scope mounting system on the market as well as a couple that aren't. Let's check out a few of the most popular scope mounting options available to today's shooter and uncover their secrets of success.

Best Of Both Worlds?

Why don't we begin with the infamous "see-through" mounts? The premise behind this type of mounting system is the shooter's ability to select either iron sights or optics. This simple logic sounds good in theory, but works a little less well in reality. Never the less, they remain popular and each year you discover new shooters mounting them on their rifles.

Why is this so? I really don't have a clue. The only sound reason seems to be tradition. Grandpa used one and so did Dad. They had no problem bringing home the venison each season, so maybe I should use them too. The fact that see-through mounts are an abomination to accurate long range shooting seems to escape these successful hunters, but who can argue with success?

Truckloads of deer and bear have been slain by nimrods using rifles topped off with over or under scope mounts and will continue to be until Grandpa's prize bull starts producing milk. Whether you love or hate them, see-through scope mounts are here to stay.

The Weaver Way

One of the most successful mounting systems, and a perennial favorite among experienced shooters, are Weaver bases and rings. These simple yet ragged scope mounts are relatively inexpensive compared to the competition, but don't conclude that low price equates to poor quality.

Weaver bases are constructed of high tensile strength aluminum, then anodized to match the finish of your favorite rifle--polished black, matte black, and silver. A cross slot is machined into each base that mates perfectly to the steel cross bolt of the ring, ensuring a secure fit. The cross boll rides underneath the base, or saddle, of the ring, and is secured to the base mount by a clamp and thumb-nut for easy installation or removal.