Scopes for Rifle with 90 deg Bolt Throw

[NoMadMeHappy]

I have a couple Savages with 90 deg bolts. The first I had to use higher than optimal rings so the bolt would not contact the eye piece (on a Vortex). Looking to put a scope on an old Savage 110E with 90 deg bolt.
I have several Vortex scopes and the eye piece diameter seems to be consistent at 1.69". I looked up a Leupold VX-Freedom with a 1.56" dia. I have a Nikon with 1.74" dia. It seems like modern scopes have very large diameter eye pieces.

Anyone have suggestions on scopes with smaller diameter eye pieces that work better with 90 deg. bolts?

Read More

 

[orygun]

I have used Leupold scopes with low rings on Ruger rifles with a 90 degree bolt rotation.
I had a Savage 110 I put a Bushnell on in fairly low rings, too. My nephew changed to a Vortex with no issue.
Stock design has a lot to do with how different height rings work. If the gun was an iron sight gun, you may have a problem getting a good cheek weld with a scope that clears the bolt handle. Sightless guns usually have a stock that compensates for the difference.

 

[orygun]

Here's the Savage with the scope it came with. Don't even remember what it was. but there was no bolt handle interference.

 

[NoMadMeHappy]

Good stuff. I certainly have a few Vortex to play with. I'll see how low I can go. Waiting on a pic rail to start mounting.

 

[NoMadMeHappy]

I think my Ruger Americans are 70 deg and have never had an interference issue and always mounted as low as the objective lens bell would allow.

 

[orygun]

Good stuff. I certainly have a few Vortex to play with. I'll see how low I can go. Waiting on a pic rail to start mounting.

With a pic rail you should have no handle/scope interference issues. The rails always seem to mount the scope high.

 

[bcp]

Since the most popular style rifle now has the bolt handle directly below the eyepiece, manufacturers seem to be making eyepieces larger that when 95% were being mounted on bolt action rifles.

Bruce