To each their own... or shame on you...

[P7M13]

Just one more thing to OCD about....
Whn I go to buy a scope, I'll look through the objective lense first, behaving as if its the ocular, to see what kind of reaction the seller has.

 

[Bobbygun]

This reminds me of my post awhile back.

USPS delivered a .222 Remington barrel for my Contender yesterday and I paired it up with a 3X Lobo scope I bought from a member here.

View attachment 835800

Edited to add: Yep. The mount is on backwards. Had to flip it 180 degrees. LOL. Hey, I looked at some pictures of mounted ones on Ebay, and it was about half and half. I don't know about those other guys, but my Contender didn't want to close properly (or even stay closed) mounted like the picture.

 

[FATAL125]

Recently met up with a buddy who wanted to show off and sight in his new rifle.

When he opened the case something looked weird. Took me a second, but I realized the cantilever mount was "backwards". Already knowing the answer, I asked who installed the scope and mount. He replied "I did." Followed quickly by "wait... why?" So, I politely told him that I thought his mount was backwards. Then he said something along the lines of, he had to in order to get the eye relief correct. Didn't want to poo-poo on his excitement, so I let it be and we had a good outing.

I've never run a cantilever mount, but I've also never seen one cantilever to the rear. I did a quick Google search before I decide to pose the question here, but came up with a split of "it doesn't matter" and "your an idiot and shouldn't own a gun".

So seriously, does it really matter which way it's mounted? If so, why?

@Warne - Welcome! What say you ☝?

 

[Warne]

@Warne - Welcome! What say you ☝?

It's interesting; we have had people ask us if it was ok to install the mount backward. Except for our 20MOA mounts, a person can install them backward if that is what they need to do to get the proper eye relief and if they can do so without bonking themself in the eye. However, on AR15 Style rifle, that would seem difficult. Our cantilever mounts are designed for AR15/10 style rifles to keep the clamping points on the receiver and allow additional eye relief by extending over the hand guards. In order to fully understand why he installed it that way, we would have to see the shooter's stance and how long the eyepiece is, and where the adjustment dials are to figure out why he would need to use the mount that way. But if it works for him, that is what really matters.

 

[FATAL125]

It's interesting; we have had people ask us if it was ok to install the mount backward. Except for our 20MOA mounts, a person can install them backward if that is what they need to do to get the proper eye relief and if they can do so without bonking themself in the eye. However, on AR15 Style rifle, that would seem difficult. Our cantilever mounts are designed for AR15/10 style rifles to keep the clamping points on the receiver and allow additional eye relief by extending over the hand guards. In order to fully understand why he installed it that way, we would have to see the shooter's stance and how long the eyepiece is, and where the adjustment dials are to figure out why he would need to use the mount that way. But if it works for him, that is what really matters.

Thank you, I appreciate the response. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, he is using one of your mounts on a POF Rogue. Honestly, I think it was an oversight on his part. Whether that was him not understanding the mount or just hastily putting it on out of excitement or both. In any case, the general theme of the responses here is on an AR style platform it really shouldn't be necessary to mount it backwards. On other applications, maybe.

As far as the general question itself, that seems to have a pretty consistent theme as well. So long as it isn't a canted mount, installing it in either direction isn't a big deal. Aside from looking goofy ...

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

tell'm to get better eyes and turn it around the right way. friends dont let friends run mounts backwards.

 

[bcp]

Turn the scope around backwards, too, to see how good a shot you really are.



Bruce

 

[Member 34319]

Just one more thing to OCD about....
Whn I go to buy a scope, I'll look through the objective lense first, behaving as if its the ocular, to see what kind of reaction the seller has.

I'm doing this moving forward.

 

[titsonritz]

Aside from the retardation factor, depending on the mount, there can be an obstruction placed over the ejection port that can cause malfunctions. Mounts like Geissele with 1/2" nut/bolt clamp or Bobro QD shelf (many QD mounts really), I've seen rounds get knocked back into the ejection port and shut chit down.

I remember Will Larson talking about the issue in one of his armorer classes that I described above, how a high-end rifle kept "malfunctioning". It had went through a few knowledgeable people hands before coming to him, turn out It is one of those incompatibility setup issues, he removed the optic the gun ran 100%.

 

[Member 34319]

Honestly, if the guy was able to hit targets, I don't think it matters much.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Maybe take a moment outside of the range to see if he wouldn't mind some advice on the topic. In the moment, correcting folks can be unpleasant, but outside of the moment is fair game in my opinion.

 

[bradsteen]

My only concern with installing the cantilever mount backwards is potential for the shooter to pirate himself. A scope driving into your eye socket from recoil is nobody's idea of a good time.

 

[FATAL125]

Honestly, if the guy was able to hit targets, I don't think it matters much.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Maybe take a moment outside of the range to see if he wouldn't mind some advice on the topic. In the moment, correcting folks can be unpleasant, but outside of the moment is fair game in my opinion.

Agreed.

I've already asked him to bring it out on the next outing. Told him I wanted to "try something". He's not one to push back so im just gonna suggest we try to flip the mount and see if we can make it work. I know we can and so im just gonna go about it in a "let's see" kinda way.

Like I mentioned above, I think it was just an oversight on his part.

 

[FATAL125]

My only concern with installing the cantilever mount backwards is potential for the shooter to pirate himself. A scope driving into your eye socket from recoil is nobody's idea of a good time.

On this particular rifle, thats not an issue. Plenty of eye relief and very little recoil so you'd be hard pressed to get smacked.

In other, possibly non AR, type set ups I can see it being possible.

 

[awags_86]

Help the man get setup properly! I've got to think that mount is partially setup on the handguard and that's no bueno for me. Plus it's goofy lookin

 

[FATAL125]

Help the man get setup properly! I've got to think that mount is partially setup on the handguard and that's no bueno for me. Plus it's goofy lookin

Yeah, I plan to. I'm pretty sure the front (or back technically) of the mount does come over onto the handguard slightly. I'll get him fixed up

 

[YippeeKiYoRed]

A person should first try different firing positions with the scope as far forward as possible using regular rings and see if it's really impossible to get proper eye relief.

I've stopped using cantilevers in favor of flat base extensions because cantilevers also raise the scope, making it more difficult to get a good cheek-weld. Granted, a flat extension will also raise the scope but usually not as much as a cantilever.

White Oak flat base extension

Depending on the shooter's build increasing the stock's length of pull is another option to get eye relief.

 

[Flopsweat]

A person should first try different firing positions with the scope as far forward as possible using regular rings and see if it's really impossible to get proper eye relief.

I've stopped using cantilevers in favor of flat base extensions because cantilevers also raise the scope, making it more difficult to get a good cheek-weld. Granted, a flat extension will also raise the scope but usually not as much as a cantilever.

White Oak flat base extension

Depending on the shooter's build increasing the stock's length of pull is another option to get eye relief.

They're available in different heights. With bigger scopes, I'm very particular about having the scope between 1/8" and 1/4" above the rail at the big end, to keep the height as low as possible. There's a simple formula that even I can't screw up. Or haven't so far. On smaller scopes, I just go for a comfortable height. There are also different offsets available.

 

[asiparks]

KFC......I just threw up in my mouth a little.

science fact :-that is, chemically, 98% the same as KFC coleslaw.

 

[titsonritz]

Tell him to go prone and see what happens.

 

[Yarome]

Angled, as in some of them are manufactured at an angle?

In addition, some rifles with low cheek welds require the forward optic mount to be slightly taller than the rear. It's not exclusive to long range or competition shooters.