What scope rings and bases do you use?

[best defense]

There is nothing wrong with the combination you have. Other rings and or bases are not going to hold the scope better or more securely.
If you really must get something more expensive without breaking the bank, you would do well to check out the Leupold products. The rings and bases are made in Beaverton, OR. The Leupold scopes are also made in Beaverton, but the Redfield scopes that Leupold also sells are made somewhere off shore.The Redfield scopes are still good quality. I have one, but like most optics for firearms, they are made in either China, Korea, or Japan. There are some made in Europe as well. Almost all brands have some cheap crap and some better quality products. Most of the time you get what you pay for. If you want to check out some top of the line scopes made in Japan, check out Nightforce.

 

[Argonaut]

The best are Recnagle made in Germany for the last 110 years but they are very expensive. I don't do Burris since an experiance I had with them on a pistol scope. Bad company. The double dovetail Leupolds are about as good as you can get for a reasonable price. I never cared for cheep Weaver stuff. It isn't much less expensive than the good stuff......used to be Redfield JR but now Leupold. I can't imagine a good leupold mount failing under recoil. My 378 Weatherbys have never had an issue. There just isn't enough stress on them even with over 6,000 ft lbs of energy but I do prefer the newer double dovetail. My German claw mounts are incredible but few smiths here know how to install them. They always go back to zero after removing and replacing the scope.

 

[MikeO1948]

Just got a new scope for my hunting rifle. I usually go with cheap Weaver stuff from bi Mart but I want to try something better this time. What do you suggest? It's going on a 30-06 savage it's the hunter package that came with a Nikon scope. Should I stick with same rings and base or move on since I got a new scope.

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Talley one piece rings and bases are the only way to go. I have a Burris scoped mounted on a Remington 700 BDL chambered in 300 WIN MAG. The Talley rings and bases are rock solid.

 

[OYSTERBOY]

Just got a new scope for my hunting rifle. I usually go with cheap Weaver stuff from bi Mart but I want to try something better this time. What do you suggest? It's going on a 30-06 savage it's the hunter package that came with a Nikon scope. Should I stick with same rings and base or move on since I got a new scope.

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I WILL USE ONLY WARNE RINGS AND BASES.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I sometimes use Tally vertical rings and bases on some rifles. For serious game hunting rifles, I normally use TPS, Picatinny type bases also with TPS, TSR type rings. I use both the aluminum and steel rings, depending on caliber because both are bore aligned within .0004" and are built strong. TPS rings cost about twice as much as Leupold but I have never had one fail. Leupold rings wear loose and will wobble at the turn lug and also will break their cheap ring screws after long use at 20 inch/lbs torque. TPS screws are tempered.

For what an elk hunt or any other out of state hunt costs, even for gas, doubling the cost of rings and bases is nothing?

 

[MountainBear]

I WILL USE ONLY WARNE RINGS AND BASES.

Yell it from the rooftops brother!

 

[welderman1949]

Just got a new scope for my hunting rifle. I usually go with cheap Weaver stuff from bi Mart but I want to try something better this time. What do you suggest? It's going on a 30-06 savage it's the hunter package that came with a Nikon scope. Should I stick with same rings and base or move on since I got a new scope.

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I prefer a scope mount that offers the option of windage adjustment on the rear mount such as Leopold, Burris, or Redfield. That allows me to center the scope windage before mounting it on the rifle using a bore sight. Then after mounting I use the rear mount to get the windage close using the rear mount. This gives me the most travel in both directions when sighting in the scope. Weaver mounts do not allow me to do this. To center the scope windage I first turn the windage on the scope all the way in one direction. Then I turn it back all the way in the other direction and count the turns on the adjustment screw. Finally I turn the adjustment back 1/2 those turns. With this system I know that I will have the maximum adjustment possible in the scope after it is mounted. This can be very important on older rifles that were drilled for scope mounts buy a 'Gunsmith' rather then by the factory.

 

[Backfire]

I've been very pleased with Warne Manufacturing rings and bases on my .30-'06, 7x57mm, 6.5 Creedmoor down to my .22-250 and .223. I prefer their Quick-Detach rings to their "permanent" rings because the scope, once leveled, remains so when switched from rifle to rifle. They're very secure. I have others (Redfield, Conetrol, Weaver, Leupold, etc.) but Warne has been good to me.

 

[Dan Adams]

Warne. And they do say not to lap them. Leupold, if you get a package deal.

 

[CountryGent]

I've used a bunch over the years. The latest project rifle I am working on has Leupolds.

 

[Enginerd]

Leupold and Warne. Both locally made in Beaverton/Tualatin and both are high quality.

Fun fact, Warne makes the blanks for Leupolds rings

 

[erslll]

Seekins Precision

 

[tac]

Warne on everything.

tac

 

[stickflickin]

I have never lapped my rings. I know a lot of people suggest you do, but the only rings that have left marks on my scopes were cheap Weaver buckle style...the kind you can never get the scope straight with. I have some target rifles that shoot amazing groups with rings that have not been lapped. Many ring manufacturers now suggest you NOT lap their rings. Warne for instance.

I think of it this way...if you do lap you assume the bar you use to lap with is perfect and the rings are not. I've decided to trust the boring tool or CNC machine used to make the rings in the first place was perfect and not worry about lapping.

I think that some of the cheaper aluminum rings must be extruded. When I have lapped them it is clear that they aren't round and could not have been machined. I have tried several manufacturers. They last ones that I did were seekins. I ran my lapping bar in them without any compound just to check for high spots. None, they we're perfect. You could tell when they were lightly tightened on the scope that it is a Precision Fit. Vortex rings are made by seekins I have heard

 

[tarster]

I think that some of the cheaper aluminum rings must be extruded. When I have lapped them it is clear that they aren't round and could not have been machined. I have tried several manufacturers. They last ones that I did were seekins. I ran my lapping bar in them without any compound just to check for high spots. None, they we're perfect. You could tell when they were lightly tightened on the scope that it is a Precision Fit. Vortex rings are made by seekins I have heard

The only set of vortex rings in got was the WD mount, and I was really disappointed.. they were made in China.. they held fine and did their job.. But I was not so happy to see they were from China when they showed up.

 

[stickflickin]

The only set of vortex rings in got was the WD mount, and I was really disappointed.. they were made in China.. they held fine and did their job.. But I was not so happy to see they were from China when they showed up.

I should have clarified that I was referring to their Precision Matched series. Vortex has products manufactured in multiple countries depending on the product line

 

[P7M13]

Mounts: Leupold, Warne, Seekins Precision, Badger Ordnance, Millett and Burris 1-piece mounts, Weaver and then some Cheap Chinese ones.
Except for my Win M70 and Ruger M77, I've converted every rifle to Picatinny rails, either Warne steel or BRO aluminum. Most flat, some 20moa. I think the Milletts are the only QD. While that's nice, I'm not in a rush to quickly mount or detach any optics.
Of those I have used, I sold the Seekins with a rifle, and threw away the Weavers. The cheap chinese have been relegated to holding flashlights.

My preference goes to Warne and Badger rings. They are stout. I've never bothered lapping. The Weaver rings put marks on the scope mounted in them, like the sucker was crimped in place. I'll never buy or use those again...
On glass, I have a bunch of Leupys, love 'em. One Sightron, 1 Primary Arms, 1 Simmons Japanese. Some day I'll own a Razor or a NF.

 

[edslhead]

I like TPS for my precision type rifles.
http://www.tpsproducts.com/products/scope-rings.html