scope mounts

[Sasquatch]

I ordered a 300 RUM today, Remington 700 CDL, and am curious what scope mounting system is supposed to be more sturdy. Should I go with the heavy weaver style tacticles, or the dovetail style.

I will be putting a fairly heavy scope on and will be packing this in a scabbard while riding horseback on a young horse during most of my hunting time. I want a mount that will hold up to the occaisonal drop or rodeo. I am smart enough to do a visual inspection and check the zero after either happens, just asking for input.

 

[chris matthews]

No doubt to what I recommend....and this comes from experience as a guide and a custom rifle builder......

BADGER all the way!!!!!!

 

[Dave King]

I agree with Chris on the Badger bases and rings.

If the Badgers are too much cash there are other tactical style bases and rings out there, just be sure to get quality.

The add a little weight to the rifle but there's no doubt that they'll stay put and short of you busting the scope into pieces your zero will be correct.

I needed to built a custom scabbard for my hunting rifles but it wasn't too much trouble. Some good leather, couple of marking tools, leather glue, Dremel to drill the holes through the three thick pieces of leather and a fair time doing the saddle stitching (double thread, opposite directions).

 

[3sixbits]

Dave King: do yourself a favor and get some Egyptian cotton thread to do your sewing, I prefer the pre waxed. It is much better than the nylon as it will not cut the leather over time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[distantfoe]

I agree with everyone, badger is the way to go. BUT, the #6 screws used on the 700 are, in my opinion, the weak link. You might consider having a smith drill for the #8 screws at least or possibly installing press pins. Personally, the press pins make the most sense as they would prevent scope base slippage from sharp blows as well as acting as a recoil lug.

 

[chris matthews]

The badger has a recoil lug- so no need to pin the base or drill for 8-40s- the lug takes all the recoil, the screws simply hold it on.....

 

[distantfoe]

Three years ago I thought the same thing, until experiencing poi changes and then I realized why many tactical rifles use #8's, press pins, as well as clipslotting.

[ QUOTE ]
[The badger has a recoil lug]

[/ QUOTE ]


They do have a recoil lug - personally sounds more like a selling point to me. I wonder if all 700 actions have tight enough tolerances so that the "recoil lug" can do it's thing, you know properly seated against the receiver.

As for the #6 screws, they sure are small to hold so much mass/weight. On the same note, #8's aren't that much beefier.

 

[jwp475]

I am useing Nightforce base's and the screw holes are large enough to preload the recoil lug on the base agaisnt the action and then tighten the screws to hold in place I have had no prblems with this set up and the 6x48 screws so far

 

[chris matthews]

The Badger's are the same way- the holes are elongated to set the lug against the reciever.

 

[Fiftydriver]

I have not used as many Badger Ord bases and rings as Chris but I will say this, many guys get intimidated by the initial set cost of the Badger base/ring systems which is a shame. When you look at it in the scheme of a total rifle system, its kind of like getting the best loading dies you can get.

Its a one time charge that will bring back nearly endless rewards.

As a fellow rifle builder I am impressed with the quality of the Badger rings and bases and the thinking that has gone into building them.

Yes, if they are installed incorrectly they will not offer much over other systems but if they are installed correctly which is extremely easy to do, they are the most rock solid system I have ever used and I fully endorse them.

If you want to be able to mount a scope and never worry about it again, get some Badgers and sleep well. Think of the extra cost in the base and rings as a one time life insurance policy for your scope!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[James Jones]

I'm a big fan of the heavier tactical style rings and bases but I have seen the Leupold dual dovetail rings and mounts stand up to a good deal of abuse. on of my heavy 308's has a set of these rings and bases the bases have been opened up for the 8-40 screws and I took the rings and bases ,lapped the rings in then pulled the bases off with the rings in place then tack welded them with the tig rig on the inside then when I replaced back on the gun I used some marine-tex to bed them to the action.
I have droped this gun once hrad enough to cause damage but it killed the scope , I took off the caps replaces the scope and all is good.
I think that this setup is as strong if not stronger than about any other but it makes for a major ordeal if you want to change scopes , it helped with some weight loss also

One side note , their is a company that makes a 20moa tapered DD base now for the Rem 700's also you can use Burris signature rings with the inserts in the Leo mounts. I prefer the Leo bases over the Burris ones just for looks

But if the money and weight is a concern or you may want to change scopes often then by all meens the Badger setup is the deal to go with

 

[Sasquatch]

the badger system looks to me to be based off of the weaver style mounts. Right now I don't have enough $$ for the badger system and will be anxious to shoot the rifle when it gets here this week. Here is my thought:

I can go down town and buy the Leupold weaver style base and rings. If I decide to beef up the screws I can take the setup out to the shop and drill and tap them on the mills after hours.

 

[Boman]

For normal hunting rifles, I've had very good luck with Leupold Dual Dovetail rings and bases. Make sure you have them lapped and have them use friction paper too. Good luck.

 

[chris matthews]

The Badger is 1913 picatinny spec- the weaver is loosely based off that but is not to spec and some of the weaver stuff is not interchangable with the picatinny spec stuff.