Bases and rings: what’s good, what’s junk?

[steadyrock]

So I’m on day 2 of 10 waiting on a new X-bolt I picked up for hunting. This is my first bolt action and the first rifle I’ve purchased where I’m buying the optic separately, so I’ve got a bit of learning to do. I’m probably going to purchase a VX-3 40mm optic but still deciding.

But I need rings and a base. What should I be looking at? I know some rings are junk and some are good, but not sure what’s what I’m this area. Any advice on brands or what to look for/avoid?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LindenBruce]

Well, there are a lot of good brands. The usual, Leupold, Steiner, Weaver, Vortex, Warne etc. Just do some research when you find one you like and see what people are saying. What Caliber is your new rifle? B.

[k1dude]

Talley is a favorite of many. But, as mentioned previously, there's a heckuva lotta good brands out there.

[steadyrock]

Thanks. Warne was the one i saw on the shelf, the brands mentioned here give me a place to start. Probably not something I should overthink lol. The X-bolt is in .270, intended for hunting and range work out to 200-300 yards so I think I should get a 0 MOA base.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[steadyrock]

Any reason I should be going with a rail plus rings instead of just rings? Only advantage I can see for this purpose is eye relief adjustment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[theduracellbigd]

No rail unless you plan on switching scopes often which I do not recommend. Talley all in base/ring one piece aluminum if lightweight is desired, or Leupold steel bases and rings for fit of various scope designs due to the extended bases, and convenient rear base windage adjustments. The Talley one pieces sometimes have rare alignment issues that require reversing the mount to avoid excessive windage adjustment of scope; which doesn't always work for some scope applications. Talley are the lightest of the bunch and they have really good customer support(so does Leupold). Leupold also has blued and matte, whilst Talley is kinda its own look of medium gloss black but looks really good.

[Preston-CLB]

I have Leupold steel rings on my VX3. I found them on the Leupold website. They are of very high quality, and not too highly priced. They have a handy tool for finding the correct bases for your rifle's receiver.
-P

[SafetyOptional]

Vortex Matched rings or if you have money, ARC m10 rings. ARC is what I have on all my rifles including my cz 22lr. It's ease of install alone makes it worth it to me.

[homers]

Hunting setups are different than target setups, especially if you are trying to minimize weight. I usually go with 2 piece rings for hunting, and any major brand will work fine. And I usually get the lowest rings to keep my sight aligned.

[Vigilante]

Originally Posted by k1dude

Talley is a favorite of many.

I count myself in that group. I use Talleys on most of my hunting rifles, and I really like their one piece aluminum mounts. Talley also makes the Browning brand "Integrated Scope Mounts," so they are a good option as well.

X-Bolt Mounts

If you buy a VX-3 with 40mm objective, then you'll want low height mounts.

[Peahi2]

I do like my night force and badger rings a lot..same for vortex.

[b1gdave32]

I have dnz game reaper 1 piece mounts on 2 diff xbolts in 270 n 3006. They work, basic simple, light n hold zero. The Talley’s posted above are pretty sweet too.

[MyOdessa]

My go to rings are Burris Signature series, high quality, easy on the scope and build in added elevation/windage advantage.

[Unit74]

I have Leupold on all my bolt rifles. I really like their newest crop though, the Back Country mounts.

[HK Dave]

My favorite base and rings are seekins.

[ExtremeX]

Originally Posted by HK Dave

My favorite base and rings are seekins.

Same... I like them a lot.

TPS would be my 2nd choice on a budget, but I find it's worth spending the extra coin.

[akjunkie]

I'm a big fan of Warne Maxima QD rings.

I like the option of taking the scope off when I clean my rifle or when I store my rifle in teh gunsafe. Scopes take up alot of room.

[Cowboy T]

Nightforce, ECW, and Weaver all make good, and affordable, aluminum Picatinny mounts. This is nice for versatility in mounting your scope exactly where and how it's most comfortable for you. Should be good for anything short of the really hard kickers (e. g. .300 RUM, .340 Weatherby Magnum, and so on)

The Leupold STD mount, the Talleys, etc. are also good stuff. Depends on what you're shooting.

I used to recommend Burris Signature Zee rings, until they shipped the manufacture from the USA to Red China. Shame, because those rings were actually pretty darn good. Fortunately, Leupold still makes their stuff in the USA. Others, as has been mentioned, also make good rings.

[ExtremeX]

Originally Posted by akjunkie

I'm a big fan of Warne Maxima QD rings.

I like the option of taking the scope off when I clean my rifle or when I store my rifle in teh gunsafe. Scopes take up alot of room.

I had a couple pairs of those and while they work, I wasn't a big fan of how the rings were split all the way down the center vertically.

Also the recoil lug isn't integral, and the QD lever leaves a bit to be desired. Hard to get consistent torque when tightening. Not ideal for anything precision rifle.

Try a set of TPS rings for around the same price... that's what I ended up using instead.