scope rings size

[CalGuns]

hey fellow calgunners- im new to AR15 rifle, and was wondering why do you guys perfer to get the super high rings over the low rings (even though the low rings fits the scope and rifle), is it better to get super high rings over the low rings? im still debating weather i should go for the high rings or low rings.

[Guns R Tools]

Is it flat top or with carry handle model?

Carry handle: should be ok with regular rings.
Flat Top: high rings, some scopes front bell might not clear.

Try your cheek weld with you rings (also with scopes) mounted loose. See if it lines up naturally with your eyes.

[Pulsar]

The scope lines up better on the AR-15 with high rings do to the straight back stock. Low rings work on other rifles because the stock actually drops from the top of the reciever, bringing your head down, where as the AR-15 stock stays in line with the reciever (which helps with muzzle climb) and gets your head high enough to require the sights to be elevated.

[Blacktail 8541]

High rings or super high are are almost a neccesity to get proper hight to be able to see thru a scope properly.

[fairfaxjim]

Another option is standard height rings with a riser block.

[MicronuT]

post pictures for him

[Fjold]

There is no drop at the comb and heel of the stock so if you put your cheek on the stock your eye is a couple of inches above the receiver top so you have to mount the scope higher to line up to your eye. Even the iron sights on the AR are mounted higher than on most guns.
(The rear sight on the lower gun is folded down)

[CalGuns]

heres some pictures of my s&w m&p15t with leupold mark4, notices the rings are medium height (temp use only).

[CalGuns]

so im guessing that most people perfer high rings on there flat top due to the proper hight to be able to see thru a scope.

[Blacktail 8541]

High rings or med rings with a riser. Most risers are 1/2 in.

[ar15barrels]

heres some pictures of my s&w m&p15t with leupold mark4, notices the rings are medium height (temp use only).

Can you get a good cheekweld with that setup?
Close your eyes.
Bring the gun to your face and make the cheekweld.
Open your eyes.
What do you see?
If you don't see the reticle properly, you don't have the gun setup right for natural point of aim.
Adjust scope mounting accordingly.

[fairfaxjim]

Riser block with standard rings:

[Jicko]

so im guessing that most people perfer high rings on there flat top due to the proper hight to be able to see thru a scope.

Or else you would have to crush your cheek.... or you would have to tilt or lay flat your head before you can see thru the scope....

[ar15barrels]

Riser block with standard rings:
http://www.saltzgaber.com/images/dsc_0158.jpg

FYI: That's a 3/4" tall riser.

[maxicon]

There are 2 main goals to mounting a scope on an AR:

- Getting the scope to the right height.

- Getting the right amount of eye relief for your cheek weld.

For height, many people like their scope centerline to be about the same height as the iron sight centerline, so you can use the same shoulder mount and cheek weld for both setups. This is especially important for fast reaction/adrenaline shooting, where muscle memory plays a major role.

This will be in the range of 1.3-1.5" above the flat top, which is very high compared to traditional rifles - hence the use of extra high rings, risers, or one-piece mounts. Also, if you're going to mount a BUIS under the scope, you'll need enough room for it to fit, which will require a pretty high mount, depending on the scope and BUIS.

For eye relief, it depends on how you like your cheek weld. Many AR shooters shoot nose to charging handle (NTCH), which also gives a fast, repeatable mount. With most magnified scopes, the eyepiece will need to be forward of the charging handle to do this. For those who like longer stocks or a cheekweld further back on the stock, the eyepiece position will vary.

As ar15barrels suggests, find your natural mount position, and have someone hold the scope in the place that gives you a good view at max zoom. Make a mental note of where the eyepiece is in relation to the charging handle, as that's where you'll want most scopes to be. You can also try mounting the scope in a single ring to find the sweet spot, if the front ring is too far ahead of the flat top (but you won't want to shoot it this way!).

For many people, rings directly on the flat top won't allow the scope to go far enough forward, especially ones with long eyepieces like the DMS-1. For this, you'd need either an extended riser with medium or so rings, or an extended one-piece mount.

Also, note that different manufacturers have different specs - Leupold's high rings are a different height than Warne's high rings, Leupold's QRW rings are different heights than Leupold's Mk4 rings, and 1" rings are often different heights than 30mm for the same height name. Finally, some (like Burris' Xtreme rings) are spec'ed to the bottom of the ring, while many others are spec'ed to the centerline.

I need the eyepiece to be at least an inch or more ahead of the charging handle, and there's no way to use rings only for that. I can only use extended risers or one-piece mounts. YMMV, as always.

Here's the Big List of one-piece mounts for the AR - you can get a feel for how much forward flexibility each offers by how far the front ring is cantilevered out.

http://www.maxicon.com/guns/optics/one_piece/ar15_onepiece_mounts.htm