Why cantilever mounts?

[JagerDog]

Seems they're popular for AR configurations.

I have plenty of rail and actually hope to keep MBUS rear, so cantilever seems counter-productive (unless I turn it around). The rings appear easier to remove from rreceiver should that become necessary/desired

Midway has a special with either standard Vortex rings or Vortex cantilever mount.



Flat top upper with A2 stock in .223.

[Bigtwin]

I generally see cantilever mounts used for a magnifier. If you have a red dot that is not magnified, you can swing the magnifier when you need magnification and away when you don't.

[JagerDog]

Appears the cantilever mount is almost 1/2" higher than high rings.

FWIW, Strike Eagle 1-8 is what I'm planning on mounting

[theLBC]

i've heard something like..so the mount is on the receiver for a more solid connection to the barrel, vs mounting it to the extended handguard.

for something like my scar where the entire thing is one piece of machined aluminum, i didn't need it an extended mount, and actually replace it with one that isn't extended, leaving me with a spare 35mm bobro duel lever cantilever mount.

[JagerDog]

I was antsy so got it with the cantilever mount. Best I could tell is height is best for AR. Could do high rings and a riser, but....more connections is more places to fail.

If there's room for the MBUS (mount reversed?), even better. If not, I'll likely never use the MBUS anyways. Came with the PSA upper package.

[kcheung2]

Depending on people's shape & the size of the scope, most scopes mount with the back end pretty much directly above the charging handle grips. If using rings, that places the front ring forward of the upper receiver. With a traditional non-railed handguard, using cantilever mounts is the only option.

If the gun has a railed free float handguard, then it is possible to mount the front ring on the handguard, but that is discouraged because:

1) The handguard can twist or bend, which then throws off the alignment of the scope. Best case you lose zero, worse case you damage the scope's tube.

2) If you ever replace the handguard, you'll have to remove the front rings, lose zero, and rezero. With a cantilever setup, everything is on the upper receiver so you can do whatever you want with the handguard.

3) Cantilever mounts are already at the right height. This is why for beginners who wonder about the proper height of rings, I always suggest to get cantilevers.

The only advantage to rings is that with less material, they weigh less, but often people end up getting rings + a long riser, which negates any weight savings and like you pointed out is more connections that can potentially come loose.

edit: If the gun has a monolithic upper like SCARs, Tavors, CZ805s, some ARs etc, then yeah rings work fine.

[JagerDog]

Thanks. Scoped numerous bolts and levers with some drop at heel, but not AR's. Those you typically want as low as will clear. Only AR optic I have is a red dot (Strike Fire) on a 300BO pistol build. It came with rings including a riser. I prefer my bolts and levers, so the AR's are just because.

This is a short scope that I might be able to keep on the receiver regardless, but who knows what the future holds. Probably lose the MBUS, but that's not a big deal. I'm not an operator or 3-gunner and I'm not likely to be using this 18" barreled .223 in anything where I really need a BUS. I'd prolly just call it a day or grab another shootin' iron should I have a failure. Seems 3-gunners will often use a 45* rail mount for alternative sights.

Merry Christmas to me.

[Carcassonne]

Sometimes it is the only option available to fit a scope on a specific gun.


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[jarhead714]

Sometimes it is the only option available to fit a scope on a specific gun.


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Solely to achieve the proper eye relief correct?

[The War Wagon]

I generally see cantilever mounts used for a magnifier. If you have a red dot that is not magnified, you can swing the magnifier when you need magnification and away when you don't.

This. Only problem is, they're almost ALL 1/3 lower co-witness, which I detest.


Primary Arms makes the only 30mm cantilever absolute co-witness mount, that I know of. YKMV.

[code_blue]

Some scopes are longer than others or have more forgiving eye boxes, so they are mounted more neutral to the back of the receiver.

Additionally, it gives you more wiggle room to configure placement to suit your preferences. Nowadays, I prefer taller mounts. It's more comfortable unless you're going prone for a long time.