SCOPE RINGS: STYLE VS EFFICACY

[Hoppalong Doc]

I've recently changed out the scope rings on my TX200 & HW97K , with Sportsmatch duel rings, with a stop pin on the rear ring. Hawke Scopes are mounted on both rifles. In my kit bag of tricks is a long un-used single mount with 2 rings about 3"apart. If a scope will clear when mounted in this single mount, is it generally thought to be superior or inferior? I assume that this manner of scope mounting is more rigid and therefore less likely to be affected by recoil than duel mounts. I also assume that the advantage of duel mounts is more flexibility in mounting on the rifle as well as ability in achieving eye placement. My friends, what do you use and why? I'll be interested in your reasoning. Orv.

 

[Pumacarl]

I have always been of the belief that the fewer the parts the better. If you're never going to move a scope around different guns, and you have a scope and a gun that will accommodate it, AND you can remove the base without having to remove the scope from it first, and it comes off w/o using tools in one piece, that's the absolute best. Everything is a compromise after that. This is hard to do with airguns in most cases but it's what I always would prefer to have. Good quick detach systems are big money though, which is also a factor.

For springers I have used one piece mounts effectively with a secondary slide stop behind it. They are slightly easier to deal with setting up, but you usually only go through this exercise once, so that might not be a factor for you either. On airguns with grooves cut in, like my FWB124D's, I liked the one piece bases because I liked the bigger clamping area. I figured the groove was less likely to get dinged up with the clamping force spread out. But even with that, I still had to put a little slide stop behind it. I preferred that though, compared to using separate rings.

 

[Danman]

I've recently changed out the scope rings on my TX200 & HW97K , with Sportsmatch duel rings, with a stop pin on the rear ring. Hawke Scopes are mounted on both rifles. In my kit bag of tricks is a long un-used single mount with 2 rings about 3"apart. If a scope will clear when mounted in this single mount, is it generally thought to be superior or inferior? I assume that this manner of scope mounting is more rigid and therefore less likely to be affected by recoil than duel mounts. I also assume that the advantage of duel mounts is more flexibility in mounting on the rifle as well as ability in achieving eye placement. My friends, what do you use and why? I'll be interested in your reasoning. Orv.

Personally, cant stand the look of single mounts, big ol block of steel...but on real mean springers (Diana 350 or the likes) I'd definitely suggest using one. The single piece Dampa mount from Sportmatch could be ideal, although ive never tried one.
Now if the made one with some built in elevation that would be sweet!
You find out quick how good your rings are when mounted on a beefy springer, most $20-30 "good nuff" for a .22LR will be useless. If they utilize flat head screws to clamp to the rail... run away

Floating around 12 fpe/.177 with both my two and I've only ever needed standard 2 piece mounts, allen head bolts with the locking screw/pin in the back.

 

[ProfSteelToe]

I've recently changed out the scope rings on my TX200 & HW97K , with Sportsmatch duel rings, with a stop pin on the rear ring. Hawke Scopes are mounted on both rifles. In my kit bag of tricks is a long un-used single mount with 2 rings about 3"apart. If a scope will clear when mounted in this single mount, is it generally thought to be superior or inferior? I assume that this manner of scope mounting is more rigid and therefore less likely to be affected by recoil than duel mounts. I also assume that the advantage of duel mounts is more flexibility in mounting on the rifle as well as ability in achieving eye placement. My friends, what do you use and why? I'll be interested in your reasoning. Orv.

Doc,

I agree with Danman and Pumacarl. With that said, one piece mounts may remove a few variables if you are, say trying to figure out a wandering POI or problem solving an unreliable gun. I have used one piece mounts with success on a Benjamin Trail XL and a few other (arguably budget magnums mostly) break barrel rifles when troubleshooting accuracy issues and in some cases basic accuracy potential.

I have an Umarex Octane that is remarkably accurate in .177. A solid backyard pester to lean in a corner of the garage. It's a big, dumb, thumper that always works with any pellet at 40yds and wouldn't suffer from a fall off a roof. One day it produces a shotgun pattern. I go down the list: tighten screws, check the breech o-rings, play with the scope. It has a Bugbuster 3x9 on it and I've had zero problems with UTG scopes on magnums. Clean the barrel. All off the stuff.

The Octane has open sights. I remove the.scope and it shoots fine. I put the scope on another springer, it shoots fine. I switch the scope to a one piece mount, shoots fine. And thus, the mount stays out. I had shimmed the rear ring of the scope and near as I could tell they had slowly been drifting up to one side of the ring.

I don't prefer a one piece mount, but they certainly work and sometimes they can help in diagnosing troublesome gun.

 

[Hoppalong Doc]

I appreciate each of the above answers. . . all are food for thoight. One issue for me is that I'm unable to get my desired 4" eye relief with my single piece rings mounted on my TX200 or HW9K. The single piece rings will work on my HW50S, but for now, I'm enjoying shooting this rifle using it's open sights. My main thought in using the single mount was securing it to the dovetail rail: the bolts, being so close together, would provide a firmer base, therefore nullifying the likelihood of scope shift. With the one block that I have, I can't quite achieve the eye relief I would like without moving my cheek up on the rifle. I'm not going to do that. The damper mounts also attract me, but I don't know much about them. Any thoughts on this? Orv.

 

[ProfSteelToe]

I appreciate each of the above answers. . . all are food for thoight. One issue for me is that I'm unable to get my desired 4" eye relief with my single piece rings mounted on my TX200 or HW9K. The single piece rings will work on my HW50S, but for now, I'm enjoying shooting this rifle using it's open sights. My main thought in using the single mount was securing it to the dovetail rail: the bolts, being so close together, would provide a firmer base, therefore nullifying the likelihood of scope shift. With the one block that I have, I can't quite achieve the eye relief I would like without moving my cheek up on the rifle. I'm not going to do that. The damper mounts also attract me, but I don't know much about them. Any thoughts on this? Orv.

Doc,

How about a dovetail to picatinny rail?