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Topic: The Best Scope Rings of 2022 (Read 37 times) previous topic - next topic

The Best Scope Rings of 2022

The Best Scope Rings of 2022

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The best scope rings for your rifle
Scott Einsmann

Don't trust your expensive scope to sub-standard rings and bases


The post The Best Scope Rings of 2022 appeared first on Outdoor Life.



                              

                   
The best scope rings for your rifle
Scott Einsmann

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            Best Overall
         

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            Seekins Precision Scope Rings
         

           
               
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            Best for Hunting
         

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            Zeiss Ultralight Precision Rings
         

           
               
                  SEE IT
               

           

         

            Best Budget
         

                             alt="Hawke Match Ring Mounts are one of the best scope rings."
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            Hawke Match Ring Mounts
         

           
               
                  SEE IT
               

           

         

 





I know what you’re thinking: scope rings are pretty much the same. Their one job is to keep your scope securely fastened to the top of your rifle. Oh, how wrong you are. The wrong rings can impede your accuracy, no matter how consistently your rifle shoots, and can work loose over time or fail to hold your zero. Here are the best scope rings on the market, but more importantly, how to choose rings for your rifle and optic co*bination.









Best Overall: Seekins Precision Scope Rings




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Seekins Precision



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





These Seekins rings are a great co*bo of simple, strong, and precise design and reasonable cost. The 30mm size runs $149, which is a cool $100 less than Vortex’s top scope rings for a similar build.





Key Features 





  • Weight: 4.1 ounces (30mm medium height)
  • Material: 7075-T6 aluminum
  • T-25 Torx screws
  • Tube Diameters: 1 inch, 30mm, 34mm, 35mm
  • Available in low, medium, medium-high, high, extra-high, and MSR heights
  • Built to 1913 Picatinny rail specs




Pros





  • Snag-free mounting design
  • Liberal clamping surface
  • Extremely strong T-25 hardware
  • Center recoil lug machined directly into ring bottom
  • Simple, effective design




Cons





  • At .8-inch wide, they’re fairly wide rings




Product Description





A number of scope rings feature a flat cap half, a feature that’s essential for ensuring that the scope’s reticle is level with the rifle. The Seekins cap is among the biggest mesa in the business. Other pluses: an anti-glare finish, a wide range of heights: low, medium, medium-high, high, extra-high, and AR height. 





The build of the Precision Rings is among the best in the business. Seekins starts with 7075-T6 aluminum and serializes the pairs to exacting standards. The .8-inch clamping surface is wider than other models, and the smooth edges and radiuses make these rings snag-free, reducing hang-ups on drag bags and scabbards. Lastly, the center lug machined directly into the bottom of the base is milled to 1913 Picatinny specs that fit precisely into Pic slots with minimal clearance or movement.





Read Next: Best Rifle Scopes 





Best for Hunting: Zeiss Ultralight Precision Rings




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Zeiss



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





The gold standard in precision scope rings, the Zeiss Ultralight 1913 Mil-Std Rings are co*pact, built with premium co*ponents, and feature a built-in leveling bubble.





Key Features 









Pros 









Cons









Product Description





This is simply the most reliable, precise, and elegant scope ring on the market, and is specifically designed for precision shooters. Starting with the flat cap surface for leveling down to the extremely precise screw and thread engagement to the built-in leveling bubble, these are easy to use and will hold even huge 34mm, 5-25×56 and larger scopes tightly and precisely.





The build has a low-profile stature with non-snagging hardware. Zeiss sends both T-15 and T-25 Torx bits for both the cap screws (T-15) and the cross-slot screws. Both are finished in black oxide for corrosion resistance and non-glare. The rings’ leading edges are further micro-radiused to create a non-marring surface.





The Ultralight Precision Rings bring a further, squishier, quality: they are beautiful to look at. Elegant in proportion and built to satisfy shooters with extremely high expectations of their gear.





Best Lightweight: Nightforce X-Treme Duty Ultralite Rings




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Nightforce



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





Made with premium aluminum (the rings and bases) and titanium cross bolts and jaws, this is the lightweight rig you want for your ultralight mountain rifle and featherweight scope.





Key Features 









Pros 









Cons









Product Description





Given the extensive machining and quality co*ponents, you’d think these top-end Nightforce rings would cost much more than the $170 that they typically retail for. The build gives shooters all the strength of steel at half the weight, and for that reason the X-Treme Duty rings have beco*e darlings of the mountain-rifle crowd that needs to minimize weight but maximize performance. While the standard 4-screw caps should provide all the clamping surface most shooters need, Nightforce offers the X-Treme Duty rings with a 6-screw cap that offers even more clamping surface for larger scopes.





Best for Long Range Rifles: Sphur Unimount




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            Sphur Unimount is one of the best scope rings.
                     

                 

           

 

         

       

Sphur



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





According to a survey of top Precision Rifle Series and National Rifle League co*petitors the overwhelming majority use Sphur mounts. You’ll also see them on some of the best sniper rifles





Key Features









Pros









Cons









Product Description





If you want the most rock solid scope mount available, you want a Sphur Unimount. They are machined from a single piece of aluminum, so they are perfectly aligned. The integrated level is a nice added feature and is out of the way co*pared to other options. You can also add a host of accessories to the rings like red dots. They have a wide surface area to securely grip the scope and spread out the pressure of the torqued down rings. What you end up with is an unquestionable rugged scope mount that’s trusted by co*petitors and silent professionals alike. 





Sphur also makes lighter mounts for hunters that are worth checking out if you want a premium scope mount for your long range hunting rifle. 





Best Budget Long Range: Vortex Precision Matched Rings




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Vortex



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





The manufacturing process of these extremely precise rings will make your head spin. Tolerances are held to .0005 inches, and rings are then serialized and bead-blasted to reduce glare.





Key Features 









Pros 









Cons









Product Description





Vortex has done a nice job of delivering a wide range of scope rings at various price points and builds to match its wide line of rifle scopes. Note that this is the top of Vortex’s extensive scope ring line, with heights ranging of .87, .97, 1.26, and 1.45 inches.





vortex ring serialized
The rings are serialized and matched.  Scott Einsmann




It’s hard to ignore the price of the Precision Matched line, though. They retail for around $240, or double the price of the very good Pro Series steel rings. Yet they are about $200 less than a Sphur Mount. Other Vortex mounting options to consider are their very good line of cantilever mounts and the entry-level Hunter line of rings.





vortex matched rings
Four T-15 Torx screws secure the scope.  Scott Einsmann




The Precision Matched series uses T-25 Torx heads for good torquing and solid holds. And they’re amazingly light for their robust build. Mated with a Vortex Razor HD GenIII scope on a precision rifle, there is little excuse for missing even distant targets.





Best Budget: Hawke Match Ring Mounts




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Hawke



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





Very affordably priced, Hawke has a scope ring product line for just about every budget and rifle build





Key Features 





  • Weight: 3.1 ounces for 30mm medium rings
  • Material: Anodized aluminum
  • Double hex screws on cap and rail mount
  • Internal cushion tape prevents marring on scope tube
  • Tube Diameter: 1-inch and 30mm
  • Available in low, medium, and high heights
  • Fits: Weaver rails




Pros 





  • Simple design
  • Edges are rounded to prevent snagging and scope damage
  • Extremely affordable, around $30 for set of 30mm medium rings
  • Cushioned tape prevents scope scratching and marring




Cons





  • Tacky tape can leave residue on scope tube
  • Hex screws not as precise as Torx




Product Description





While this is not a hyper-precise build, Hawke doesn’t intend it to be. Instead, it’s an accessible priced product (retailing for under $30) that is part of the brand’s extensive lineup of optics mounts. The 1-piece cantilevered match line retails for around $40, the 2- and 1-piece Precision Steel ring line sells for around $45-50 with lever versions costing around $74. You can spend up to $150 for Hawke’s Professional Steel Ring mounts, and the Tactical Ring Mounts use 3 cap screws and a beefier build.





Best Budget Cantilever: Primary Arms GLx Cantilevered Scope Mount




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Primary Arms



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





A simple, no-nonsense one-piece mount with 20 MOA of elevation built into the base. Perfect for AR platforms.





Key Features 





  • Weight: 6.7 ounces for 30mm medium mount
  • Material: 6061-T6 anodized aluminum
  • Double T-15 Torx cap screws on cap
  • Double ½ inch nuts clamp to rail
  • Tube Diameter: 30mm and 34mm
  • Two integrated recoil lugs
  • Fits: M1913 Picatinny rail




Pros





  • Extremely fast to mount and remove
  • 20 MOA elevation ideal for long-range applications
  • Pushes optics over 2 inches forward for optimal eye relief
  • Open cap style provides abundant contact with scope tube




Cons





  • 20MOA base can frustrate bore-sighting
  • Cantilever design not ideal with large objective scopes




Product Description





Primary Arms sells a lot of mounting hardware from other brands, but this mount, along with the PLx line, are made in-house and feature a ton of value. The cantilever mount is machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and is optimized for use on AR platforms. With built-in 20MOA of elevation, the model can extend the adjustment range of scopes to enable them to reach out over greater distance. The design also pushes optics forward to ensure shooters get greater eye relief, especially at higher scope magnifications.





The skeletonized 4-screw cap rings reduce weight without sacrificing strength, and the ½-inch “tactical thumbscrews” are easy to quickly mount and remove.





Best Custom-Fit: TRIAD Scope Mounts




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Iota



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





These are one of the best scope rings because they ship with three different rail-mounting keys to fit different tolerances of receiver rails.





Key Features 





  • Weight: 3.0 ounces for 30mm medium mount
  • Material: 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum
  • Double hex cap screws
  • Double hex jaw screws clamp to rail
  • Tube Diameter: 30mm and 34mm
  • Three recoil lugs
  • Fits: Weaver-style and Picatinny rails




Pros 





  • Three-key rail-adjustment system fits wide variety of receivers
  • Under-angled screw design eliminates corrosion
  • Under-cut wedge design enhances accuracy
  • Extremely lightweight




Cons





  • Under-angled screw design can be hard to mount
  • Mounting keys can cause confusion




Product Description





The first thing you notice about these innovative rings is that the cap screws don’t deploy from the top, as most do. Instead, they are screwed upward from the underside of the ring. The idea is that by keeping the screw head hidden, it won’t gather as much corrosive water and other materials, thereby extending the life of the ring.





You’ll also notice that the Triad ships with six metal slugs. These are keys that fit different tolerances of receiver rail, thereby giving customers more capability for mounting to different rifles. The inserts have tolerances that range from nominal to +.0035 and -.0035, ensuring a precise fit with Weaver-style rails but also European rails and standard Picatinny rails.





Best Adaptable: Burris XTR Signature Rings




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Burris



     

             


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Why It Made the Cut





These rings have inserts that can re-center your scope and give scopes additional elevation range.





Key Features 





  • Weight: 5.5 ounces for 30mm medium mount
  • Material: Aluminum rings with steel screw clamps
  • Triple hex cap screws
  • Double hex jaw screws clamp to rail
  • Tube Diameter: 1-inch, 30mm and 34mm
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 44mm, 50mm, 56mm
  • Fits: Weaver-style and Picatinny rails




Pros 





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