Scope ring heights

Rifle scopes, iron sights and optics. Spotting scopes and target acquisition devices.

Scope ring heights

Post by CrackThump » 02 Jul 2020, 6:28 pm

Lets say I buy a scope for my 308 and it needs tall rings.... then later on i want to move that scope to my 223 but the 223 would only need low rings.. can I just use the tall rings or does it make to much of a difference.
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Re: Scope ring heights

Post by bladeracer » 02 Jul 2020, 6:32 pm

CrackThump wrote:Lets say I buy a scope for my 308 and it needs tall rings.... then later on i want to move that scope to my 223 but the 223 would only need low rings.. can I just use the tall rings or does it make to much of a difference.


Height above the bore isn't relevant, although a higher mount can extend your point-blank range.

Mount the scope to give the best cheek weld if possible, otherwise you're usually restricted by clearance between the objective and the barrel, or the ocular and the bolt stroke.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
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Re: Scope ring heights

Post by Blr243 » 02 Jul 2020, 6:38 pm

You can , but I like my scopes as low as possible for example 243 is shooting an inch low at 200.....it’s shooting an inch high at 100. Probably spot on at 150 m maybe spot on at 50 m. So the fox is dead.....but if u see a fox at 15 m and your scope is unnecessarily highly mounted u may line him up and shoot underneath him. My figures might be a bit out but u get the idea .....as far as I understand it, scopes mounted unececcessarily high only causes issues for targets within the first forty metres of you . Unless you are going to allow for holdover and know your trajectory very well. Some do know their traj very well .....some of us 204/ 22250/243 shooters just line em up and shoot
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Re: Scope ring heights

Post by CrackThump » 02 Jul 2020, 8:25 pm

:) thanks guys,

I need to buy a new scope and because Im still fairly new at this, its completely doing my head in .. you've given me one less thing to worry about.
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Re: Scope ring heights

Post by solarpak » 03 Jul 2020, 10:12 am

Cracker,
ring height is purely a factor of the scope objective bell size - thus if you get a scope with a 56mm objective then you will need high or extra high rings so that the the objective housing doesn't touch the barrel..

You can use the same rings later for another scope with the same objective size or smaller - but it will look crap. Use a different set of rings for the scope to make it sit as low as possible but still allow clearance of the front objective (so it doesn't touch the barrel)

Simple.

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Re: Scope ring heights

Post by SomeoneElse » 03 Jul 2020, 1:03 pm

If you're thinking of getting some quality rings but don't know what height to get here's my suggestion:
1) Buy some cheap $10 rings of eBay, as high as you can get. These are "burner" rings, so nothing fancy.
2) Mount your scope with the burner rings.
3) Measure up all your relevant concerns: bell clearance, bolt clearance, ergonomics. Any neck strain when shouldering it? Is the eye relief okay? Does it all line up naturally and comfortable? Do you knock your knuckles on the scope when cycling the bolt? Personally I think these factors all trump "looks", unless you're building a safe queen.
4) Your burner rings are now a measurable reference point. If you want your good rings to be lower/higher/same, you can measure off the burner set and know exactly what height the good ones aught to be.

I'd rather "lose $10" in getting the right height rings first time around than lose 40% trying to resell quality rings which were the wrong height. And a spare set of cheap rings is something useful to have on hand from time to time anyway.

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