Rings and bases recommendations

I just picked up a Vortex Diamonback 3.5-10x50 rifle scope. Mounting it on a Remington 700 .270.

I've never had a 50mm scope. What size rings and bases should I get? Also, any brand recommendations?

Thanks!

The height depends on which rings you get. You'll have to calculate the height. Most likely with a 50mm objective, you will need a medium to medium-high rings, but it also depends on which base you go with.

If you want a rock solid set up, get a 0 moa picatinny rail with some rings that mount to the rail. This set up is very solid.

Some other options are some Talley style, where they clamp the scope sideways, vertically. I've used a few of these and they work well. They just take a little longer to install than the rings that come apart at the top half.

I just would highly NOT recommend any of the bases that use the rear windage screws to hold the ring in place (see link below). I've seen way too many times shooters have issues with these type of bases.

NOT these:
https://www.leupold.com/scope-mounts/std-remington-700-rvf-2-pc

I like these a lot, with a picatinny rail:
https://swfa.com/burris-xtreme-tactical-signature-1-quot-rings-1.html


I have used these and they worked fine: https://swfa.com/nikon-s-series-steel-1-quot-rings.html


Here's a set that mounts directly to the action with no base:
https://swfa.com/talley-lightweight-aluminum-1-quot-scopemount-110.html

Chad's steering you right. Avoid the type of mount with the windage-adjustable rear if at all possible (and that's waaay possible for the 700).

Another good option is the Dual Dovetail system offered by Leupold. I believe Burris offered it at one time, but may not still be available. These are a strong system and they look good too---nice and clean.

I use the Burris Zee ring quite a bit, and it's a good stout ring for hunting rigs. When possible (and it almost always is) I use a steel Weaver-style mount for these. Weaver used to offer some of their mounts in steel, and maybe they still do---and those are fine. Warne makes a good steel base also. Even Weaver's aluminum mounts are decent IMO, but I always try to find a steel mount.

Another thing to avoid is the cheap aluminum crap offered by the likes of Simmons, Tasco, and other budget optics manufacturers. I may hurt someone's feelings, but that stuff is pure junk. You've got a fairly solid scope to mount, so don't handicap it by cheaping out with your mounts and rings.

Can you expound upon the problems you have seen? I am setting up a Browning X-Bolt and these are the bases I was planning on using. Thanks,

Sure. There's 2 main issues with these rear bases.

1- The rear screws can loosen up or get knocked loose very easily. If you drop your rifle or hit the scope on something, this system is not very strong and can easily shift the ring in the base. The screws are fairly easy to turn and all they do is clamp onto "ears" of the rings (see #2)

2- On the bottom of the ring, there are ears that the screws clamp on to. These ears can strip or sheer clean off. I have seen on multiple occasions the "ears" on the bottom of the ring sheer clean off. Some of these were light weight magnum rifles with big scopes, so the recoil force on the ears are very high.

If either of these problems begin to occur, you will be chasing your tail wondering why your rifle is not shooting well and losing zero. It's best to not even use these type of rings for this purpose. The problem is, you see these rings and bases on EVERY gun counter in existence. They are a bad system, and I'm not a fan of them. But, they have led to some added business for me when guys can not figure out why their rifle is off or they have a wondering zero!

Just mounting the scope properly with a windage-adjustable rear mount is problematic...because of the lateral mobility (if only during the mounting process) of the rear ring, it's easy to end up with unintended force flexing the scope tube. The system's only real strength is its adaptability in compensating for imperfect placement and drilling of the mounting holes, but its weaknesses are pretty egregious.

Saturday a customer arrived with these rings. Job one for his whole rig was checking torque on every fastener I could find, one being these screws. I put just enough to make them click on the wrench, which was into 45 in/lbs. I alternated left and right.

We never left 100 yard paper with his rig, because it was all over the place. I reached in the truck and pulled out my 7mm-08 with a hand load, great scope, terribly durable Weaver style rings, and EGW pic rail. What-do-ya-know, he went 200 to 800 with zero misses then put his rifle in his truck. 30 year old Win 70 in .300 Win Mag, and Hornady ELD-X 220 gr. What do you think I thought the major problem was with his rig?

Those crap rings and base.

Well, you CAN mount a scope with them so the rifle will shoot straight...but like Chad's pointed out it becomes a question of "for how long?"

Great info! Thank you guys!

I wish I would have seen a thread like this several years ago. I have some of them goofy Leupold bases on two guns. Them dang windage screws have caused me a problem on each gun. They are tight now (again) and have held well for several years, but I don't trust them.

Correct! And if you tighten the screws up, you can easily change up the zero on your rifle, requiring you to re-zero the rifle again.

I've had leupold dual dovetail bases and Burris Signature rings on more rifles than I can remember and have never been disappointed. I can highly recommend them. I hate the windage adjustable rear bases though, for reasons others have mentioned. For my uses, I see no advantage to the oversized tactical rings/bases.

Yes. The dual dove tail mounts work fine. The only issue I have had with them is after mounting, sometimes the scope is pointed off in one direction, and there is not enough internal adjustment to get a zero. I have seen in more than one occasion this be an issue. With a good base, the dual dove tails are a strong set up. I just don't like how they line up sometimes.

The advantage of the "tactical" type mounts is that they are a very solid platform for mounting a scope. I often carry and pick up my rifle by it's scope. If I can't do this or if I feel that the mount and rifle set up is not strong enough to do this, then I need a better mount. For my basic Howa 1500 in 270 Win (my very first rifle I ever bought), I installed a pic rail and strong "tactical" type rings for it. I got the rings that are more lower profile and not over sized. But the system works and is VERY strong, and holds a perfect zero. And, it lines up the scope to the rifle much better.

I have a Win M70 .308 heavy barrel. It has a 20 MOA EGW picatinny rail and wears a 6-24x50 Bushnell. I used the Seekins low rings and I do not have clearance problems. You may not need medium or medium-high rings-it will depend on your rail/bases and how long the scope is. I would order both low and medium and use the one you're most happy with, return the other.

second on the Burris (signature Zee)

That's where the Burris Signature rings with inserts come into play. The offset inserts are an easy fix for shoddy rifle mounting holes.

If you wish to take your scope on and off I'd recommend Warne qd rings. They're holding zero for me.

Thanks everyone! Any other particular Piccatinny base brand/model suggestions (Remington 700 .270)? Looking for something decent but not the most expensive. Would be great if it was sold at Cabelas so I can pick it up locally.

To tag onto some of the above, the leupold dual dovetail is what I put on all my hunting rigs. Never had a problem and I have had and still have them on several 7 mm and 300 magnums. I do see how it could be a problem if the mounting holes were drilled off axis but I have not encountered it. Solid mounts and clean lines. Nothing to catch on anything. I have big hands and the two piece base gives me easier access to the action. For a target rifle I go with a one piece base. Lots of solid advice above. Always put good steel rings on your rifles. Nobody else mentioned it, but I believe in lapping the rings, to assure a perfect fit between scope and rings.

I believe in lapping, too. In no instance ever has it become apparent after lapping that it wasn't beneficial. It's a whole nuther subject, though.

EGW (Evolution Gun Works)

U.S. made, fit, great price.

Burris Zee rings are very good, no doubt. But if it's a heavy recoiling rifle, I've seen scopes slip in them. Rifle runs out from under the scope, increasing eye relief.

QD rings are not for me, and I move scopes on a monthly basis. It's too damn easy to find a tool to turn a 1/2" hex nut.

I've had good luck with the SWFA tactical rings. They're affordable and seem well-built. But I've only had them on a heavy 308, a heavy 223, and a medium-weight 6.5CM. I have no idea how they'd do on a 300WM, 338, etc.

I like the one one piece Talley's or Dnz for a regular hunting rifle. They're reliable and very reasonable. I'm pretty sure you could get by with the Talley mediums

I have them on two 7mags, a Tikka 695 and a Hill Country Rifle. A few hundred rounds on each and no slipping yet. They're not prone to slipping any more than anything else if you have a torque wrench, IMO.

,

Talley is all I use.

over kill for a hunting rifle (picatinny base/rings)

get a good set of Talleys, quit overthinking it. Mediums should do it on a plain deer rifle comb height

Let somebody else that knows what they are doing mount it. Your question tells me you need this help.

Its not brain surgery

but it IS fun reading all this minutia

Next week I'll be over 400 miles from home, in Pecos county, on a massive ranch, hunting cow elk. I want over-kill when it comes to my scope being securely mounted to my rifle.

I've taken my dual dovetails and Burris Sig equipped rifles to Sonora, MX and Namibia several times.....thousands of miles, surviving the baggage handling bozos, etc. I've never had to re-zero anything. It's seldom as hard as people make it out to be.

Anybody ever used a Weaver 98T one-piece base?

Take a look at the Leupold PRW rings. For the money they are robust rings. If you want QD capability, look at the QRW. I have both and they are great rings, admittedly I never take the QRWs off.


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