Scope mounts

[Webphut]

I have been using the opti lock sako bases and rings on all my rifles, but lately I am wondering if the Leupold mounts might be a just as good alternative. The Leupold would need to lapped unlike the opti loks, but the last set I installed, my scope windage had to be maxed to one direction to center my shots to the target. I know shims is the solution, but it bothers me I need to jimmy rig it like this though. I know, I know, I’m a bit snobby when it comes to my Sako’s, but I like my Sako’s to work as they were intended and designed to work from the factory.

Has anyone used Leupold bases and rings on their Sako’s? Do the Leupold bases have the recoil lug?


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[sako4me]

Why not use the Sako ring mounts, which in my opinion are more robust and nicer looking than Leupold.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

I use the Leupold ringmounts on all my Sakos. No they don't have the worthless, redundant positioning (not recoil) lug which limits where you can position the ring on the rear dovetail. If you think it is a "recoil" lug you haven't grasped the principle behind the tapered dovetails. I have NEVER had an issue with adjusting any scope to zero. If you use some common sense you can position the rings to be fairly close to centering the scope as the windage can be adjusted by sliding the rings fore & aft on each dovetail. The length of the scope tube can be an issue with this positioning approach, but any "normal" scope has never been a problem for me. You should NEVER need to shim anything. Just MHO based on my experience using Leupold ringmounts, YMMV.

 

[Webphut]

Yes, I am interested in giving the Leopold a try, but never can find them. The ones I do find, I’m worried they require drilling and tapping the Sako tapered dove tail the mount them. I kind of sort know the reasoning behind Sako recoil lug design, but I think it may be a tad overkill on their part. The tapered dove tail design is nice because it’s a built in way of centering the scope mounts, that’s why I have always just stuck to the Sako Opti loks. My gunsmith said to let him have a go at the rifle before switching over as it just may be a bad installation on my part.


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[paulsonconstruction]

Yes, I am interested in giving the Leopold a try, but never can find them. The ones I do find, I’m worried they require drilling and tapping the Sako tapered dove tail the mount them. I kind of sort know the reasoning behind Sako recoil lug design, but I think it may be a tad overkill on their part. The tapered dove tail design is nice because it’s a built in way of centering the scope mounts, that’s why I have always just stuck to the Sako Opti loks. My gunsmith said to let him have a go at the rifle before switching over as it just may be a bad installation on my part.


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The Leupold ringmounts clamp directly to the dovetails, like the original Sako ringmounts. It is unnecessary & would serve no purpose to drill & tap anything. You must be thinking of using the base & ring system where the bases are driven on the dovetails & the front turn in ring & windage adjustable rear ring are used. Once the bases are properly driven on there is no need to "screw them in place" or even use the set screw provided. The rings are then installed as you would on any rifle using the two piece system (base & ring) & windage can be adjusted with the opposing screws that hold the rear ring on the base. The Leupold ringmounts are a one piece clamp on style. I've seen Redfield, Burris & other base & ring mount systems for the Sako dovetails, but I think Leupold only offers the one piece ringmounts, IIRC.

 

[Webphut]

Ok saw some today, I like them. Gunsmith going to go over my install first, but I may switch if everything not up to snuff.



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[stonecreek]

I think Leupold only offers the one piece ringmounts, IIRC

I don't think they are still being made, but Warne made a Sako mount which clamped directly to the dovetails. Another obsolete direct clamp mount was made and sold by Kesselrings, a large gun store in Washington state which went out of business a couple of years ago.

The Millett mount for Sako is virtually a direct clamp. It uses the regular Millett cross lock ring (made to fit Weaver bases) with a tiny adapter that sits underneath the ring and a special set of claws which clamp directly to the dovetails. Through some kind of licensing agreement Millett packaged some of their mounts in blue bubble packs identified with the Sako logo and no reference to Millett.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

I don't think they are still being made, but Warne made a Sako mount which clamped directly to the dovetails. Another obsolete direct clamp mount was made and sold by Kesselrings, a large gun store in Washington state which went out of business a couple of years ago.

The Millett mount for Sako is virtually a direct clamp. It uses the regular Millett cross lock ring (made to fit Weaver bases) with a tiny adapter that sits underneath the ring and a special set of claws which clamp directly to the dovetails. Through some kind of licensing agreement Millett packaged some of their mounts in blue bubble packs identified with the Sako logo and no reference to Millett.

I have a set of the adapters that go under the Millet rings. The do allow one to take advantage of the windage adjustability of the Millets. Their only drawback is you can only position the rings in one place on the dovetails, which can inhibit mounting with some scopes. My reference to the Leupold ringmounts was in regard to the drive on bases with the turn in front/windage rear rings. Leupold offers the ringmounts "only", not the base/ring system like Redfield did or Burris does. I could very well be wrong on this. It's just that I have not seen them offered for sale anywhere. Maybe they were in the past. Were there other makers as well????

 

[stonecreek]

Leupold offers the ringmounts "only", not the base/ring system like Redfield did or Burris does.

Right. Redfield and Burris offer drive-on bases for the Redfield-type turn-in rings, while Leupold's only Sako mount is the ringmount.

Sometimes this gets confused since the Redfield turn-in ring patent has long-since expired and nearly everyone (Redfield, Burris, Millett, Leupold, and maybe some others) make rings to fit the turn-in bases.

 

[Sexton]

I use the Leupold ringmounts on all my Sakos. No they don't have the worthless, redundant positioning (not recoil) lug which limits where you can position the ring on the rear dovetail. If you think it is a "recoil" lug you haven't grasped the principle behind the tapered dovetails. I have NEVER had an issue with adjusting any scope to zero. If you use some common sense you can position the rings to be fairly close to centering the scope as the windage can be adjusted by sliding the rings fore & aft on each dovetail. The length of the scope tube can be an issue with this positioning approach, but any "normal" scope has never been a problem for me. You should NEVER need to shim anything. Just MHO based on my experience using Leupold ringmounts, YMMV.

Are there different height options for the Leupold mounts? I just looked at their web site but only find them in "high".

 

[gowyo]

So far in my Sako collection, I have been a fan of the older Warnes, current Warne Maximas don't work on pre x91 actions. (They just don't fit) they do work on 75 and 85 actions, but that's all. The old style windage adjustable OEM Sako rings are a favorite, but limited to one inch. More recently I've got a couple sets of 30mm optilocks, which work great but do add extra weight. When I'm buying an older Sako, if it's wearing the drift on Burris or redfield's with the set screw, I won't buy the gun unless the seller can prove to me that the set screw didn't mung up the receiver.

 

[stonecreek]

Are there different height options for the Leupold mounts? I just looked at their web site but only find them in "high".

Yes, they come in low, medium, and high and those heights are approximately equal to the similar heights in the original Sako ringmounts. I think that Leupold may also make an extra-high, but as I don't use large objective scopes I'm not really aware.

 

[stonecreek]

When I'm buying an older Sako, if it's wearing the drift on Burris or redfield's with the set screw, I won't buy the gun unless the seller can prove to me that the set screw didn't mung up the receiver.

Weaver also made an atrocious drive-on base with the offending set screw.

However, most mounts will cover any scar left by a set screw; so when you turn down a nice L57 in .222 Magnum, or an L61R 8x57, or maybe a walnut L46 .25-20 with dovetails scarred by a set screw be sure to drop me a line so I can pick up the rejects you leave behind.

 

[gowyo]

I just turned down a L46 25-20 mannlicher stock yesterday at the gun show. I wish I would have seen this. It even had three extra mags. Was 750.00 a good price? It was Immaculate except for those little circles from the set screw.

 

[stonecreek]

No, $750 would be an unreasonable price -- for one party to the sale.

 

[Sexton]

Yes, they come in low, medium, and high and those heights are approximately equal to the similar heights in the original Sako ringmounts. I think that Leupold may also make an extra-high, but as I don't use large objective scopes I'm not really aware.

Thanks SC, I'm using the opti-locks now and have the same windage problem the other guy reported, adjustment is all the way over. Point of impact is center of target but I wonder if a little more adjustment would be beneficial.

 

[Sexton]

I use the Leupold ringmounts on all my Sakos. No they don't have the worthless, redundant positioning (not recoil) lug which limits where you can position the ring on the rear dovetail. If you think it is a "recoil" lug you haven't grasped the principle behind the tapered dovetails. I have NEVER had an issue with adjusting any scope to zero. If you use some common sense you can position the rings to be fairly close to centering the scope as the windage can be adjusted by sliding the rings fore & aft on each dovetail. The length of the scope tube can be an issue with this positioning approach, but any "normal" scope has never been a problem for me. You should NEVER need to shim anything. Just MHO based on my experience using Leupold ringmounts, YMMV.

Mr. Paulson, what height Leupolds are you using?
Stonecreek; Yuh, There is an extra high Leupold mount. I finally found them on the Brownell site.
Thanks to both of you!

 

[paulsonconstruction]

Mr. Paulson, what height Leupolds are you using?
Stonecreek; Yuh, There is an extra high Leupold mount. I finally found them on the Brownell site.
Thanks to both of you!

Depends on the scope size & brand. Using Leupold scopes the mediums will usually work with a 40mm Obj. lens diameter without an AO. With an AO they usually require highs. I had to use the extra-highs on one rifle, but not because of scope clearance. The custom stock had an unusually high comb & the extra-highs were needed for proper eye alignment. Scopes with Objectives less than 40mm fit fine in the mediums. I've never had a scope that would fit with the lows, but some of the ones without a Obj. bell may work.

 

[stonecreek]

I've never had a scope that would fit with the lows, but some of the ones without a Obj. bell may work.

Right, the "lows" are very low. I do have a couple of scopes mounted with lows on L46/L461 sporters, however. They will clear a Leupold Compact (or Ultralight) with a 28 or 33 mm bell on the short action sporters. They will also clear the Leupold Compact's 28mm bell on an L579. HOWEVER, the bend of the bolt on the earliest L579's was tighter than later ones and the ocular bell may not clear the bolt handle with a low mount. Also, the bolt safety rocker arm on the L57 and L46 may interfere with a very low mounted scope. You just have to try them to see.

Of course, heavy barreled rifles may require a higher mount than sporters.