Dangling scope base (with picture)

[Peakbagger46]

After listening to suggestions here, I went with a Warne one piece weaver style base for my Marlin 336. It has several holes on one end and appears to be reversible.

The best eye relief seems to be obtained with the base (and the front ring) kind of dangling in front of the receiver. Will mounting the base like this cause durability issues or potential loss of zero?

 

[243winxb]

No, not a problem. . My Rem 600 in 243 has a Weaver base like that.

 

[Skylerbone]

The aluminum base is incredibly rigid despite floating. I too have multiple bases that overhang the receiver and the real problem is keeping brush from snagging in there but that can happen between any scope and rifle setup if you're not careful.

Similar floating front ring on my Henry’s receiver/rail (r) vs. a 1-piece unitized mount on the CVA. Both wear the same model scope.

 

[cdb1]

Peakbagger46, are those Leupold Rifleman rings you’re using?

 

[imashooter]

Not a problem. It's a very short "cantilever" secured solidly where it should be. As pictured, just make sure those lower ring sections are shoved fully forward in the rail slots when tightening. Looks like a nice Marlin. Overall pics when finished.

 

[cdb1]

While waiting for your reply concerning the rings it occurred to me that while maybe acceptable for a participle, you will need many more than one rubber band to hold the base securely to the rifle. I’d suggest using screws. If you insist on rubber bands, at least use black ones so they blend in better.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Peakbagger46, are those Leupold Rifleman rings you’re using?

Yes they are the Leupold rifleman low rings

 

[Peakbagger46]

While waiting for your reply concerning the rings it occurred to me that while maybe acceptable for a participle, you will need many more than one rubber band to hold the base securely to the rifle. I’d suggest using screws. If you insist on rubber bands, at least use black ones so they blend in better.

No love for the blue rubber band? Warne forgot to include screws with the base. I’m going to have to give them a call later today.

 

[cdb1]

No love for the blue rubber band? Warne forgot to include screws with the base. I’m going to have to give them a call later today.

I imagine you’re busy so I’ll call Warne for you and tear them a new one.

I was 99% sure they were Rifleman rings. It’s a funny thing, the first thought I had was the rings would fail long before there was ever an issue with the base hanging out over the barrel. But, there won’t be an issue with the base and there won’t be an issue with the rings. I just have a thing about Rifleman rings. They feel so flimsy and weak in my hand. Yet I have mounted many scopes for customers using them and never had a single one come back with issues. So on the one hand my hands and eyes tell me one thing, yet I have seen proof over and over that my hands and eyes are wrong. I also know Loonwulf uses Rifleman mounts and hasn’t had issues but I can’t bring myself to trust them even though there is solid evidence I can. It’s complicated, kind of like dating a German chick.

 

[Hookeye]

The Rifleman rings are aluminum. Light and not expensive.
They also lessen the risk of scratching a scope.
Not pretty, but they work fine.
IMHO They should have radiused ears, like a Zee ring, to help with the looks.

My Signature Zees put my minty 4X Leupold compact (not a mark on it) too high, and my LGS didn't have any normal rings low, except for the Rifleman.
So.......for now my 760 wears those. They're fine, except for looks.
While my rifle is old, I still can't bear to use those %$#@ Weaver rings (strap top).
I might mess with distressing the finish of my rings to lose that cheap alloy anodized look. They're either too black, or too matte.
I have some Gunkote left that splits the diff. Use that and buff the edges to worn, might look right.
If not, I'm out 20 bucks. Whoopdeedoo.

 

[Hookeye]

I should see if my LGS gets a used set in and play with radiusing them at work.
Good lunch time project

 

[doubleh]

Simple answer, no. If you use enough of those rubber bands you might not need to mess with screws.

 

[cdb1]

It just occurred to me that if there are issues with your set-up then there would be serious issues mounting a scope on a shotgun with a cantilever barrel. Or is my surmise flawed?

 

[Axis II]

I have the same setup on a marlin with the overlap and threads on marlin owners.com shows tons of guys with the same “issue” and no issues at all.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Ok, I feel better about the setup now. As a bonus, I may collect enough oak brush under there to form a kind of mobile blind for myself.

Maybe I’ll even react the scene in Macbeth when Mcduff takes the “forest” of men to attack him.

 

[Peakbagger46]

It just occurred to me that if there are issues with your set-up then there would be serious issues mounting a scope on a shotgun with a cantilever barrel. Or is my surmise flawed?

View attachment 817211

Have you ever shot one of those barbaric weapons? The reason that setup works is because virtually no one shoots more than three shots a year out of their slug gun.

 

[cdb1]

I have not. About eight years ago I bought a Mossberg 930 Combo with a field barrel and a rifled slug barrel. Had the shotgun for two years and never attached the slug barrel much less fired a slug through it. Sold the shotgun at a premium during the Sandy Hook firearm shortage.

 

[Hookeye]

Cantilever shotgun bbls work..........but most folks run them on a field stock gun (that's why they like the scope attached to the slug bbl and not on receiver). Slug bbl on a couple weeks and back to bird bbl.

Even w a high comb stock, some put the scope too high.
Maybe a bonus for top safety Mossberg stuff.
I preferred to drill and tap my receiver (Remington) and mount my scope low there, and use a high comb stock. Rifle like fit.

I did have a cantilever, way back..........for an 835.
New, the rail did not converge with the bore, so I ran out of scope adjustment.
Had to pop scope off (after sending $$$ sabot stuff down range) and bend the rail, remount scope and burn more $.
Turns out the 3.5" chamber didn't like any 2 3/4 or 3" sabot stuff.And the bore was rough (fouled badly).
I ended up zeroing it w 3" fosters.
Took two days to get through the experiment (no 3.5" slugs back then).
Benched................90 friggin' rounds total.
No bruising really, but deep down in my shoulder.........it hurt even when shouldering my 541 T HB.
It hurt like that for a week.

Got my deer and sold that bbl to a bud, the gun w reg bbl to another.
Each was happy, and so was I.

 

[frankmako]

As long as you got the base screwed down front and back, base hang over will not hurt. Now on the lighter side I would use jb weld over the rubber bands.

 

[Walkalong]

I wouldn't really call that dangling, and likely stiff enough not to worry.

 

[257ack]

Hi, new to the forum. Like walkalong said, not enough overhang to worry about. BTW. Walkalong, I too shot NBRSA at the Fayette range. Was once a member of that range. Don't live too far away

 

[Walkalong]

Hi, new to the forum. Like walkalong said, not enough overhang to worry about. BTW. Walkalong, I too shot NBRSA at the Fayette range. Was once a member of that range. Don't live too far away

Then we may have met at some time.

 

[Skylerbone]

@257ack, you would have known Walkalong if you met him, he was the guy with no rubber bands on his scope mounts.

All teasing aside, welcome to The High Road! I hope it proves to be as pleasant a site for you to share and gain insights as it has been for many of us.