American Defense Recon Scope mounts?

Major Sights

Major Sights

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So here is the thing, I am saving up for a better piece of glass that I can move from rifle to rifle rather then spending 300-500 each on 3 scopes that I wont like. Part of this plan makes me want a 1 piece scope mount (less chance of rings moving during a swap), that has quick detach feature. I figure while I save up for that scope I can get a scope mount now, as the scope I want will have a 30mm tube and I have a 30mm tube scope now (Vortex Crossfire nothing special), so I could implement that part of the system ASAP.

The question at hand, do any you precision gurus use or have used an American Defense Recon Scope mount? I am looking and doing the math to see if I can use a SL type to have the scope as close to the bore as possible.


If it matters, primary rifle (with the biggest barrel at this point) will be a Savage Model 10-TR 24" with a MDT HS3 chassis.
 
I have had 2 of them. They are built fairly solid and have no complaints. That's as much as I can help you.
I used them on ARs.
I only use rings on my bolt actions and I don't like the thought of one scope for several rifles. I would buy decent rings and save for more scopes. I enjoy grabbing a rifle or 2 and heading out without having to worry about my zero. I have a hard time sleeping with a bore mounted scope in my cabinet hahah. Seriously though.
 
Unimounts have a few advantages:

1) They are going to be more rigid, and won't rely on the rail to have good alignment when gripping the scope.

2) No matter if you're taking a scope off to share it between rifles or simply because you need to work on your gun, you don't have to worry about releveling the scope, because on or off you simply tighten or loosen the crossbolts. With separate rings I don't like using the scope structurally, so to remount a scope I will attach rings to the rail, then put the scope in the rings. Which necessitates releveling the scope at the range.

3) A unimount usually has at least one side that grips the entire length of the mount, distributing the clamping force to give a better grip.

Disadvantages:

1) You don't have as much flexibility in where you attach it to the rail, where you clamp the scope, where you clamp other stuff (a level) to the scope, and in setting up the eye relief.

2) You are tempted to switch scopes around all the time. :d

3) Scopes with strange protuberances on the bottom may not fit in a low height unimount.

@@@@@@

Any reason why it has to be quick detach? Quality mounts that use 1/2" nuts with 1/4" crossbolts can take 55-65 in lbs of torque, which is 1100-1300 lbs of clamping force per crossbolt. I haven't been able to find numbers about how much clamping force quick detach mounts generate, other than vague references to it being ~ one tenth of what a non-QD mount can do. Of course the limitation is the leverage we can get when grabbing the QD lever. Don't get me wrong, I like QD stuff, I have a QD mount for my reddot, but for precision scopes I prefer standard mounts.

What height of rings are you using now? There are a lot of unimount options in the 1.3 - 1.5" range. I recently bought a Badger Ordnance 30 mm unimount with a height of 0.885", to replace low rings, and I really like it.
 
Buy with confidence! You can order them directly from ADM. Just make sure you request that they use USPS for shipping and not Fedex or UPS.

Cheers,
 
agent_mango said:
Any reason why it has to be quick detach? Quality mounts that use 1/2" nuts with 1/4" crossbolts can take 55-65 in lbs of torque, which is 1100-1300 lbs of clamping force per crossbolt. I haven't been able to find numbers about how much clamping force quick detach mounts generate, other than vague references to it being ~ one tenth of what a non-QD mount can do. Of course the limitation is the leverage we can get when grabbing the QD lever. Don't get me wrong, I like QD stuff, I have a QD mount for my reddot, but for precision scopes I prefer standard mounts.

What height of rings are you using now? There are a lot of unimount options in the 1.3 - 1.5" range. I recently bought a Badger Ordnance 30 mm unimount with a height of 0.885", to replace low rings, and I really like it.
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I like the QD, as I am never a fan of storing my rifle with a quality piece of glass on it in my gun lockers. If QD and the rails properly marked for the primary rifle, I can take it off and keep it protected in my parts locker. Also just the ease if I do want to slap it on my hunting rifle, AR, or anything else that comes along.

Right now I am using extra high mounts, for no reason other then they came with the scope when I bought it from another CGNer, Its way to high, but its just on my hunting rifle that stays at camp, you know in case a window shot is required ;) . I can drop it quite a bit, but am waiting on the rifle to arrive to get the final measurements.
fQcLkXG.jpg
 
I'm of the same opinion as Agent_Mango. There's really not much sense in using a quick-detach mount on a precision rifle. They make tons of sense on an AR or other carbine where you probably won't notice a 1/2 moa poi shift as that's less than the accuracy of the firearm anyways. On a bolt gun capable of good accuracy, you'll get much better zero retention using a non-qd unimount and torquing the cross-bolts to the correct pressure every time which really doesn't take very long anyways. You'll still want to check your zero in any case. No mount will always have a perfect return to zero anyways, qd or non.
 
All right then I'll put non QD mounts on the list, but what single piece mounts are out there that are good and in the same price range as the aforementioned? SPHUR is cool, but I can't justify $600+ on a mount at this time.
 
rugbydave said:
I'm of the same opinion as Agent_Mango. There's really not much sense in using a quick-detach mount on a precision rifle. They make tons of sense on an AR or other carbine where you probably won't notice a 1/2 moa poi shift as that's less than the accuracy of the firearm anyways. On a bolt gun capable of good accuracy, you'll get much better zero retention using a non-qd unimount and torquing the cross-bolts to the correct pressure every time which really doesn't take very long anyways. You'll still want to check your zero in any case. No mount will always have a perfect return to zero anyways, qd or non.
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Yeah I'm curious about return to zero with unimounts. I'm going to test that when I try out my new badger unimount at the range. I'm a nerd when it comes to torque, I love my CDI 5-40 in lbs screwdriver. I tighten 1/4" crossbolts to 57 in lbs with a Borka torque tool I bought years ago. I see the newer Borka tools are adjustable, interesting.

And yeah, to be honest regular mounts like this are quite fast to change. Just put it on the rail, push it forward, tighten it by hand with screwdriver with adapter + 1/2" socket, then put the adapter + 1/2" socket in your torque tool and then tighten back and forth between the two nuts until you reach the set torque.
 
Major Sights said:
All right then I'll put non QD mounts on the list, but what single piece mounts are out there that are good and in the same price range as the aforementioned? SPHUR is cool, but I can't justify $600+ on a mount at this time.
Click to expand...

You can buy Badger Ordnance unimounts from Brownells, the one I ordered was $225 CAD shipped (not counting duty which you may or may not get charged; this time I wasn't). For 30 mm I believe you can get it in 0.885" or 1.54". The 0.885" is usually good for 50 mm scopes on a bolt action rifle, and the 1.54" is for an AR of course.

There are the Burris PEPR mounts available as both QD and non-QD, AR15 scope height. I haven't read reviews of these mounts either way.

There's the Leupold Mark 2 IMS, also looks to be AR15 height.

Spuhr are supposed to be nice, and are available in a number of heights, but yeah they are pricey!
 
I did a test years ago with Aimpoint T1 ADM mount and return to zero. It failed at 25m.

I will see if I can find the picture I took in my "history files".

I got ADM scout mount with quick detach levers that I can test next time I go to the range.

Cheers,


agent_mango said:
Yeah I'm curious about return to zero with unimounts. I'm going to test that when I try out my new badger unimount at the range. I'm a nerd when it comes to torque, I love my CDI 5-40 in lbs screwdriver. I tighten 1/4" crossbolts to 57 in lbs with a Borka torque tool I bought years ago. I see the newer Borka tools are adjustable, interesting.

And yeah, to be honest regular mounts like this are quite fast to change. Just put it on the rail, push it forward, tighten it by hand with screwdriver with adapter + 1/2" socket, then put the adapter + 1/2" socket in your torque tool and then tighten back and forth between the two nuts until you reach the set torque.
Click to expand...
 
GreenBob said:
I did a test years ago with Aimpoint T1 ADM mount and return to zero. It failed at 25m.

I will see if I can find the picture I took in my "history files".

Cheers,
Click to expand...

I have the same mount. How tight did you have it? Could you make it one adjustment tighter and still be able to open and close the QD by hand?
 
I just found this review of the optic mount in question which looks into the RTZ issue that can be had.
http://8541tactical.com/ADM_RECON_review.php

The short of it is that they found at 100y, that POI shifted .2mRad to the left, for the FIRST shot, then returned to zero. For the application I will be putting to the rifle (seeing as at this point in time that my nor anyone else's life will be depending on this rifle to make a cold bore shot at range as I am neither a LEO or Military) it should fit my needs needs appropriately seeing as I had always intended to re-zero the scope to each rifle it was put on regardless.


Unless anyone has any cool parts for me too look and drool over? ;)
 
mebiuspower said:
ADM is not even a popular choice in the US...

Go Spuhr, buy once cry once.
Click to expand...

Yeah, thanks for keeping up with the thread, you seem to have missed where a Spuhr is by far way out of the budget at this point, they are $550 before any taxes or shipping. Seeing as I would like to put a $1500-$1800 scope on in the near future, for a fun rifle, not a specific tool or competition rifle, the price of almost the rifle it would be mounted on seems to be quite overkill. I don't deny that they are amazing mounts its just impractical for my real world application.
 
The Spuhrs are obviously nice but yeah, crazy expensive. A set of Badger rings or unimount should serve you really well and are much more reasonably priced although not inexpensive($250ish). Buy once cry once is a great principle but anyone who tells you Badger products aren't more than sufficient has more money than sense.
 
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