Ring height question

thegrandpoohbah

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So I just mounted a Vortex Viper HST 6-24x50 on a Savage Mk II BTVS using ATRS medium rings. Everything is lined up great except that the objective bell is too close to the barrel for me to put the caps on. Would you just leave it as is or go with a set of high rings?
 
I suppose that depends on what you value more: ability/convenience of caps or having the scope closer to the barrel...

An alternative would be to put a soft sleeve over the scope that can quickly be pulled off vice specific flip caps.
 
So I just mounted a Vortex Viper HST 6-24x50 on a Savage Mk II BTVS using ATRS medium rings. Everything is lined up great except that the objective bell is too close to the barrel for me to put the caps on. Would you just leave it as is or go with a set of high rings?

If your Savage Mk II BTVS is .22LR, scope adjustment will be required for any distance you shoot under 100 yards, and perhaps a 20 or 25 MOA rail for beyond. The height of the scope should be based on the height required for it to be comfortable and natural to look through. If the low height you have currently is the most comfortable and natural then leave it as is. If it would be more comfortable and natural to look through with more height then get higher rings. With a .22LR scope height above the barrel should always be based on the height the scope is comfortable and natural to look through.
 
There does seem to be a trend to mounting the scope as low as possible. And up to about 50 years ago that was valid. Rifles were stocked so that the ergonomics would be right for the "iron" sights that came on every rifle. I do remember buying new rifles and rushing home and the first thing was to take off the sights and put on a scope.

Rifles today are for the most part stocked for optics. IOW the stock is straighter and the natural line of sight is a fair bit above the bore axis. I find that for the most part, I need the tallest rings or close to the tallest rings made to make the rifle "fit".

For us older shooters it's pretty easy to tell if the scope is too low, when I bring the rifle up to shoot and I'm looking over the top of my glasses, the scope is too low.

Co-witness rings on an AR are an example of what proper scope positioning should be. Traditional hunting rifles do not have straight AR like stocks, that lowers the scope a bit.

Higher mounting of the scope does change long range shooting, canting of the rifle will result in misses. Higher mounting does have a flattening effect on short range trajectory, IOW, the dead on hold range limit will be further out there.

Mount it high and then raise the comb if you have to. You'll be a better shooter.

Nitro
 
The OCD part of me couldn't take it so I ordered some high rings from ATRS. It occurred to me that I'll need the medium rings for my incoming Ruger American Ranch anyways so it will all work out in the end. Thanks for the input everyone.
 
The OCD part of me couldn't take it so I ordered some high rings from ATRS. It occurred to me that I'll need the medium rings for my incoming Ruger American Ranch anyways so it will all work out in the end. Thanks for the input everyone.

Oh, they're back in stock? Cool. ATRS never sent me the email notification. Better go start a complaining thread... jesting.
 
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