opti Lock rings

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Gopher Slayer

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are these tikka rings very strong? do they hold there zero? I read somwhere that they use a polymere insert so your optics wont get damaged with i think is nice specaily when im going to get a leupold mark4
 
I have a set on my Sako 75 in the 270 WSM and have worked very well so far. The bases and rings are made of solid construction. The polymer insert does an excellent job in protecting the scope. The only part I don’t like is that the lowest rings can handle a 50 mm scope, so the scope does sit a little high.
 
opti locks work great. once set up zero never seams to move. would recomend for any heavy recoiling rifle. there is a recoil stop on the frt ring so you can remove and put back on.
 
I have a set of them on my TRG 21 (.308) and although the gun doesn't kick too hard the zero hasn't budged. They are working out very well so far.
 
I guess I am the odd man out on the Opti-Lock rings. I have never liked them.

They mount the scope far too high, look terrible and are not that strong.

For less money you can buy a set of Conetrol or S&K that look fabulous on a rifle, and will hold the heaviest scope under the fiercest recoil. :cool:

JMTCW,
Ted
 
I have a set on my T-3 and really like them, but Why not? is right, they are very high, so you might want to look at "low" or even more likely "extra low" ones.
 
I have an older set on a Sako... work fine but they are a little heavy. Also the plastic/polymer insert broke on mine... it was only split in one place so stretching it to accomodate the 1" tube was a little too much for it. Stoeger replaced it quickly and free of charge which is nice. I believe some folks recommend immersing the insert in hot water for a few minutes before installing on the tube.. I guess I don't have a big problem with a higher scope.... I find that frequently I shoot game while standing/kneeling rather than prone and the higher mount accomodates a "head up" position OK ... at least for me...fwiw AP
 
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The optilock rings tend to be heavy but I doubt they are any weaker then most of the mounts out there. I'm not sure what area fails on them, as I have yet to see one break. Perhaps Why Not has some specific examples but I haven't seen any. I find they look and are bulky. I believe the one piece ring/base is available so you should be able to save weight and have a better visual appearance. I doubt they are cheap.

Burris also makes the signature line which can be used with weaver bases, in particular the grand slam steel base. Although I am not a big fan of bolt on bases, it is an option. Burris does offer offset kits for helping you keep your reticle more centered in the optics. A nice feature

Ultimately they ensure alignment minimize scope tube marking or pinches very typical with standard rings (lapping helps avoid the marks) , however I have seen optilocks tightened so tight that the scope tube was dented or grooved. I suspect part of the problem was scope slippage (which I haven't experienced with 300 win mags.) but I do not know that for sure.

The two piece optilock ring/base also allows a person to create a slopping mount by simply placing a shim between the ring and base!
 
### International said:
The optilock rings tend to be heavy but I doubt they are any weaker then most of the mounts out there. I'm not sure what area fails on them, as I have yet to see one break. Perhaps Why Not has some specific examples but I haven't seen any. I find they look and are bulky.
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The screws are soft and I know a few guys who have had them strip. I only had one set and also found them to be heavy and bulky as Joe says.

Ted
 
Ted, thats a good point. I think being metric people sometimes use the wrong size or even over tighten them....but I would say they seem to a problem. So much so we started carrying replacement screws for the base clamp and the ring to base joint!
 
### International said:
Ted, thats a good point. I think being metric people sometimes use the wrong size or even over tighten them....but I would say they seem to a problem. So much so we started carrying replacement screws for the base clamp and the ring to base joint!
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Joe,

I think that is something that a lot of guys don't realize.............that you don't have to tighten the screws until you have a blister on your thumb. :confused:

If the mounts are well designed, just a healthy bit more than snug is fine, and will handle immense loadings from recoil.

Case in point: I took a scope of a rifle that belonged to a friend of mine a while back. He had gotten the rifle second hand with the scope installed. Had not touched it and it had performed flawlessly. When I went to remove the ring tops the screws were barely snug. :eek: I mean it took no resistance at all to begin to turn them, yet the rifle had been perfroming fine all this time; no scope slippage, no POI change.

Go figure. :D

Ted
 
Ted, isn't that true! I have seen that as well and of course the exact opposite as well. In fact, one rifle I took on trade had a couple of surprises. One I almost couldn't get the screws untightened. Two, once i removed the ring tops, I found that the really new Leupold VX II had been exposed to this problem before, so much so, the previous smith or owner tried to drill out the screws completely. In doing so he actually drilled into the scope housing on both sides:eek: . Its surprising how thick the scope tubes actually are.....:)
 
Opti Locks are heavy, and the screws do strip if over-torqued, but they also work very well (IMO). I've had a set of Leupolds, which were not as good as the Opti Locks.

Now I have four Sakos that have Opti Locks installed on them. I recently bought a used Sako with a very nice, light-weight set of Milletts. I think I may replace at the Opti locks on my lighter calibre rifles with these and keep the Optilocks on the bigger guns.

Extra-low rings provide enough space to mount a 44mm scope on a Sako IV action.
 
I have the Sako Optilock Rings and bases (low rings) on my Sako m75 SS 300WM with a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5x10x40 scope mounted. I have had this rifle for 8 years now, and the scope hasn't moved a bit. Still same zero. Carried this rifle in the gun scarrab on the quad moose hunting trips for the 8 years, shaking and getting bumped around, but this rifle still shoots right on.

I have the same Tikka Optilock low mount rings and bases on my both my T3 LS 270WSM holding Leupold VX3 scopes (40mm obj). I could of used the EXTRA-LOw Rings b/c there is lots of clearance still to do so, but I found myself not in a very comfortable shooting position raising the rifle to my shoulder. Depends on the person I guess- Its what you feel the most comfortable with.

All I can say is the Optilok rings and bases are very strong, and hold the scope tight. They have never backed off or come loose one me.
 
Good point about the proper fit. I have found that you can go too low in rings and as a result your forcing your face into the stock which tends to increase the felt recoil....

One of the simplest tests for fit, is to shoulder the rifle into the shooting position with your eyes closed. Open your eyes and then pay attention to how you have to move your head to get proper alignment. Everyone is different...
 
I like that height with my bifocals,I switched rings on my other rifles after I used the Opti-locs. The spacing on my L61R just fit the VIII 2.5x8,it was a good thing it was in the right place,as there was no fore or aft adjustment.
 
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