Sako optilock ring mounts issues with removing the PIN

mikeboehm

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I'm just wondering what kind of issues could you have if I mount the Sako optilock one piece ring mounts and remove the pin on the rear mount. I personally don't see how it could be an issue or cause me any problems since Leupold Sako ring mounts do not have a pin as well as talley bases.
 
you should not have a problem unless its a heavy caliber. The Sako dovetails are tapered from small to larger as the dovetail moves forward. With the recoil the rifle moves to the rear pushing it tighter into the dovetail. As long as the bases are torqued properly
 
you should not have a problem unless its a heavy caliber. The Sako dovetails are tapered from small to larger as the dovetail moves forward. With the recoil the rifle moves to the rear pushing it tighter into the dovetail. As long as the bases are torqued properly
Do u think it would be fine with a 7mm rem mag
 
Yes

The ring mounts have a far more massive clamping screw than the dinky one leupold uses, plus the clamp itself is contained on the sako version. One thing you should try to do is move the forward ring forward roughly the same amount you move the rear ring forward. The inserts will prevent damage if you don't, but it will keep the scope in better alignment if you do.
 
I've always thought of the stud on the rear Sako mount (on both the rear Optilock bases and the older-style one-piece ring mounts) and corresponding gap in the receiver top as a bad idea--a solution in search of a problem. As has been pointed out, the fact that the dovetails are tapered as they are ensures that the mount just gets tighter (although not enough to affect anything) on recoil. All the stud really does is limit your ring spacing. Some Sako owners I know have just filed the stud off to improve mounting flexibility, and I can't see how there could be a problem with even the heaviest calibers--all the way up to the African big bores.
 
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There are a couple of thoughts about the pin on the rear base. Some say it is there for recoil of rifle and some say it is there for indexing the scope , base and ring assy. for re installing if the scope assy. is removed for any reason. Either way removing the pin should be no problem with recoil.
 
Optilock is an interesting design but have never used these. No issues with the simpler and lightweight Leupold Ring Mounts. Even on my .458 Lott.

25668433747_f650ccb219_b.jpg
 
Optilock is an interesting design but have never used these. No issues with the simpler and lightweight Leupold Ring Mounts. Even on my .458 Lott.

25668433747_f650ccb219_b.jpg

The Leopold ring mounts didn't work well with my vx5 setup.

I don't know if it's machine that way or what but the Leupold 30mm ring mounts actually don't Tighten up on the Front ring Mount until almost halfway down the dovetail. I tried another set and it did the same thing and I've tried it on multiple firearms and it does the same thing so because of this it doesn't work for me
 
I don't know if it's machine that way or what but the Leupold 30mm ring mounts actually don't Tighten up on the Front ring Mount until almost halfway down the dovetail.

That’s correct, they say in the instructions to center the front ring. Same with the Sako ringmounts - they may be able to grab further back, but they are made to clamp in the center of the front dovetail. The only 1-piece mount I know of that was made differently was Warne premier series (my favourite Sako mount). They were made to grab the back of the front dovetail, and the front of the rear dovetail. They were also vertically split so moving them forward or backward did not affect the windage adjustment, or scope tube alignment unlike most other designs. The Sako ringmounts added the spherical bushings to eliminate the scope tube alignment issue, but changing the postion will alter your windage adjustment.

You can still find the odd set of Warne maximas for sako’s, but they were made of sintered steel which wasn’t near as strong or ###y as the original machined premier series. I wish someone would bring the Warne premier style back.... :(
 
Right, as noted in the instructions the front Leupold Ring Mount can't be positioned more than half-way back on the front dovetail or it can't be tightened to grip. Bummer if your scope needs the front ring set back further on the dovetail.
 
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