Lightweight scope mounts

[CO_west]

Not looking to make my heavy Weatherby Vanguard any heavier, so I've been looking at lightweight aluminum scope mounts to use with my 3-9x40 Leupold VX-1 scope. Specifically I've been considering the Talley Lightweight mounts and two DNZ products, the Game Reaper and the Hunt Masters. The Game Reaper mount is a one piece design. The Talleys and the Hunt Masters contain two ring/base combos.

For anyone with experience with more than one these mounts, what did you think? Does any one have a real advantage over another? They are all about the same price (under $50). I'm thinking they're similar in weight. The one-piece Game Reaper can add strength, but I don't think that's really needed on a Weatherby Vanguard.

Any other mounting setups I should be considering?

EDIT: Oops probably should've posted this in the optics section.

 

[mtluckydan]

It doesn't get any lighter than Talley. I have Talley rings/bases on several light-weight rifles and haven't had any issues. I have also used the DNZ's combo as well, but I don't think they are as light as the Talley. They are a high quality setup though. Don't be afraid of the Talley, but if you use them I would use a torque screwdriver so you don't strip the screws.

 

[GKPrice]

It doesn't get any lighter than Talley. I have Talley rings/bases on several light-weight rifles and haven't had any issues. I have also used the DNZ's combo as well, but I don't think they are as light as the Talley. They are a high quality setup though. Don't be afraid of the Talley, but if you use them I would use a torque screwdriver so you don't strip the screws.

just last week I stripped my '06 superlight down to have it AI'd - when I took the scope off I found a nice crease on the tube where the front Talley had been secured - I know how to mount a scope, apparently (and I've read this on 2 other forums) Talleys need to be lapped - I've used and recommended DNZ mounts quite a bit and never found or seen anything but perfect quality .... just my 2 bits (another ounce will still yield less weight than any steel mounts around)

 

[packer58]

Check out the TPS rail and Warne rings combo, this is what I'm running on my Nightforce SHV / 7 mag rig. You can go either steel or aluminum on there rail.

 

[BARichardson]

I run talley rings on a all of my light weight builds (7wsm,260AI,308) and have had no problems! and I will be finishing my next build with them as well... (25-06AI)

 

[handwerk]

Another tallley 1 pcs lwt fan here, I've got them on most my M70's and never a problem with them.

 

[Retterath]

Go to pierce engineering and check out there tally rings made of air craft aluminum, very light. I not sure how much lighter they would be than the regular tally rings.

 

[realunlucky]

This happened with my talley on my 06.

 

[bbrown]

just last week I stripped my '06 superlight down to have it AI'd - when I took the scope off I found a nice crease on the tube where the front Talley had been secured - I know how to mount a scope, apparently (and I've read this on 2 other forums) Talleys need to be lapped - I've used and recommended DNZ mounts quite a bit and never found or seen anything but perfect quality .... just my 2 bits (another ounce will still yield less weight than any steel mounts around)

Same thing happened to me switching out the scope on my SuperLite .308 and I even lapped mine. Food for thought - the factory Tikka rings are actually a bit lighter than the talleys.

Edit - mine were torqued to 18lbs but still manages to dent the main tube.

 

[gelton]

I used Talley scope rings for all of about 30 minutes, when I noticed how flimsy they were during install, I immediately removed them and went to something different. Lightweights they were.

I switched to DNZ game reaper 1 piece scope mount on this rifle and haven't looked back. Also consider TPS bases and rings, while not lightweight they are sturdy as a tank.

Strong believer in 1 piece mounts - DNZ for lightweight, TPS for strong and sturdy.

 

[idig4au]

Better places to save weight on a rifle than the rings.

 

[Blockcaver]

Real unlucky, What happened to the screw heads on the right side of the mount in your photo? Anything to do with the ring "failure"?

 

[Jimbob]

Talley's on my t3 lite 30-06, my Dad's Sauer 30-06 and Savage .243. Also just purchased a t3 compact and the Talley's just came in the mail today. I lapped all of them and they have been working great.

 

[duchntr]

Talley lwt user here, torque them to spec and no issues.

 

[dotman]

Talley lwt user here, torque them to spec and no issues.

X2...

 

[Mr Drysdale]

No experience with the Talleys but quite happy with the DNZs. Mounted on three different rifles.

 

[GKPrice]

Talley's on my t3 lite 30-06, my Dad's Sauer 30-06 and Savage .243. Also just purchased a t3 compact and the Talley's just came in the mail today. I lapped all of them and they have been working great.

Now, when the T3 is the rifle, IMO, there is no other choice than a Mountain Tactical anodized picatinny rail and rings of choice (mine are Leupold PRS) to any other I've seen

 

[realunlucky]

Real unlucky, What happened to the screw heads on the right side of the mount in your photo? Anything to do with the ring "failure"?

These were torqued to spec and lapped. Picture were taken as an after thought after I had broken the bolts lose and just snugged up for a picture also had blood on bolt heads from carrying out an antelope.

After this happened to me I looked into this and it's happened multiple times to others. I have a heavy minox scope on it which I'm sure didn't help. Rings had been on this gun for couple hundred rounds. I didn't notice until I missed the biggest antelope I've ever seen poor time for equipment failure. They did send another cap piece but by then I'd thrown the other pieces as far as I physically could

 

[GKPrice]

These were torqued to spec and lapped. Picture were taken as an after thought after I had broken the bolts lose and just snugged up for a picture also had blood on bolt heads from carrying out an antelope.

After this happened to me I looked into this and it's happened multiple times to others. I have a heavy minox scope on it which I'm sure didn't help. Rings had been on this gun for couple hundred rounds. I didn't notice until I missed the biggest antelope I've ever seen poor time for equipment failure. They did send another cap piece but by then I'd thrown the other pieces as far as I physically could

I've ALWAYS said (and recognized) that the best warranty in the world does you no good when you just missed the trophy of a lifetime - Look at the Mountain Tactical picatinney rail (anodized aluminum) and PRS Leupold rings and tell me this isn't the best compromise for weight and strength out there - In that light, even though I grew up within 4 miles of where Leupold scopes were born, I've always believed in what I heard from the people there and read in their literature about light weight and the benefits that come with that under recoil and abuse to place my trust in Leupold products totally - Mechanical things share one trait no matter who makes them, things mechanical fail but I think that when it's all said and done the forethought into engineering and design prize will go to Leupold, just my opinion and faith in a product who has always treated me like I was a millionaire (I'm FAR from it) - as a little side note, over the years I've taken the facility tour twice and I heard ALOT of German accents both times

 

[BARichardson]

Im running Talley on a 260AI, 308, 25-06AI, 7wsm, 300wm, and a 300rum and have had ZERO issues....