Talley Lightweights or stay away?

[mtwarden]

I read lots of good reviews, but just enough bad ones that I'm a little leery. I'm going to try and piece together a lwt mtn rifle, shaving weight here and there is the plan, but don't want to get into a jackpot with failing rings. I've always used Leupold dovetail mounts in the past and have always been rock solid- no idea what they weigh

Thoughts?

TIA

 

[realunlucky]

Everyone here seems to love them. I did have a ring crack

but the customer service replaced it. Pretty sure it wasn't a install issue but maybe. Crazy as it sounds I put them on my new mountain rifle without issue.

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[gelton]

I ordered them once, went to install them with scope, noticed their "lightweightedness" as they seemed flimsy and like they would bend easily...immediately returned them before I finished installing the scope. Went with TPS on a rail on my heavier rifles and DNZ on my lighter rifles and havent looked back. Both of those options are leagues above Talley Lightweights IMHO. For the very minimal weight difference DNZ is a more stout setup.

Not to mention I dont like two piece scope mounts and much prefer a solid one piece mount.

 

[6.5x284]

I love them for any non tactical rifle. I have a lot that wear them and never had an issue. They have great CS also. I wouldn't hesitate, especially for a light weight build. Ive got 4 pairs in the last two months.

 

[hodgeman]

I've used them off and on... they work, but they're not my favorite. The weight savings are pretty minimal in all reality.

I like Warne Maximas for durability.

 

[mtnwrunner]

As others have said, there does seem to be guys that have had issues. That being said, I have used them on a variety of rifles for a long time and have never had an issue.

Randy

 

[BCBowtech]

Have them on my Tikka T3 lite 7mm rem mag and no issues so far... Have Leupold on my Tikka T3 Laminate .338 win mag but thats cuz thats all the store had for the rifle at the time to mount my scope..

 

[AK Troutbum]

I have Talley lightweights on 3 UL rifles (.300wsm, .280ai, and.270win.), all without any issues. The difference in weight was big enough for me to go with the Talley's over my previous Leupold's.

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[mtwarden]

realunlucky- I think that is one of the pictures that spooked me

Troutbum- perfect! I've been searching like a crazy man trying to find some real world weights- thank you!

 

[AK Troutbum]

FYI, these are 30mm rings.

 

[Tim in Wa.]

I've had them fail on me twice.I went back to Leopold's.A friend has had them fail twice and is now using a different model Tally (steel)

 

[mtwarden]

curious what failures did you (and friend) have?

 

[robtattoo]

I have them on 3 rifles, one ultralight, one light & one really-not-very-light-at-all.
Other than having to lap all three sets fairly extensively, no complaints at all.

 

[JFK]

I have them on two rifles. No issues. A lot of people over tighten them and I have a feeling this is where the issues comes from. Aluminum does not like to bend.

 

[4ester]

I find it interesting that so many find the leupold dovetails reliable. I have a whole drawer full of them that had been slipping on various rifles. I don't even waste my time or effort with them anymore and have gone to an aluminum 1 piece rail with tactical style rings. No issues since. I would imagine the same thoughts also apply to your talleys. Rifles, even if babied, have a rough life. Strapped to packs, ride in trucks on rough roads, bumped on trees, and even fall when bipods tip over. Use the setup that lets you sleep at night.


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[belly-deep]

I find it interesting that so many find the leupold dovetails reliable. I have a whole drawer full of them that had been slipping on various rifles. I don't even waste my time or effort with them anymore and have gone to an aluminum 1 piece rail with tactical style rings. No issues since. I would imagine the same thoughts also apply to your talleys. Rifles, even if babied, have a rough life. Strapped to packs, ride in trucks on rough roads, bumped on trees, and even fall when bipods tip over. Use the setup that lets you sleep at night.


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When you say "slipping" do you mean the scope was sliding in the rings?

The only time I have ever seen a scope slipping in the rings was when I lapped them (a pair of Talley's coincidentally, and the issue probably had to do with me overlapping them, not a design or manufacturing flaw) and put a heavy scope on a light, hard kicking rifle. It was a 30mm Vortex on a Kimber Montana 325 WSM.

I've used a pair of Leupold DD's on a medium weight 300 WBY for years with no problems. IIRC, they even put some small groves inside of the ring for extra grip.

 

[dotman]

I like them, haven't had an issue. I do lap them before installing a scope.

 

[4ester]

When you say "slipping" do you mean the scope was sliding in the rings?

The only time I have ever seen a scope slipping in the rings was when I lapped them (a pair of Talley's coincidentally, and the issue probably had to do with me overlapping them, not a design or manufacturing flaw) and put a heavy scope on a light, hard kicking rifle. It was a 30mm Vortex on a Kimber Montana 325 WSM.

I've used a pair of Leupold DD's on a medium weight 300 WBY for years with no problems. IIRC, they even put some small groves inside of the ring for extra grip.

Yes the scope would slide in the rings during recoil. These rings were not lapped, and I don't think that would have worked either because of the small grooves you are talking about. You try to maximize the ring to scope contact area (the purpose of lapping), and by adding these grooves it makes it worse IMO. I think I have 3-4 sets collecting dust.


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[mtnwrunner]

Not to get away from the talleys.............but has anyone had any issues with the DNZ's? Looking at maybe going with a set of those on my next tikka.

Randy

 

[Fireguy]

Not to get away from the talleys.............but has anyone had any issues with the DNZ's? Looking at maybe going with a set of those on my next tikka.

Randy

None at all. I put them on my dad's rifle because he is always in la la land and constantly bumping his rifle, knocking it over, dropping it out of the scabbard! They have held up very well and I have been slowly switching over to them on all my rifles. While I don't care for how they "look" I can't deny the fact that they seem bulletproof and straight up work. I really like Talley's, but I have had two sets that I found small hairline cracks on so that has started to make me paranoid about them.