I've been looking at pics of everyone's' AR's and how they are outfitted and so now I am asking for opinions from folks on a sturdy set of rings & mount combination for my Colt CR6724 flattop. I bought this rifle back in late '98 but have used it only occasionally. Back then it came with a mount from B-Square which I initially used to see how accurate the rifle was but I was never enamored with the mount and I never put a proper scope on it either. Kinda became an unfinished project. Other things interested me at the time and it's sat unused in my safe for years. The last time I shot it was in 2003. Now, I am planning to take it out this summer/fall and do some paper punching, load development and ultimately some varmint hunting. I will also purchase a new scope (probably one of the Leupold LR series, w/ 40mm or 50mm adj. objective) that will be suitable for varmints like 'chucks, crow, coyote.

 

How are TPS rings? How about thoughts pro vs. con on their aluminum vs. steel rings? And I don't really know if I have a need for QD rings/mount so a solid mount seems fine to me unless someone can show me otherwise. The NightForce one-piece mount looks sturdy, simple & slick but the price gives me the willys. Other one-piece mounts seem sturdy, just don't know which one to get. Just uncertain whether to get a one-piece mount, or a set of high rings mounted directly to the flattop, or rings that mount to a base that's mounted to the flattop. I realize the style of scope and size will somewhat dictate and limit what I can use, but I'm also looking for some opinions from others as to what has worked best for them.

 

 

Thanks -

Kevin

You generally need to get a scope fairly high off the upper receiver to get good cheek weld ergo's without smashing your face down uncomfortably onto the buttstock. The means using say a 1/2" riser even with high rings unless they are some ultra high tactical rings or a 1-piece base made for the AR like the burris PEPR. Also, if your scope is rather long, you may also need a riser than cantilevers over the barrel a bit to get the scope far enough forward. Having the rear of the scopes' eyepiece roughly flush with the end of the receiver/charging handle is a good neutral place to start with. This will ensure you can get the proper eye relief without craning your neck too far back or forward. This also depends on whether you have a A2 stock or a carbine stock pinned anyplace other than fully extended. If its in a mid position, you may need to mount it even further forward.

How are TPS rings? How about thoughts pro vs. con on their aluminum vs. steel rings? And I don't really know if I have a need for QD rings/mount so a solid mount seems fine to me unless someone can show me otherwise.

 

 

Kevin:

 

I think the TPS rings are great - now that SWFA carries them they are becoming better known. I saw them on a gun being tested in the American Rifleman and had a hard time tracking them down. I like the fact that they are guaranteed concentric to .0002", which precludes the necessity for lapping. As for aluminum vs steel, since the majority of scope tubes are aluminum, I am just more comfortable with aluminum rings. I'd consider steel on a high-recoil rifle, but I have TPS aluminums on my .308 and have had no problem. For the precision, I think they are an exceptional value.

 

As to a set-up for your AR - here is what I used and the reasoning behind it. I was not enamored of the one-piece, base & ring type mounts (like the PEPR). I wanted the flexibility of being able to choose my scope height to give me the best combination of cheek weld and minimal scope to bore axis distance. I also had to be able to clear the folded BUIS's. I went with a LaRue 5/8" Picatinny QR (dual throw levers) riser (not cheap, but great quality). I then added the appropriate height TPS aluminum rings. I was able to meet all my criteria and still have a QR scope mount so I could remove it and use the BUIS if that became necessary.

 

I changed scopes several times on that AR - the first time I went from a 1" tube to a 1" tube, so didn't need to change the rings. There were no ring marks on the scope tube of the one removed. I recently went to a 30mm scope tube, so I had to change the rings. I would have purchased TPS again, but the expediency factor dictated otherwise and I mounted it using Burris Zee rings, with the polymer insert (again, no lapping). The scope that came off also had no ringmarks.

 

Hope that I've given you some food for thought.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

I have a Larue SPR mount on my AR and it's rock solid. Repeatable zero etc.

 

 

You get what you pay for in rings...

Thanks all, I will look into the LaRue options.

 

You get what you pay for in rings...

I would agree to some extent. Quality comes at a price.

+1 Larue makes great stuff.

 

I have a Larue SPR mount on my AR and it's rock solid. Repeatable zero etc.

 

 

You get what you pay for in rings...

+1 on TPS rings. I took Bob's recommendation on these, and have been extremely pleased.