Opinions on 1” Quick Detach Picatinny Rings

[Ontario Hunter]

I don’t use QD rings with the exception of the blazer R8. I have had too many issues over the years.

Care to elaborate. The only real difference I can see between permanent rings and QD rings that attach to a rail is the lever used to tighten them down. I submit that even if QD rings are not precisely snug when dropped into the slots before tightening, if the rings are still position in the same spot before tightening (e.g. pushed forward in the slots before tightening per instructions from Warne), the likelihood there will be any difference in zero is negligible and the potential difference would be miniscule, especially for a 458 DGR which is not designed to be a long range tack driver in any event.

Incidentally, I did not follow Warne's instructions. I positioned my rings on the scope tube so the crossbrace for forward ring was against the forward edge of its slot in the rail and rear ring positioned on scope tube so its crossbrace is against the rear of its slot in the rail. That way the scope is by necessity always dropped into the rail at the exact same spot every time.

The one piece base for my 404 is different. The slots are not typical pic thickness. It's a discontinued Weaver base designed for their permanent rings. It only has two slots, rather shallow in depth, and round not square like pic rail slots. That's because Weaver permanent rings have round crossbolt/braces. I slightly rounded the square edges of Warne crossbraces and the rings drop into the slots very snugly and at exactly the same spot every time. The slot depths are just deep enough to allow the rings to be tightened flush against the top of the base. At fifty yards my 404 repeatedly puts bullets close enough to touch, whether iron sights or scope. My 30-06 wears a more conventional pic-ish base with thicker pic style slots. With rings mounted on scope as described above, it consistently retains MOA at 100 yards after scope is reattached ... which is about the best a half blind shaky 72 year-old guy can expect.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I installed my last scope in Warne rings and hated them screwing on top. I couldn't figure out how to check that everything was level since it was basically installed with the rifle on its side.

I'm trying to picture why that was necessary. Put the rings on the scope just snug enough to allow them to move with slight effort. Set the rifle level in the vice, put the scope on the base, adjust rings on scope tube so they are snug in slots (see my description in previous post), rotate scope so turret caps are approximately vertical and horizontal, tighten the rings a bit more, set a level perpendicular to rifle on top of elevation cap to adjust level in that direction. Look for tiny palm size levels at hardware or tool stores (not sure what they are used are for) or you can slide the level off the ruler of small carpenter's square and use it.

Once the scope is level, use a white coloring pencil to mark a parallel line against the scope tube both ahead and behind the rear ring.

Now you're ready to lift the gun out of the base and adjust eye relief moving the scope forward or rearward as needed. The lines are used to keep the scope level.

 

[Philip Glass]

Care to elaborate. The only real difference I can see between permanent rings and QD rings that attach to a rail is the lever used to tighten them down. I submit that even if QD rings are not precisely snug when dropped into the slots before tightening, if the rings are still position in the same spot before tightening (e.g. pushed forward in the slots before tightening per instructions from Warne), the likelihood there will be any difference in zero is negligible and the potential difference would be miniscule, especially for a 458 DGR which is not designed to be a long range tack driver in any event.

Incidentally, I did not follow Warne's instructions. I positioned my rings on the scope tube so the crossbrace for forward ring was against the forward edge of its slot in the rail and rear ring positioned on scope tube so its crossbrace is against the rear of its slot in the rail. That way the scope is by necessity always dropped into the rail at the exact same spot every time.

The one piece base for my 404 is different. The slots are not typical pic thickness. It's a discontinued Weaver base designed for their permanent rings. It only has two slots, rather shallow in depth, and round not square like pic rail slots. That's because Weaver permanent rings have round crossbolt/braces. I slightly rounded the square edges of Warne crossbraces and the rings drop into the slots very snugly and at exactly the same spot every time. The slot depths are just deep enough to allow the rings to be tightened flush against the top of the base. At fifty yards my 404 repeatedly puts bullets close enough to touch, whether iron sights or scope. My 30-06 wears a more conventional pic-ish base with thicker pic style slots. With rings mounted on scope as described above, it consistently retains MOA at 100 yards after scope is reattached ... which is about the best a half blind shaky 72 year-old guy can expect.

I've discussed this a few times. I have used Talley, Warn, and Alaskan (gunsmith mounted) on my journey following the "conventional wisdom" of needing to remove my scope to take down a charging beast. The one time I did face a charging beast there were milliseconds and that just was not enough time to remove the scope. You can see and shoot at mere feet with a 1-2X scope. Or if you grew up like I did shooting an unsighted youth recurve bow you learn to shoot instinctively. This can be done with a rifle in a sticky situation and I've done it a few times.
THe trouble I had with the QD rings didn't have anything to do with removing the scope because again, why would you remove the scope? I just simply had the Ruger get off badly on two safaris. Of course it was on at arrival and after the problem we checked everything. No idea why or how it got off, nearly off the paper. QD rings! No thanks.
That reminds me I need to make a post in the classifieds......

 

[BeeMaa]

I recently picked up my first QD Picatinny scope mount and it’s made by INNOMOUNT and purchased through Titanium Gunworks.

They are completely repeatable. I like them so much, I’m considering changing out my Contessa mounts.

 

[Rule 303]

I've discussed this a few times. I have used Talley, Warn, and Alaskan (gunsmith mounted) on my journey following the "conventional wisdom" of needing to remove my scope to take down a charging beast. The one time I did face a charging beast there were milliseconds and that just was not enough time to remove the scope. You can see and shoot at mere feet with a 1-2X scope. Or if you grew up like I did shooting an unsighted youth recurve bow you learn to shoot instinctively. This can be done with a rifle in a sticky situation and I've done it a few times.
THe trouble I had with the QD rings didn't have anything to do with removing the scope because again, why would you remove the scope? I just simply had the Ruger get off badly on two safaris. Of course it was on at arrival and after the problem we checked everything. No idea why or how it got off, nearly off the paper. QD rings! No thanks.
That reminds me I need to make a post in the classifieds......

Phillip when you say get badly off do you mean the shots were off or the scope was off?
If shots off the most likely culprit, but not the only one, is the clamp on the wrings had loosened. This does not have to be to the point where the whole lot are moving. Even if one had loosened up a mite it could do this.

I swear by QD rings and not for taking the scope off to deal with a charging animal, to me that is utter rubbish, as you said you do not have the time. I take two scopes in case one fails hence the QD's. Have never had a decent scope fail on me or the shot POI change. Mind you I probably do not do the amount of hunting you do.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I've discussed this a few times. I have used Talley, Warn, and Alaskan (gunsmith mounted) on my journey following the "conventional wisdom" of needing to remove my scope to take down a charging beast. The one time I did face a charging beast there were milliseconds and that just was not enough time to remove the scope. You can see and shoot at mere feet with a 1-2X scope. Or if you grew up like I did shooting an unsighted youth recurve bow you learn to shoot instinctively. This can be done with a rifle in a sticky situation and I've done it a few times.
THe trouble I had with the QD rings didn't have anything to do with removing the scope because again, why would you remove the scope? I just simply had the Ruger get off badly on two safaris. Of course it was on at arrival and after the problem we checked everything. No idea why or how it got off, nearly off the paper. QD rings! No thanks.
That reminds me I need to make a post in the classifieds......

Interesting. Many situations might make me pull my scope and put it in the daypack: adverse weather, very rugged terrain, tracking a wounded animal in the dark. I've encountered all those situations and either removed my scope or wished I could.

Shooting incoming animals with a scope is not impossible. I have done it and placed the shots perfectly. Not sure I would try it with elephant because the target is too big. But I can't see myself ever hunting elephants. Anyway, elephants aside, I don't think I could shoot a charging animal any better with the scope off provided environmental conditions cooperated (daylight, not raining or snowing, not too much brush). But environmental conditions can be unpredictable so I prefer the option to be flexible ... especially when my life may depend on it.

Like anything requiring reassembly, reattaching the scope requires careful attention. I suspect if your scope was not on the paper after properly reattaching, it probably never was attached properly when the rifle was sighted in. Before tightening the levers always look under the rings to make sure they are against the bases. Sometimes the claw does not slip all the way over the rail and it may appear the scope is on the base but it's not. Been there done that. Anyway, I've had scopes with permanent rings go way out of whack seemingly for no reason (last time because fresh bedding shrank). It happens.

Edit: @Rule 303 posted the same thoughts at the same time. Great minds think alike.