Making Sure Your Scope is Correctly Mounted

As with any activity, shooting requires precision and accuracy. It also requires safety. The best rifle and the finest scope are rendered useless - and even dangerous - if they aren't put together correctly and secured properly. In order to secure your scope in the proper fashion, there are a number of important tips to remember.

Rings and Bases

The key to securing your scope correctly involves proper installation of the rings and bases. If you've installed your base and ring poorly, it will result in bad accuracy. It can also destroy the scope and damage both the rifle receivers and the bolts. When possible, have a trained gunsmith install these links that keep your scope properly attached to your rifle. While this will cost some money, it's worth the peace of mind and the extra accuracy that it will afford you. Should you decide to take on this task yourself, consult with someone who has experience. Have this person train you and walk you through the steps of securing your scope to your rifle. Make sure that you are completely comfortable with the tasks involved before trying this alone.

Less is Better

Whenever possible, get a mounting system that has fewer parts. The more parts that you have to secure your scope to your rifle, the more chance for something to go wrong. The strongest mounts are solid steel, although aluminum will also do the job well. Beware of see- through rings as they are quite weak.

Seek Out Quality

Most scope mounts and bases on the market today are rugged and dependable. There are, however, some that are not. When looking for the right scope mount and base, try to ignore the cost as much as possible and get a quality set of mounts and rings. It will be worth the extra money. Some of the more popular scope bases and rings right now are made by Redfield, Burris, Leupold and Millett. All of these have a similar system. The front scope ring twists easily into the base mount. In addition, here are two windage adjustment screws that keep the rear scope ring in place.

As with any activity, practice makes perfect. Make sure that you are completely comfortable with the installation of your scope. Either educate yourself and make sure that you are an expert at installing your scope to your rifle, or pay to have it done properly by a professional. Treating your shooting equipment correctly will ensure years of enjoyment, safely and proper use.