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Scope mount widths?

8.4K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  tdejong302  
#1 ·
I am new to the 10/22 and to scopes.
I bought a PURSUIT 3-9 1/4 moa scope for my 10/22. I noticed that I needed a base to mount the scope. I went into a store, mentioned that I needed a rail to mount a scope. They gave me a Tactical Solutions 10/22 15 moa rail. This looks like all the picatinny rails that I've seen. I put it on the gun then tried to mount the scope. The bottom of the rings look like they can only accept a rail that is about a 1/4" wide and the rail the store sold me is about 1" wide.
I thought there was a standard? I can not find anything on the web that talks about rail widths. What do I need to mount thus scope? Is there a rail that is about a 1/4" wide? What is it called? Why a difference and why is it not simple to find these answers?
Please help this new scope user!
 
#2 ·
Welcome to our humble home. You can find out practically anything rimfire related here. Your rings are for use on a dove tail mout. The old .22lr standard. The newer standard is either weaver or picatinny. So you need new rings that will fit a picatinny base.

I'm sure there are discussions about it but without the proper search terms it can be difficult.

swampf0x
 
#3 ·
The rings you have are 3/8" Rimfire rings...for a Dovetail 3/8" base (JUNK)

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=3/8"+rings

The base you need for them is junk...way back Ruger used to provide those with a newly purchased 10/22..they changed to a Weaver style but with typical Ruger OEM flare or lack of many moon ago...but it is just barely a decent rail with minimum cross slots.
But, if ya need/want a 3/8" rail I have one for you..PM me and I will mail it...pay-it-forward/no charge.

I suggest a Weaver/Pic Rail but NOT he one you got...you do not need the 15 MOA slope for most applications and only when shooting at distances over the norm.
So..a return on that base is in order...and maybe a exchange depending on what that retailer has...but then you will need new rings..so right now you have nothing that works..you knew that.
In some towns there is garbage on the shelves and a internet order may be needed. But, a great set of rings on the cheep can be had at Walmart = Weaver Quad Locks..Med height will work just fine for you along with a Weaver style rail.
As shown here..but around $12 at Wallies...http://www.amazon.com/Weaver-1-Inch-Medium-Detachable-Rings/dp/B004NCHB9O

This rail is one of my fav's and reasonable....
http://www.amazon.com/UTG-Tactical-...ef=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1419746117&sr=1-1&keywords=utg+mnt22towl
 
#4 ·
Widths

Thanks for the info.
I am seeing that a rail that has a MOA number has a slope. Am I right that the higher thr number, the greater the slope?
I am upset that a salesman would sell me a 15MOA when all I needed was the standard flat rail or a very small slope.
My wife loves the 10/22 and is a great shot with iron sights but wants to try the scope. She will be shooting from 50 to 100 yds. So a flat rail is what I think I need.
Again, I want to thank you all. Just this little bit of info is a great help!
 
#6 ·
As long as the scope has enough elevation adjustment you can use the 15 MOA rail. I have the same rail and shoot at 50 yards mostly with no issues from any of a 1/2 dozen scopes I have used. Just get the rings mentioned by Chaser at Wally World and try them out with the base.
 
#7 ·
having 15 to 20 MOA would be good for almost any scope and sighting scheme.
here is a illustration showing the NEED to have a MOA base due to the limited amount of scope adjustment and the desire to sight out past 100
If you use the Zee rings to give you ~20MOA, this will have you nearly zeroed at 100 yards with your scope in the center of its adjustment. Assuming the +/- 13MOA range, this will allow you to zero back to 25 yards (the closest possible)and out to 150 yards. this looks like the perfect utilization of that scope over a very useful range

Image
 
#8 ·
Weaver Quad Lock MED rings are the only ones I will use now on a 10/22.

My favorite base is also one of the cheapest. Weaver TO-9 tip off rail.

Another great low cost rail that has more height and more slots is the Weaver 430-T rail. It too is very low cost.

Quad Lock MED rings will not be tall enough to mount a 40mm objective on a TO-9 low profile rail but will be (barely) tall enough to clear a 40mm objective with the 430-T rail.

The Quad Lock MED rings with the TO-9 rail will clear all 33mm objectives but one might have to remove the iron sight from the factory tapered barrel to get there.

The lower the scope is mounted the flatter the trajectory out to 50yds.

The scope height is defined as the distance from the center of the bore to the center of the scope tube.

The TO-9 rail w/ QL MED rings is approximately 1-3/8" and the 430-T raises it to approximately 1-7/16".

For calculating the effect of scope mounting height on trajectory for any given zeroed distance use the ballistics calculator with advanced settings. The default settings for zero distance is too far for 22lr and you have to play with the scope height to get the effect. I recommend using a 50yard zero for comparisons first with the default height of 1.5".

Check out the ballistics calculator. There are lots of them. This is just one.

http://gundata.org/ballistic-calculator/

Note that with standard velocity ammo a 50yd zero will be low out to 17yds where it will cross zero and go high and peak in the 30-40yd range and then tail off crossing zero again at 50yds.

The need for a sloped rail will depend on the elevation adjustment range of the particular scope, the type of ammo, and the maximum distance one wants to adjust the cross hairs for being spot on.

For most people with a 10/22 wanting to shoot past 100yds and paricularly high velocity ammo, are usually better off with a rimfire scope with a bdc reticle than a heavily sloped rail. Especially since the heavily sloped rails tend to be a lot taller.

For people who shoot bench rest for competition at 100yds and more with very high magnification scopes they can't be accurate enough with a bdc reticle and need the cross hair to be dead on. Those scopes always have very limited (by 22lr standards) adjustment range. Those people are typically shooting standard velocity ammo which drops a lot more. Therefore in order to get the scope on target it needs a "boost". Adding height plus slope is what gets them there.
 
#10 ·
I realize this is an older post however hopefully someone here can help me. I tried to mount a scope on my marlin 22mag. Its a 3 by 9 by 40. I found that the barrel part that has grooves for the mount to clip into are too narrow for the scope mount. I also found out the 40 mm objective was hitting the barrel. Any suggestions for good mount that will be narrow enough to fit into the grooves and high enough so the larger part of the scope is above the barrel. Thank you kindly. There are no holes to mount a picanny base, I have to use the grooves.