Educate Me on Mounts: Traditional or Cross Slot type?

[Heath423]

Which one and why? Is it just preference or an advantage to each based on rifle?
Will be purchasing a rifle once the particular rifle is available. So I'm now researching optics and mounts. Thanks in advance for the comments.

 

[TN Song Dog]

If you have multiple rifles with picatinny (cross slot) bases, you use picatinny rings and can swap optics around easily. That is somewhat of a standard/universal mounting system, especially for AR and tactical type rifles, these days. If ultralight is your main goad, there may be other options to help save a few ounces.

What rifle, and what is intended purpose?

 

[Jcalder]

Picatinny rails will also allow you way more flexibility and options in mounting the optic in the correct spot. Some of todays scopes are rather short and you'll struggle to get the proper eye relief, especially on a long action rifle with standard mounts.

 

[Heath423]

If you have multiple rifles with picatinny (cross slot) bases, you use picatinny rings and can swap optics around easily. That is somewhat of a standard/universal mounting system, especially for AR and tactical type rifles, these days. If ultralight is your main goad, there may be other options to help save a few ounces.

What rifle, and what is intended purpose?

Tikka T3X Lite Veil in 308 for hunting purposes mainly. Thanks

 

[Heath423]

Picatinny rails will also allow you way more flexibility and options in mounting the optic in the correct spot. Some of todays scopes are rather short and you'll struggle to get the proper eye relief, especially on a long action rifle with standard mounts.

I was leaning toward the Picatinny rail style but have been overwhelmed by all the options and started second guessing what is best and why. I have read other posts mentioning a recoil lug on some manufactures rails which sound like an excellent idea. But even the choices of rails seem overwhelming. Talley, Leupold "Back Country", Mountain Tactical and others.
Been a long time since setting up a rifle and then it was a cheap setup. Thought it was time to buy myself a nice rifle and set it up properly.

 

[skipperbrown]

There are a lot more options with picatinny rails. If you ever intend to shoot long range and dial up, you can get a ramped 20 or 30 moa base. Base and rings are not a good place to go cheap. My last rings were nightforce and american rifle company. They are very nice and at the low end of top tier. The ARCs are awesome.

 

[DaveTN]

I like removing optics for cleaning or working on the gun. I use Picatinny mounts on my AR's as they repeat location fairly good, and I may switch between a scope or an EOtech. I use Leupold QR (Quick Release) mounts on my bolt guns as Leupold claims they repeat within 1/2" at 100 yards. While my gun and optics are capable of that, I'm not anymore, but they appear to go right back to where they were.

 

[TN Song Dog]

Okay, I have a new tikka and am actually in the same boat. Here are the 3 options I'm looking closely at.

1. Talley Light Weight direct mount rings. I already have a set of these on another Tikka T3x light, and I can tell you they are solid and good-to-go.

2. Mountain Tactical (Tikka Performance) picatinny rail and a set of the vortex matched precision rings. I have this exact setup on a Tikka CTR, and it is also solid and good-to-go. This adds a lille more weight over #1. Note, this company makes a 1 piece mount, but it uses the Tikka dove tail and recoil lug system. While this should work fine, I prefer things to be bolted directly and not clamped.

3. DNZ one peice mount for Tikka. I have used DNZ mounts before, and I would expect this to be a good and solid option. It gets bolted directly to the top of the receiver.

The only reason I am not just immediately going with #1 or #3 is that I'm debating if I might want to have the ability to swap optics around a little quicker. Example - once you level the reticle and mount in picatinny rings, you can move it to another rifle without having to re-level the scope/reticle (in theory).

Hope this helps.

 

[Heath423]

Okay, I have a new tikka and am actually in the same boat. Here are the 3 options I'm looking closely at.

1. Talley Light Weight direct mount rings. I already have a set of these on another Tikka T3x light, and I can tell you they are solid and good-to-go.

2. Mountain Tactical (Tikka Performance) picatinny rail and a set of the vortex matched precision rings. I have this exact setup on a Tikka CTR, and it is also solid and good-to-go. This adds a lille more weight over #1. Note, this company makes a 1 piece mount, but it uses the Tikka dove tail and recoil lug system. While this should work fine, I prefer things to be bolted directly and not clamped.

3. DNZ one peice mount for Tikka. I have used DNZ mounts before, and I would expect this to be a good and solid option. It gets bolted directly to the top of the receiver.

The only reason I am not just immediately going with #1 or #3 is that I'm debating if I might want to have the ability to swap optics around a little quicker. Example - once you level the reticle and mount in picatinny rings, you can move it to another rifle without having to re-level the scope/reticle (in theory).

Hope this helps.

Thanks. I was considering the #2 option but had no ideal it added that much weight.

 

[jetwrnch]

DNZ is what I have on my Tikkas. I just can't see a need to swap optics. Sighting in is too expensive unless you just like burning rounds. Far better to just buy dedicated optics and not move them.