Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Warne Rings and Weaver Bases?

Anybody have any issues trying to use this combination. I have Warne Permenant mount rings, and aluminum Weaver bases. Been working on load developement for my 250 Savage, and was having trouble. Got to investigating and found my rings were slipping a little on the bases. Know that I torqued them down properly!

Thanks
HeavyBarrel

Mine loosened up on me as I did not install the front ring correctly. Screws were tight but the ring still moved. Found out it was loose after I got my antelope and wondered why I hit the neck when I aimed behind the shoulder. Funny thing is it was dead on at the range a day or two before and the gun was never dropped that I know of.

Are you tightening the bottom screws completely before tightening the top screws?

While tightening the bottom screws, are you keeping the ring pressed forward so the recoil lug of the ring is tight against the base?

Yes on the tightening sequence, but not sure on the recoil lug? Could have been the problem!

HeavyBarrel

try replacing the Weaver Bases..

I had the same problem, with another brand of rings..

thought it had to be the rings... but then put them on another rifle with Weaver bases and they held fine...

the Weaver bases were a hair too narrow for specs, but replaced them and the Rings I was using worked out fine..

Hey, you're using the heavy Warne rings you may as well use the heavy but stout Warne steel bases too.

True about using the Warne bases! I was only using this combo for load developement, with a high powered scope. Usually use Talley integral aluminum ring/base on all of my hunting rifles. This problem cost me several weeks of frustration while trying to develope a load for my new Savage 250. Got a different set of rings/bases and finally got some consistancey and settled on a good load. I was just curious if anyone else had this happen?

HeavyBarrel

Nope.

I have Warne Maxima rings, both fixed and QR, on several rifles with Weaver bases and haven't had any trouble. If Warne made bases for these rifles; Marlin 336s, Savage 24Vs & 99s, and Winchester 88s & 100s, I'd probably use them in lieu of the Weavers, but Weaver bases are the easiest, most common, option.

Jeff

I have had problems with Warne rings on Weaver aluminum bases. The Weaver aluminum bases are deeply grooved in the middle so the open sights can be seen. This leaves two small slots on either side of the base for the ring crossbolts to mate with and resist recoil. The steel "key" in the Warne rings is barely wide enough to reach the little slots in the Weaver bases, and the key only extends part way into the slots. The result is very little shear area between the two. I have seen the Warne rings move and actually shear off the aluminum from the Weaver bases.

I suggest you use only Warne steel bases with Warne rings. The Warne bases are not grooved for open sight visibility so the cross slots are as wide as the base. This means the key on the Warne rings is fully supported, and there is maximum shear area.

Actually, I do not like Warne rings. The small recoil "key" mounts in round slot and is not very rigid in my estimation. The rings are also heavier than a dead preacher. I much prefer Weaver rings in Weaver bases.

To be more precise, the experience I related in my previous post involved both a friend and I. I made a custom scope mount from an A-Square blank base that is basically identical to a Weaver base. I sent the base to him and he mounted the scope and rings on his rifle. He sent the base back to me with the sheared aluminum slots. Interestingly, only one side of the slots was sheared. This leads me to believe that the recoil key on his Warne bases was only engaging one of the cross slots in the base. This, in turn, leads me to wonder if he installed the rings correctly by tightening the bottom screws first (how could the scope slide and only shear on one side?). He swore that he did it correctly, but I never saw the rifle. I also think that if the rings were installed correctly and tightly, they would not slide in the base even if there was no recoil key.

Regardless, I still prefer Weaver rings over the Warne.

Different folks, different strokes.

Warnes are my preferred Weaver-style rings and if I want to spend less $$ on a lower tier rifle, B-Square's "Sport Utility" rings work well too, regardless of what Weaver or Weaver-style base that I've used.

I have dozens of sets of Weaver rings that I'd be happy to trade to you for Warnes in a "1-4-1" straight trade.

Jeff

I have Warnes on Weaver bases on a little savage rimfire. works fine in that case, but I wouldn't use that setup on a centerfire. the Warne steel bases are good quality, I always use those anyway.

re: Warne rings, I love 'em. They're heavy and they don't move once they're torqued down. I've got them on almost all my rifles. the recoil key setup seems to work to me, I've got a set of the QD's on a hard-kicking little muzzleloader. I have to take that thing apart for cleaning, including taking the scope off, after every time I shoot it. always kind of amazed that those rings bring it right back to zero, but they do it every time.

I think I have at least four sets of Warnes (bargain cave close out at $12.95 a copy) mounted on weaver bases. The only trouble I have had was with an older base with a round bottom in the lug slot. The Warne will not sit down nicely on that version. No scope larger than a 3.5-10 Leupold and no caliber larger than .30-06. jack

I put my Warne maxima rings on the Burris Extreme tactical bases. I have those bases on several rifles and am very happy with them. The cross slots are deep and square, and most of them have multiple cross slots which gives latitude in scope placement.

If aluminum was a suitable base material for their rings, Warne would use it, they do not. On the other hand, Weaver also makes steel bases. The Warne and the Leupold (made by Warne) Weaver-style rings are very robust designs. OT

Weaver bases have been working great for over 50 years (that I know of first hand). If we use real thumpers, there should be modifications made for larger screws. And then, nicer rifles beg for blue steel to better match the finish. jack

Respectfully - aluminum bases have not been working great for 50 years with Warne rings. Warne says on their product page that the SS recoil control key prevents swagging or peening of softer (than steel) bases. That's not always the case; they need mounted properly as described on the package with the leading edge of the recoil key firmly against the front of the slot. The idea is the recoil key distributes the force across a larger area than solely clamping onto the sides, and it works. The Warne steel bases are a perfect match for the ring and they're shipped with quality screws. They're a superior product in all regards and worth checking out. OT

I don't know what alloy Weaver uses for their bases, but it is pretty hard/stiff/rigid, such that I doubt that you could install a set of rings and crush or distort an alloy Weaver base, at least before you stripped the threads in the cross-screw. I typically recut the slots in the Weaver alloy bases that I use, just to insure that they are uniform and if the slots aren't cut where I want them on the 1-piece style. I like the 1-piece Weaver bases on my Marlin 336, Savage 24V, and Winchester 88 & 100 rifles because if I use QD rings, I can swap the scope for a Lyman or Redfield receiver sight as an auxiliary sight and see the front sight through the trough of the Weaver base.

On most of my rifles, I use Warne bases, but on those rifles where Warne doesn't offer a base option, I haven't had a bit of trouble using Weaver alloy bases in their place.

Jeff

Something to consider on base choice too are variations in manufacture's heights. Anyhoot, hope all ya'll have a great weekend...

Here's the Weaver destroying Warne recoil control key.

Would you trust this?

Or this?

I've fired hundreds of rounds from rifles equiped with Warne rings and Weaver alloy bases without encountering a single problem. These are rifles chambered for a variety of rounds from 222 thru 358. I would prefer to use Warne bases, but Warne doesn't make bases for the Savage 24V or 99.

IIRC, Warne bases are sintered steel, while the Weaver bases are extruded alloy, different manufacturing methods that work better with different materials.

Jeff