I am going to put a Swfa scope on my Tikka(more than likely a 6x42) Superlight and wanting some input on which 30mm rings to use.

I have thought about the Warne rings which clamp directly to the receiver as it SEEMS like it would be a sturdier setup than using a rail and then clamping rings to the rail.The scope which is over 20 ounces seems like might be too much mass moving for just a few screws holding either a rail or the Talleys for that matter.

I like the Warnes because they are steel but have never used Vertical rings on a centerfire.And they are a little heavy but the weight is not a big deal as rifle is plenty light anyway.

Anyway, for those who have used 30mm Rings on a Tikka T3, I would appreciate your input .

I have used the warne rail and then used their 30mm rings and it is a rock solid set up.....I have also used 16bores modified tally rings as well which are also very nice

I use the Warnes specifically made for the Tikka (the ones with the peg for the hole) and think they work great with my SWFA SS 10X42.

+1 for the steel Warnes that clamp on the rail. They are rock solid, have a recoil pin, and give flexible ring spacing. I've used the OEM, DNZ, & Warnes and would go with the Warnes without hesitation.

The Talleys modified by campfire member 16bore are pretty boss. I have them on two Tikkas and love them

Only thing that sucks is I'm sold out at the moment...

Have you used the Warne rings that clamp directly to the rifles dovetail?

No sir, seperate rail and rings. Rail with the low rings give good spacing on VX6 2-12x42, so should work well with super chicken

Are you trying to create a run on the market?

Thanks
I am really interested in the ones that clamp to the reciever as I feel like they are a sturdier setup .
If Warne only made a set that clamped to the dovetail that were horizontal rings instead of vertical I would buy them in a heartbeat.
BUT they dont so i think I am going to get what they offer.
They are a little heavy but even with the extra weight of the rings and the Swfa 6x the Superlight will still be only about
7 pounds 12 ounces loaded.

Have you been to the Bass Pro in the Pyramid ?
I have been a couple of times and it is nice,prices higher than a cats tail but nice !

Went once when had out of town company. BPS is my last choice for my outdoor needs..Friggin criminal some of the prices they charge

bcraig,

I have a 34mm scope in Talleys. It seems to be holding zero. The rifle has not been knocked over so I can't help you there. I hope I don't discover that unwanted info. The scope weighs 22.5 ounces.

Lots of places with Talley's in stock. No need to add more weight/spend more money with a separate rail/ring setup.

Yea mine rides around in my truck or on a 4 wheeler.

[quote=slm9s]Lots of places with Talley's in stock. No need to add more weight/spend more money with a separate rail/ring setup. [/quote

I am interested in the Warnes that clamp directly on the rifles dovetail.

They do have some nice animal mounts though,all I bought was a piece of fudge cake while I was there but it was worth the visit.
Nice to have it in case of an emergency though.

If you are looking for Tikka mounts that clamps directly into their base, there is nothing more precisely machined than the Optilock base/ring combo. I have 4 sets of those mounted. I have never had to use more than a couple of inches of the scope's internal adjusment to zero it. The derlin ring prevent scratches and it is horizontally split.
This one is one inch but the same concept with the 30mm.



Having said that, I am a great fan of Warne QDs. I have a 30mm attached to the grooved receiver of my ZKK 600(CZ 550). Rock solid and reliably returns to zero. If you'd ever warm up to the rail/QD ring setup I'd highly recommend Tikka Performance rail with Warne QD ring.
The advantage of this rail that the recoil pin is machined into it. My latest "do it all".

Thanks for the pics and info
How much are the optilock 30mm ?

The Optilock is around $140 from Beretta. You might be able to find a used one or piece it together from ebay a bit cheaper. The performance rail was $67 and the Warne QD 30mm $40 used from ebay.

Thanks
I think i will stay with the $50.00 Warnes !

http://warnescopemounts.com/product/14t-30mm-tikka-fixed-medium-rings/

I've used a bunch of Warne Maximas and the vertical split has never been a problem. Go slow when leveling the scope and it's a piece of cake.

The Tikka specific version is rugged. They grip the rail tight, and have a lug. The Talleys and DNZ rely on the mounting screws. Whether it matters or not, only you can decide.

Yea ,as I posted originally the mounts that clamp directly to the rifle seem to me would be stronger than 4 little screws.
Especially with so little surface area on the Tikka T3 to mount the scope rings on.

I am going to go with the Warnes for sure.

Thanks

I do not prefer vertical split rings (specifically the Warns) due to several issues, though many haven't seemed to have problems.

I have used Tally LWs, DNZ, factory rings, and piccatinny rail/rings on T3s and only use the piccatinny setup now.


The Tikka Performance gen2 rails with decent piccatinny rings is a solid mounting system.

What are the specific issues with the Warnes?
Is that the aluminum or the steel rail?
Which rings?

I do like the Weaver type system but just cant decide which system is the strongest.

On the one hand the Warnes have only one recoil lug or pin for the front ring compared to the Weaver/piccatinny style which has a lug on the bottom of both rings which engage in a slot.

On the other hand there are only 4 tiny screws that hold the Weaver/piccatinny rail to the rifle.
The Warne clamps to the actual rifle.

Sure wish I were an engineer so I could figure out for sure which is the strongest,least likely to move or fail system !

Thanks

If you think about how vertical split rings tighten, they pinch the scope tube instead of clamping it. The tightness of the screws to the base also effects the tightness of the scope. It's a poor design.

The Warn Vertical Split rings broke the only two HDMRs that I have seen or heard of (out of hundreds). Both mounted to spec, and both exhibited the same issues- parralax lock up, inconsistent tracking, sporadic zero shifts.


I agree that a direct mount is the way to go for strength, however I haven't seen one for a tikka that checks all the blocks. There is more to it than just screws. Ring spacing is a huge issue with regards to zero retention and fending abuse and piccatinny gives the most options there. Every sniper rifle in military use, uses a piccatinny setup and there are many reasons for that- strength being one.

The Warnes work great with an IOR 2.5x10. I wouldn't use anything else.

I called Warne and asked them about the rings and tech there told me that the sintered steel had copper in it which actually allowed the rings to bend to fit the scope!
I dont know if this is true but that is what he told me.

I take it that you believe the Warne rings caused the problems in the two HDMR scopes because of the pinching design?
What is parralax lockup??

I would think that since the rear ring can be placed several different places on the dovetail that ring spacing should be adequate?

While the Military sniper rifles use the Piccatinny system I think that maybe the reason could be that most rifles are not designed to use a direct mount system ?

Do you use the steel or aluminum rails and what rings are you using?


Thanks for your input,I appreciate it.

I concur entirely. Factory rails here.... but Tikkas, Super Snipers and white tape BDCs seem the easiest rout to making hits for sane ranges.

You can get away with Talleys and 1" 3-9's..... most of the time.

T3 SL in .308. Factory Tikka
0 MOA rail (poached off a CTR)
SS 10x
SWFA Low Rings
7.7 lbs



.260 CTR
Factory Tikka 0 MOA rail
SS 10x
SWFA Low Rings
10 lbs

bcraig,

They were/are absolutely the cause of it. We put several more scopes in them just to check and they all had the same symptoms.

Parralax lock up is when the tube gets pinched (usually) and while the parralax knob is adjusted, the actual parralax is "locked" and unmoving.

I'm ok with both steel and aluminum rings and rails. For Tikkas I want the integral lug on the rail. The Tikka Performance Gen 2 rail is designed better than any other that I could find as of a couple of months ago. There are lots of good rings on the market, I generally prefer Nighforce ULs.




Dogshooter,

Indeed.

Thanks one again for the info

I'm partial to 16bores custom Tallys.But just to be fair I have not used the others but a friend uses the DNZ Reapers and they are sweet...ScottyO

Have had two Talky LWs crack, and the DNZ suffers from trite ring spacing.