Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Base/Rings Advice

Never had a problem with the Talley vertically split rings, they are my favorite set up. Have them on several rifles, and have never had them mark up a scope tube.

Also, the Talley "quick release" vertically split rings ARE centered directly over the bore. You need to go to the Talley website and take a closer look at their pics. Not hard to see that they are centered(the lever sits out slightly further but the ring itself is centered on the base and sits directly over the center line of the action.).

Talley vertically split are "hell for stout", classy looking, and less bulky than the Warne maxima rings.

Yes, they do take a little extra effort to get a scope reticle lined up straight the first time you use them, but as with anything new and unfamiliar, once you've done it a time or two it's not that difficult.

Leftybolt

Talley QR rings are made off center. Consult the following images and then call Talley for confirmation should you require. At one time Talley disclosed such on their website. I'm not sure if this is the case anymore. Pictured are multiple ring and base combinations. In several pictures a feeler gauge is shown clamped between the lower ring mating half surfaces for illustrative purposes. The feeler gauge extends the centerline out over the base mounting holes, which are centered on the bases.

The level of knowledge on this site is amazing.

A couple other options - how do you guys feel about Talley Lightweights and Leupold Dual Dovetails?

On a classic blued M70 in a wood stock. DD or Leupold QR would look good

Pretty sure I am going either QR or S&K on my 700 CDL . I will not buy Talley rings ever again ,

I love the Talley two piece. I have st least a dozen sets. They aren't hard to install in my opinion.

Slope77,

I stand corrected. Kingston has proven me wrong(thanks for the clarification). The Talley quick-release are slightly off-center(though you'd never know it from the pics on their webpage). Wonder why they did that when they clearly could make them centered?

Having said that, the Talley fixed, vertically split rings are centered and will serve you well on your Model 70s. I have them on 3 Model 70s, 1 Rem. 700, and 2 CZs and they are excellent!

Leupold Dual Dovetails would be a good setup also as mentioned above. They too can be used without marking up a scope tube if you are patient and take the time necessary to get them turned into the dovetail perfectly straight(which is doable without having to lap, but does take a sharp eye and a steady hand). Of course, this all requires that your scope mount holes on your rifle's action are drilled straight and inline with the center of your rifle's bore(which doesn't always happen in the manufacturing process).

Good luck,

Leftybolt

Any thoughts on Leupold DD base in combination with Burris Signature rings?

Should work great, but why not just do Burris bases too if doing Burris signature DD rings?

Leftybolt

In overthinking/researching this whole thing, I have read of people using the Burris rings with Leupold bases, but never the the reverse. It seems that people think the Leupold bases are better looking than the Burris ones. I have had a bit of a difficult time finding pictures of the Burris bases - didn't see them in their online catalog and I'm not sure the few pictures I see online are of the correct bases. If so, I would tend to agree that the Leupold bases are better looking.

Another issue has popped up - three of the rifles are stainless and it doesn't look like the Signature rings come in silver, and no lower than medium. I think I may be able to use low bases on these setups.

I played around with the guns and bases I have, and I think that 3.5-10 Leupolds will work on two of the long actions using DD bases with no extension base, and the 3-9 vari-x II will fit on the short action with non-extended DD as well.

The 2.5-8 fits perfectly on a long action with standard extended bases, no room for adjustment, but it fits. I think I will buy a DD set for that as well and then use the front extension base from the std set with the dovetail rear.

I'll probably use Leupold DD rings - they come in silver and low, I believe. All the rifles have walnut stocks and I don't care for matte or black scopes with walnut/stainless rifles. They would be fine if the stocks were synthetic. Using the Leupold rings will take more effort, but should be a good learning experience. Hopefully I end up liking them more than I do now

By the way, thank you everyone for your thoughts, and any additional input is appreciated

I love the DD's. That's what I generally use now. I'd toss those windage adjustable rings in the trash can where they belong....

I'm pretty sure Leupold bases are still made in the USA, while Burris are made overseas.

Sounds like great thinking to me. Good luck with it. I think you'll really like those DD's... They are great looking and strong.. Just a warning, some of the newer manufactured ones are extremely tight, be sure to use a little grease where they turn into the slot. I'd also buy the leupold tool for rotating the ring as well. I've used a wrench in the past, but you run the risk of marring the ring or base.

Thanks for the tip - I'll pick up one of this Leupold tools. Anything else I should be picking up - lap bar? Alignment bars? Do you really need torque wrench/drivers for this?

I'd get a set of alignment and lapping bars.

You don't need a torque wrench. Just go easy and even.

I totally agree with kingston, if you've installed your fair share of rings and bases. if not, a torque wrench might be a good thing.

While I don't use them anymore, dual dovetails are inexpensive, rock solid and look good.