Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Dovetail rings - who makes truly good ones...?

I need a good pair of low, blued steel rings for a really nice Marlin 81.
Can't find any locally so mail order it is. Looking for recommendations.

Some problems I'm trying to avoid:

1. Rings that don't allow for the receiver crown. I don't know how any sane company can sell 3/8 dovetail rings that won't mount on your typical .22 but some do exactly that. I've got some Leupolds and they fail for that reason. They are exactly what I want but you can't mount them on a .22 with a round receiver. Like say a Marlin, Mossberg, Ruger American, Anschutz, Savage, Remington, Winchester, etc....


2. Thin sheet metal "clamps". I want something substantial to grip the dovetail. Thick sheet metal is OK though.

3. Great big ugly screw heads on the dovetail screws. They look ridiculous.

4. Extra wide rings. This is only a problem because I'd like to mount my scope a bit more forward and I don't know of any extended rimfire rings. Although Weaver may have made some back in the day.

Warne rimfire rings fill all of your squares, plus the clamping piece is reversible for 3/8" or 11mm dovetails.

But they cost more than the $8.99 most folks are prepared to spend on rimfire rings.

drover

I hear you about the price. I'm prepared to spend on good ones (and I have many times), but I do appreciate that I can use $10 rings from time to time. If not I'd have thousands invested in rimfire rings! lol

I think the Warnes will be too long for this particular rifle/scope combo (I'm trying to get the scope moved forward to suit my head position) but Warne & Talley make good, if long, rings. I'm gonna look into both tonight.

The Leupold rings I have are exactly what I want, except that you can't mount them on most rimfires.
Still boggles my mind that they would put something like that on the market.
Reminds me of when Winchester designed the .375 Win to fit into 38-55 rifles. Just a bad idea from a company that should know better.

I am not sure what yo mean when you say they are too long - here is a link to the ones I am speaking of

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1592111875

drover

I used these offset rings on my chuckster.
https://www.bkltech.com/BKL-30mm-Offset-Dovetail-Rings-p/bkl-374.htm

Talley.

Hi Drover

By long I mean the length of the ring axially. I would call the ones you linked to short, and regular Warne's would be around twice as "long".

When mounting centerfire scopes on rimfires, I often find that I want the scope mounted further forward for eye relief, but the turrets are blocked by the forward scope ring (with the ring already mounted as far forward as possible).
Add to that that I'm usually looking for a low mounted scope, which means no rails to help with positioning. (Wouldn't want one anyway).

Those Warnes you linked look like they would work, although they would be a modest help with positioning.
I'm still looking for low, extended rimfire rings for a beautiful old Marlin 81 (deep glossy blue) and a blued Redfield 2-7 Wideview.

I'm hoping that weaver made some back in the day. You know the type - aluminum bottom half and steel top strap with a hook on one side and 2 screws on the other.
They may be cheap but they work and they wouldnt be out of place at.all on that rifle.

A cheap option that has worked perfectly for me and looked pretty good too is Tasco. The glossy finish is pretty nice, and the rings have friction tape inside to grip the scope without marring. The set I have must be 20 years old at least. Not even sure they still make them, but the last time Imsaw them they were like $10.

Amazon has them for $40, including a 3-9x32 scope!

B-Square Sport Utility are inexpensive and look well designed to grip.
I haven't stripped any; and, I tend to strip cheap rings because I like a tight grip on the dovetail.

I use B-Square Weaver adapters, or their Chinese knock-offs, with whatever brand of Weaver-style rings seem appropriate if they will work on the rifle in question. Sometime they don't work because of the design of the grooves, particularly on some of the old, 1960's and 1970's vintage, Mossbergs, like the 340/640, and Savages, like the 63 and 65.

I've used these and been very happy with them on several rimfires....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Redfield-A...e-22-Dovetail-Grooved-47431/282093226616

I see where the B-Square also offers an offset model.. nice to know there are options out there.

Well, I need to retract part.of my original statement...

I went back and stared at the rings that had frustrated me, because it really was baffling (I had ID's them as Leupolds, couldn't figure out why they would sell them...)
Turns out that the clamping plate is slightly different top to bottom, so I tried them reversed and they did, just, get a bite on the Marlin rail.

I also re-reversed them and tried them on an 11mm CZ 455 rail where they got what I would call a solid bite.
So, they are staying on the CZ and I owe Leupold an apology.

Still looking for nice, LOW, blued steel rings for the Marlin 81, hopefully without some giant thumbscrew sticking out the side. Keep the recommendations coming. I'm going to search more tonight.

I have Lynx ringmounts on a couple of rifles, and I've been very happy with them. You can get them with flush Allen screws on the clamps, or with levers, rather than thumb screws. They are steel and can be had in gloss blue or matte. I've even used then on a couple of hard kickers, without a drama.

I think they may be sold under the B-square name in the US. This is the Australian website: http://www.lynxoptics.com.au/

I have Warne on my two rimfire rifles.

These adapters work very good.
I have used these rimfire rings since the early 80's. One of the best nonclunky styled rings for rimfires. https://www.leupold.com/scope-mounts/rm-rimfire-13mm-low

Is there a link for sales in the US?

Best there is.

burris rimfire rings or burris signature zee rings with the above utg adapter from 11mm or 3/8" to weaver which would be my choice and has been on a couple cz rimfires.
good luck,
Big Ed

The best I have ever purchased were Kelby rings. They are expensive at a little over $100 a pair. But they are nice!

Well, I found some low, polished blue Millett Angle-Lock's at the bottom of my stash and they're fine.
I just don't like the way they clamp - looks like they could do some damage...

Anyone have trouble with these or am I just paranoid?

Thanks!

They are a poor design and will damage dovetails

Check with talley? I recently ordered some 10mm rimfire rings with the contour OP mentions for an anschutz. Might make the same in 3/8”?

Not avail in low, but Burris alloy .22 rings.
Do no have the rev clamp like the signature ones.

Not 11mm, big whoop, crank the clamp screw to 30 in lbs and they have held fine.
Am running them on my CZ455.
Prev ran on Anschtuz 184.

They worked. Of course YMMV