Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics I hate the Leupold Bases on FWT

My 6 year olds Santa Rifle turned out great except for the scope bases....I hate how much they overhang....who makes a base ring combo that would look good on this rifle with a 2-7 33mm?

Thanks for any help

Bruz

This pic is with a Matte FXIII which has been replaced with a Silver 2-7 33mm

Talley LWs.

The rear base forward positioning is pretty much the same on all Leupold mounts. Has been for years. Nothing new there.

The front base you have however, is not standard. It is an extension front base. A standard Leupold m70 base would center the front scope ring over the receiver ring.


FWIW, it's hard for scope mount makers to fit every possible combination of scope model /rifle model / individual shooter and also make everything look lovely in the process.

Bruzer;

You could, of course, turn the bases around...

Flip the rear one and the bolt may not open.

Looking at how far back the eye relief blessed 6x42 is mounted, presumably to set up nicely for the short necked six year old, he may be stuck with an extension front ring with the 2-7x33.

Bruzer, is that 70 a short-action? I'm thinking it is. If so, even with that short 2-7x33 scope, I'm thinking that Leupold dual dovetails bases would work with that combo. If you get the regular bases (not the extension front) the dovetails will both be in the middle of the screw holes on the bases. Looks like you are using Burris Signature rings, so you would need a new set of those as well. Don't know how the eye relief would work out for a little feller, but it would work for me.

If that rifle is a standard (long)action, I'm thinking you would need the extension front base with that scope, with the extended end pointed back, then you are pretty much back to where you are now.

The dual dovetails give a nice clean installation, not to mention very strong, plus if you are using Signature rings, the windage adjustable rear base is redundant, and just one more thing to loosen up!

Talley LWs will clean that all up nicely, not to mention getting rid of that rear windage screw thingy.

I'd go with Leupold dual dovetail bases and either Leupold or Burris Signature DD rings.

The rear does in fact block the bolt...been there.

Thanks

Robert

Mud,

It is a short action and chambered in 243. Even though I moved it into a Walnut Compact Featherweight Stock ( which is a pain btw as you have to order a compact boc $25 and action screws $30 and stock $75 and then cut the screws down) it is still a reach for him so I had to set it way back...thus the extension ring.

I'm going to order the Talleys and worst case he will have them when he is older just like the nice stock.

Robert

For a short action with that scope the dual dovetails would be perfect. I had a set on my stainless .308, the rings were centered in the mounts and would have plenty of fore/aft room for that scope.

Bruzer,

Somehow the thought of putting anything but a lightweight base/ring combo on a featherweight rifle just doesn't seem right to me.

I outfitted mine with Weaver bases which are lightweight, strong, and have a proven track record for over 50 years and a quality lightweight set of rings. Lots of folks knock the Weaver bases but they have a proven record, I think that the knocks come from the fact that they are "old-school" rather than the latest and greatest on the market.

The other nice thing about using Weaver (or Weaver style) bases is that there a multitude of rings available for them which gives you many options in style of rings, and heights of rings.

just my .02 cents.

drover

I'm with you Bruzer... I don't care for the overhang. Here's what the Leupold dual-dovetails would look like. I think they are a solid and nice looking choice. They also allow the scope to be mounted as low as you might want to. The rifle is a 270WSM and the scope is a VXIII 2.5-8x36mm.

Kevin

I just spoke to Talley. They say that the rear is made for the Model 70 and will fit flush with the ejection port. The front is used for about 5 different rifles and will be short.

Thanks,

Robert

drover,
what caliber is your SS Fwt? Is it a factory SS/Walnut Fwt?

Bruzer, it looks like you have it figured out but, i agree, Talleys all the way..

The Talleys will clean that badboy up and I'm willing to bet they chop 3 to 4 oz off the weight.. Thats the whole idea behind a Feather weight... Keeping it a featherweight..

It is a 243, non-factory. It was originally a synthetic/ stainless of New Haven manufacture. I bought it from Dober when we were both lived in Gt. Falls, MT many years ago (lucky day for me - meeting him and purchasing a good rifle on the same day). I purchased a new take-off featherweight stock on one of the forums and put it together as a stainless/walnut.

I hunted it hard for quite a few years and took quite a bit of game with - antelope, deer, mountain goat,and elk and numerous PD's. It was only "so-so" accurate in the synthetic stock but when I dropped it into the featherweight stock it became a real shooter. I dropped it in on the factory "glue gun" bedding and it immediately started shooting 3/4" groups so I never messed with it after that.

If you have ever read my post concerning Coopers you will know that I am a die-hard Cooper fan but when it is time to get rid of rifles this one will be the last one to go.

drover

Hi drover,

That stock looks kind of familiar!

Best,

Al

Yep! Strange that you should recognize it. It has a good home and is put to use on a fairly regular basis - the local coyotes hate it.

drover

Mine is a factory SS Featherweight in 243 New Haven. The new SC Featherweights are going to be 20" and lighter than the New Haven rifles. I know they will have a different mag box as well.

Bruz