For rifles with back-up iron sights, is it mandatory that the scope have quick-detach rings or mount? Otherwise, is everyone always carrying a toolkit or wrench with them?
Back-up iron sights w/o QD scope rings
- Thread starter Trespasser
- Start date
No...while obviously a QD mount/rings setup in a situation where lives are at stake or the time involved in breaking out a wrench and removing a "standard" mount/rings could pose a real and immediate threat, they are certainly advantageous. If you are talking about your average one-way range rifle that gets rubbed with a diaper and shot a couple hundred rounds a year...then I wouldn't worry too much with the QD aspect as you'll likely have MORE than sufficient time to reengage your average paper/steel target with your BUIS after you take 2mins to unscrew your mount/rings.
As for tools, I usually have a Borka kit in my range box/bag which covers the wrench/bolt/etc. needs on the range and elsewhere. You don't need anything that fancy to necessitate removal of your mount/rings in a rush (especially if your optics have @#$% the bed and you just need them off the rifle so you can deploy your BUIS and continue shooting without concern for remounting the optic with a torque wrench so that your POI hasn't shifted a blue country mile upon reinstall).
It's meant to be a philosophical question. The scenario I imagine is during a hunt and the scope is dropped hard. Even if the glass isn't cracked, the zero might have changed. Instead of packing it up for the day (or weekend), the scope could be removed and the iron sights could be used instead.
Someday, I might use the rifle in tactical shooting competitions as well. I am not sure if there are instances where back-up irons could come into play while competing.
That's one of the more make sense reasons out there, perfect use of BUIS.
Save the 45 offsets for in case the zombie comes and your scope is dialed up to 25 and you don't have the field of view to get the brain eater.
Carry tools to remove your hardware mounted scope and use a good set of top mounted sights. Again I like KAC (either the micro or full size) because they allow for elevation at the rear. I use mine at distance and do find I want to dial elevation for range rather than hold. Thing is KAC BUIS are expensive. You could probably carry a spare cheapy scope mounted in rings for the $225 - $250 used KAC irons will cost.
You can usually find good deals on BUIS in the gear for sale area on here. Note many BUIS are set up for a BZO of 300 yards not sure how that will work for taking game. How much do you intend to practice with them?
I suggest a QD scope mount over carrying a tool to remove a non-QD mount. This makes sure that the BUIS are always accessible if needed.
There might be hunting applications where you come to prefer irons (such as scouting thick and / or rough terrain during the season, checking trail cameras during the season, etc), and a QD mount will become even more appreciated.
Quality QD mounts return to zero very well.
For a hunting rig where speed/time is not necessarily of the essence (could very well be in some circumstances though), I don't think that QD is a must or even necessarily preferred.
HOWEVER, for a run n' gun rifle that will be used in comps, where time IS of the essence and there's a big difference between a time shot all to hell and a DNF, I think that the QD has its place at that point. You can get a quality QD mount for very reasonable prices that will give you RTZ capability (within 1/2MOA or less) for ~$150 or so and its likely money well-spent at that point.
At some point in time, the old adage of "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it" comes into play. A quality QD mount, even if never removed/reinstalled (or at least not done regularly) is a nice insurance policy against the "what ifs" that life sometimes throws us. Whatever BUIS you settle on, just be sure to work with them, get them sighted in properly, train with them and be familiar with their adjustments, etc. I see tons of folks running them and when I ask about zeroing and at what range, you can almost see the vacant stares like "oh...I'm supposed to do something besides slap them on the rifle?" SAD...but true!
HOWEVER, for a run n' gun rifle that will be used in comps, where time IS of the essence and there's a big difference between a time shot all to hell and a DNF, I think that the QD has its place at that point. You can get a quality QD mount for very reasonable prices that will give you RTZ capability (within 1/2MOA or less) for ~$150 or so and its likely money well-spent at that point.
At some point in time, the old adage of "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it" comes into play. A quality QD mount, even if never removed/reinstalled (or at least not done regularly) is a nice insurance policy against the "what ifs" that life sometimes throws us. Whatever BUIS you settle on, just be sure to work with them, get them sighted in properly, train with them and be familiar with their adjustments, etc. I see tons of folks running them and when I ask about zeroing and at what range, you can almost see the vacant stares like "oh...I'm supposed to do something besides slap them on the rifle?" SAD...but true!
The rifle that spurred the question in my mind is an SR-25 with a set of KAC micro BUIS's. I am considering scopes with 34mm tubes and the options for QD mounts in 34mm is relatively limited. I might give the ARMS 34mm QD rings a try.
Limited you say...
Well, ADM, Bobro, GDI, Larue, and others all make quality QD mounts with 34mm rings. The GDI is arguably the best of the bunch in my experience for QD, but the price being 2-3x some other options puts people off...the ADM mounts however are a real value for the money at <$200.
Perhaps it's how the weapons are scoped. With a bolt gun, the scope is usually mounted as low as possible, with insufficient space under the scope to fit BUIS. With an AR, the scope's centerline is usually ~1.5" above the rail, leaving plenty of room for folding BUIS.
Also, an AR seems more likely to have somewhere to mount a front sight (such as a railed handguard or gas block), and more options available that are specifically tailored to the platform.
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