Rifle Scopes Help, can't find the right height rings for my 34mm tube scope

[vikingshelmut]

I finally got my Leupold Mark 4 base for my new 700, but I need help finding rings at the right height. In order to figure out the right height rings I need to mount my Bushnell HDMR 3.5x21x50 scope, I tried the coin trick and after mounting the base stacked up some quarters on the rail and set the scope on top. After playing around with a few different heights, it seems like the lowest I could go is three quarters high (.206" high), but it looks like the optimal height for minimum barrel clearance is about 4 quarters high (.261" high). Considering most measurements are from the center of the scope line to the top of the rail, I added .66929 to get .93". This is where I got stuck. Badger offers 34mm rings that are 1" high, so they are close (a little too tall maybe), but they are labeled as for Schmidt and Bender scopes. I can't seem to find anybody else offering 1" high (or lower) steel rings. Leupold offers their 34mm "high" rings, but they are 1.06" high, so they are even taller.

Does anyone have any suggestions for rings at the height I'm looking for? Are the Badger rings I noted OK, even though they state they are for Schmidt & Bender scopes? Should I not worry about steel vs alloy? Any other suggestions?

 

[GunDudeUSA]

Try this calculator and see if it helps: http://www.mil-rad.com/scope_ring_calculator

I added your Bushnell HDMR into the preset and the Badger rings data is already there. All you need to do is figure out the height of your Mark 4 base. If you want to get real exact you can figure out the distance between the front of your base to the front of the scope and with the mount cant i.e. 20MOA, you'll be able to figure out the impact of the offset to your mount height as well. Bear in mind this calculator is still beta though.

 

[oldfatguy]

Seeking has .92 high 34m rings. Check the clearance between the rail and turret housing.

OFG

 

[Rob01]

Seeking has .92 high 34m rings. Check the clearance between the rail and turret housing.

OFG

Yup those are what you want. It's what I have on my S&B 3-20x50 on a 20 MOA base and M24/40 contour barrel.

 

[vikingshelmut]

Yup those are what you want. It's what I have on my S&B 3-20x50 on a 20 MOA base and M24/40 contour barrel.

I'd been looking at those I just can't find them in stock anywhere.

 

[vikingshelmut]

I just read in another thread that Vortex rings are made by Seekins. Does anyone know if that is true?

 

[hk dave]

Try this calculator and see if it helps: http://www.mil-rad.com/scope_ring_calculator

I added your Bushnell HDMR into the preset and the Badger rings data is already there. All you need to do is figure out the height of your Mark 4 base. If you want to get real exact you can figure out the distance between the front of your base to the front of the scope and with the mount cant i.e. 20MOA, you'll be able to figure out the impact of the offset to your mount height as well. Bear in mind this calculator is still beta though.

Hmm that calculators got me a little nervous. New GAP just shipped to me and I've got Seekins 1" rings coming to mount S&B 5-25x56mm... according to the calculator, I will not have clearance.

 

[hk dave]

Hmm that calculator is off somehow, I've tried all my scope combinations that show on there and they all fail on the calculator while having clearance in real life.

 

[GunDudeUSA]

Hey HK Dave,

Did you add the scope mount height as well? What's your scope mount height? Let me check and see.

 

[hk dave]

I went and measured some other rifles and came to realize that the calculator doesn't account for barrel taper... (how could it)... duh.

I added the barrel taper and everything clears... BARELY.

It's a pretty cool calculator.

The specific setup I am receiving soon is a Surgeon 591/R with Sendero contour barrel, however I don't know how high the integrated scope mount is... with Seekins 34mm 1" rings and a S&B 5-25.

 

[GunDudeUSA]

Ah. Good catch. Barrel taper. Hmm. Wonder if there's a standardized way to measure that. I'll add that info to the calculator.

 

[hk dave]

I don't believe there really is a standardized way of measuring that since the taper is gradual and placement of the scope is dependent upon factors such as eye relief and length of pull. But the calculator does give you pretty accurate results if you think of a barrel as a non contoured barrel.

Whatever the case, thanks for creating that calculator, it's a really nice idea.

 

[GunDudeUSA]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll change the diagram a little bit so users will know about tapered barrels.

 

[Rob01]

Dave you will be fine with the 1" high rings and that combo. It's what I run on mine with both MTU and M24/40 contour barrels. If the calculator is telling you it won't then it's wrong.

 

[19Scout77]

You are going to.want 1" rings with the hdmr if you are running butler creeks. If you go with the .92" they will require a little bc clearancing or they will not work.

 

[oldfatguy]

Have to respectively disagree. .92 rings work very well. Check the pic of Rob01's setup.

OFG

 

[19Scout77]

Have to respectively disagree. .92 rings work very well. Check the pic of Rob01's setup.

OFG

Respectfully or not, you are incorrect. Rob's picture shows a sb 3-20, not an hdmr and has Tenabrex covers not BCs. Having mounted numerous HDMRs with BCs in .92" Seekins on 20MOA bases, I am quite confident in my above statement. To reiterate, an hdmr with butler creeks will most likely require a little sanding with .92 seekins.

 

[oldfatguy]

Glad to hear from some one with experience with the exact scope & rings. How much space between the objective bell and barrel with the 1" rings?

OFG

 

[Rob01]

That HDMR must have a huge bell holding the 50mm glass as that Tenebrex above is thicker than Butler Creeks.

 

[19Scout77]

It does rob. In fact the hdmr uses the same diameter bc on the obj as does the 56mm sb.

 

[hk dave]

Dave you will be fine with the 1" high rings and that combo. It's what I run on mine with both MTU and M24/40 contour barrels. If the calculator is telling you it won't then it's wrong.

Thanks Rob.

Glad to know it will work fine. I'm running a Sendero barrel so should have even more clearance.