Dear all

I have a Swarovski 1.24-4 x 24 PVI scope with a 30 mm tube which I want to mount on my Sako 85 (same as the 75 for mounting purposes) as low as possible.

I have the Sako one piece mounts and also the low 2 piece but I would still like to mount it lower.

Any thoughts gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

Does anybody know of an alternative to the Optilocks to enable me to get it lower?

I went on the Talley site but thought it was very poor in terms of being able to obtain information from it. Does anyone know if Talley makes a mount which would get my scope lower?

Thanks

Jon, I just bought a set of Sako compatible Warne's from the Sportsman in Devon.

I think about £60 for the non-detachable and about £80 for the detachable. These should get you lower than the Optilocks, and might be your best bet in the UK. Never been able to find a source for Talley in the UK.

Do the Warne rings fit directly on the dovetail, or do they use an adaptor base?

cheers,
- stu

Stu, the Warnes clamp directly onto the Dovetail, no bases required.

I have not fitted them as the rifle has not yet arrived - next week apparently, it has been "next week" for the past month.

Leupold makes rings that fit directly on the Sako integral dove tail. They can offer a very low mount for very little $$$.

I have had good luck with my Leupold rings on a (comparatively) light weight Sako based .280 Rem Imp mounting a Leupold Var-X III 2.5-8x32 (I think?). I know of other AR members who have also been very happy with the Leupold mounts, but also of some who are not so impressed. Maybe it depends on the weight of the scope and the caliber?

- mike

The Leupold ringmount is my "go to" mount. I've only used it on calibers as large as a .375 H&H, so claims that it is delicate may have some credibility if you are using something like a .505 Gibbs or mounting a scope that is heavier than your rifle.

The Redfield/Burris dovetail bases allow you to use any Redfield, Burris, Leupold, Millet, etc. turn-in rings. Such rings are available in a variety of heights, so that system should allow you to mount your scope where you wish.

Millett makes a set of tiny adapter bases and ring claws for its Weaver-type cross loc rings. You can buy any Millett cross lock ring to use with the adapter claws which gives you a lot of latitude in ring height.

Thanks all

Brian I didn't think of the Warnes although I have had them in the past and are very good mounts but would if possible, prefer horizontally split rings but this could be an option.

Mike the Leupolds sound good. Also good to hear you haven't had any issues with them. I will check these out and let you know.

Cheers

Just a little thought from a very long time Sako shooter.

If you use the tough as nails optilocks; the first time you shoulder your rifle your eyes will perfectly align with your scope.

The lowest of scope mountings can cause stock crawling and then scope bites.

Sako designed the scope mounts, the actions and their stocks to all work together. I can only speak to pre-model 75 Sakos. Maybe the new stocks are lower.

Jon, the lowest I have been able to get a tube on the 85's is with the Leupold QD's bases and rings.

Conetrol are some of the lowest mounts you can get for a Sako.

www.conetrol.com

I agree with Lawndart. I don't think the Sako is built to be comfortably shot with extremely low mounts. I use Talley mediums or Optilocks and both are perfect for quick shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by lawndart:
Just a little thought from a very long time Sako shooter.

If you use the tough as nails optilocks; the first time you shoulder your rifle your eyes will perfectly align with your scope.

The lowest of scope mountings can cause stock crawling and then scope bites.

Sako designed the scope mounts, the actions and their stocks to all work together. I can only speak to pre-model 75 Sakos. Maybe the new stocks are lower.

Lawndart, your anatomy must be very different from mine (not inconceivable). I find the lowest possible mounting position on the some-dozens of Sakos I own to consistently be the best for me. I will stipulate that the bulk of my rifles are older pre-Garcias which had a somewhat lower comb than more recent Sako stocks, but even my A-IIIs and A-V's with their rather pronounced combs are quite comfortable with a scope that barely clears the barrel. I abhor a scope mounted so high that your head cannot firmly contact the stock when your eye is for the proper sight picture -- a head bobbing in the wind is a great detriment to accurate shooting.

Besides that, the Optilock mounts are (1) very heavy, (2) obscenely expensive, and (3) ironically, use a base for a gun manufactured with a built-in base! What's that all about?

As it's a 30mm scope the lowest you can go is still higher than an inch tube by virtue of the (30-25.4)/2 difference.

Talley and conetrol all use a base to go on the dove tail and I don't think that Warne make a low in sako or brno just medium (despite what you see on Sportsmans advert!)

The lowest is the leupold ring mount.

Optilocks are great for second hand scope buyers

Thanks fellas

Have ended up with the Leupold's in the Medium height which even though it says Medium on the packet is the lowest they do.

I haven't mounted my scope in them yet but putting them side by side the one piece optiloks (which have the scope in them at present) it looks like they are getting me about 3-4mm lower which is actually significant so I am pleased all in all.

This is for driven shooting and I wanted to get as low as poss due to me having to raise my cheeck very slightly through the optiloks which I felt was not ideal.

Thanks again.

I have Sako Optilocks rings & bases on all my Sako m75 and Tikka T3 rifles.

One of my Sako m75 rifles has the new ringmounts. I like it.

Solid mounts.

Sako has EXTRA LOW rings. I found them too low for me as a dealer setup one of my rifles with the extra lows by mistake...they changed it out for me after I noticed it.

quote:

Have ended up with the Leupold's in the Medium height which even though it says Medium on the packet is the lowest they do.

Unless they have recently dropped their "low" Sako ringmount, they definately have one lower than "medium". The low is very low and will only sometimes clear a 33mm objective, provided the objective bell is far enough forward to extend past the barrel's chamber bulge. The low will NOT clear some regular ocular bells on the older Sakos which had a more pronounced curve to the bolt handle.

SC, I have a feeling "medium" is the lowest ring in 30mm. For 1" rings, Leupold offers a "low".

- mike

This is what I went with. Sako Optilock Rings

quote:

Originally posted by mho:
SC, I have a feeling "medium" is the lowest ring in 30mm. For 1" rings, Leupold offers a "low".

- mike

Right you are.

Jon2 ! You can get the Optilock Xtra low rings in 1"

My SAKO scope is mounted about 3/4" high on my rifle it has a 30mm 2X7 scope on it. It doesn't
bother me. It puts all rounds into a 1" circle at 150yds. It is a 375 H&H.

"XTRA LO" accomodates up to a 59mm bell housing? I would need to add a vertebra to my neck and an inch to the stock comb in order to use a "medium"!

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
"XTRA LO" accomodates up to a 59mm bell housing? I would need to add a vertebra to my neck and an inch to the stock comb in order to use a "medium"!

My thoughts exactly. Don't forget however that it's the outside diameter which is normaly 6-8mm or so greater than the glass.

If you look at the mount height (H) in Ingvars informative post the extra low is 28.5mm To mount a 32mm a butler creek from the barrel and bolt you need 20.3mm

Companies are loath to produce really low rings for fear of returns and angst from people trying to fit larger occular housings etc with lower rings.