Owned several rifles in my life equipped with scopes mounted in QD rings and lately I've been thinking back to the times I actually needed them. And guess what, the answer is never, go figure.


Just an informal poll here guys. How many of you have rifles equipped with QD rings that you actually NEEDED while hunting in the 50 states? If you did need them, what were the circumstances involved?

Unless it is necessary to fit a particular rifle case for travel, I've eliminated most of my QD mounts. On a few big-bore African rifles I still use them, but hardly ever take the scopes off when hunting.

Had a few rifles with them of various sorts, never used them.

If the scope stuff's up, I'd take it off and use the iron sights but never had to.

And I tend to use low power scopes so it's not a case of having to take of the scope to use Iron's because of a change in the country / vegitation.

I use Leupold QRW's exclusively on everything. Every rifle is set up with QRW bases. Since I use mostly WInchester M70s, each action is set up, scope interchange back and forth without having to loosen rings. Since I do quite a bit of shooting and have several rifles it's more an ease of setting a rifle up to do whatever mission.

When on a hunting trip I go with 2 scopes just in case! Spare scope already set up, something happens to primary it's a simple thing to take it off and put the secondary on, ready to go. 90% of the time these will go on POI is within a half inch at 50 yds.

Like 500 N on all my big bore rifles are set up with low power scopes, I have never felt the need to take one off to use the iron sights, but I have that capability.

Michael

I have QD on all my rifles, from .223 to .458Lott. Most of them are Leupold QR. A few with Warne. I have switched scopes many times, but not while hunting. They certainly facilitate cleaning, return to zero and take a beating without failure.

I have them on several guns and had them on several others. I like to take a scond zeroed scope on serious trips but never have used it. Would be super handy in spike camp after a fall. Just switch scopes and no need to fire rounds. I've pulled the scope off for meat packing just to make it a little handier but questionable if needed. On my big guns they are there just in case I manage to trash a scope in the field, quick access to the irons.

This is a good topic. Two facts that may influence my reply is that I'm "a Brit" and live in Europe and that I still like ALL my rifles to be fitted with iron sights! Just in case!

And I use either fixed 4x or 6x Zeiss Diatal or maybe a variable Zeiss Diavari 3-7x. My "heavy Mauser" in 8x60S uses its original Tell 4x. The BRNOs were also fixed 4x and the No4(T) 3x.

I've had rifles with TRUE QD systems - such as the German "claw" type, the Enfield No4(T) Sniper Rifle and the excellent BRNO factory mounts on the BRNO ZKK 600 and 601.

I've also had the pretty universal but really a "joke" of a QD mount of the Redfield "turn-in" type and the British Parker-Hale type.

Only the BRNO, German "Claw" and Enfield No4(T) of those I call true QD in that the 'scope goes back to exactly the same zero no matter how many times it goes off and on.

So. How often have I used the QD facility?

Well oddly enough NEVER when shooting but every time when cleaning. And my rifles with the Redfield system? I leave the 'scope on when cleaning. Does that mean it's cleaned any less often or less well? No.

So apart from a certain smug self-confident snobbery and one-upmanship that I gain from my true QD mounts they've never really served me any direct benefit when out hunting!

But. And this is the big but.

If I had to travel by air I'd prefer to take my 'scopes off and travel with me in my luggage and not on the rifle in a rifle case.

And I suppose that "out and away" where ammunition may be sacrce it ma just save me ten or even twenty rounds of my precious ammunition allowance having to re-zero.

Or if a suitable "range" isn't availbale to re-zero give me a confidence that I know that my rifle is still on zero.

But really it is all in the mind from my experience as to the benefit I've ever had it is only that aforementioned smug inner feeling of superiority over "lesser men" with fixed 'scope mounts!

Or, to put in another way, it's like health insurance. Expensive and probably better (despite all you've paid for it) if actually you NEVER have to call on it...as for sure that means something has "gone wrong".

Yes. QD 'scope mounts = health insurance for hunting rifles. I like that!

The same could also be said for ejector versus extractor double shot guns for most walked up hunting too!

On only the very rare occasion i like to use open and express sights. That is the only reason i fit Q/d's to my rifles. I have never needed them as such.

I have them on most of my hunting rifles. Habit?

For me, it's much easier to have them and not use them, than to go to hunting camp once, have a scope malfunction, and be cussing looking for an allen wrench to get them off.

Besides, chicks dig guys with the QD set up. We look prepared for anything...


Rich
DRSS

I have QD setups on my guns that I use for bear hunting, both pre 64 Win 70's, a Fwt 30-06, and a Std 375 H&H.

I did in fact need a QD scope back in 2001; unfortunately I didn't have one! I was in very tall thick mountain laurel on the trail of a large, wounded Black Bear. We were often 10 yards apart but visibility was like 6 feet. My scope was a hindrance in there. When I would get a look at the bear, I would try to sight down the right side of the barrel to get a shot off.

I spoke with an experienced African hunter about this episode and about his thoughts on which QD system to use in the future. He recommended Leupold QR mounts, but also told me that if that situation ever arose again, to open both eyes and not worry if I can't see through the scope but to shoot if I could see the bear with my un-scoped eye. His reasoning was that your eyes are looking at the same spot and if the gun is up to your scoped eye as in shooting, that it will be generally on target. Now again, this was a very close range situation. I have not tried this method on game but have experimented with it on the rifle range and accuracy is acceptable.

I have my 375 H&H outfitted with a Leupold Vari-XIIc in 2-7 in Leupold QR mounts and medium rings with Willliams Fire Sights (fiber-optic).

My 30-06 Fwt has the same scope and sights but is in Leupold QRW mounts and medium rings. The QRW bases are much lower and marry up with the small diameter and low sight height of the Fwt contour barrel.

As stated earlier by others, I would rather have them and nevewr use them than not have them and need them if only once.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
Owned several rifles in my life equipped with scopes mounted in QD rings and lately I've been thinking back to the times I actually needed them. And guess what, the answer is never, go figure.


Just an informal poll here guys. How many of you have rifles equipped with QD rings that you actually NEEDED while hunting in the 50 states? If you did need them, what were the circumstances involved?

Great philosophical question. I have never needed to switch scopes. You asked about here in the US - in 1994 my dad and i went on an elk hunt in Colorado. I brought my 416WBY with a 1.5-6x Leupold mounted on QR rings.

Since we sea level folk were going to be at altitude, I wanted my dad to have the lightest, most effective rig for our "once in a lifetime" hunt. I bought him a Rem 700Ti on which I mounted a 3-9x compact scope on lightweight fixed rings. A pleasure to carry. A big mistake. Compact scopes are great but exit pupil is small, light gathering minimal and acquisition time slower than a "classic" size 2-7 or 3-9. I realized this soon after we arrived and it ultimately cost him his elk. We had practiced a lot but at 13,000 feet after a quick walk with darkness nearly upon us, those few extra seconds related to that scope were enough.

My point in sharing that story is that if I had done then what I do now, I would have used QR mounts and had a second, different scope set up for him. I would have swapped it out on the second day when I realized the scope might be a problem. Then, on that last day when light was fading fast after that quick walk at altitude ... maybe it would have made a difference, maybe not.

The one time I needed QD rings on my scope, and iron sights, the rifle I was using did not have them.

Better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

I will second the motion that it also is handy to have a pre-sighted spare scope.

I also related my story to a Leupold rep at one of the NRA conventions and he told me that his personal hunting rifle was a pre 64 Win 70 in 375 H&H with Leupold QR rings. He had a Vari-XIII of some size as I recall. He said that in Africa he would tip the guide with his spare scope if he didn't have to use it; he never had to at that point.

I have Q.D. mounts on 3 rifles.
I have used them several times. Weather is the big factor that causes me to remove a scope. Snow that fills the len's up and rain.
I like my irons better than a scope that I cant see through.

I have never been in a hunting situation where I needed to use QR, but use them on most of my rifles. It is nice if I want to switch scopes on or between rifles. Another reason I have scopes in QR rings, which some may consider lazy, is don't have to go thru the process of leveling and zeroing every time.

You guys have me pretty much convinced not to buy any more QD's in the future. Easier and cheaper just to carry either a Allen or Torx wrench if I ever need to remove a broken scope and resort to factory irons. And in over 40 years of hunting never had to do it yet.
Cheers.
Do admit though they really look cool

I use mine for the oposite reason that most have enumerated.
My primery hunting rifle is the 7x57 and it has a bolt mounted aperture sight for out to 200yds or so but I have a couple of QD ringed scopes set to match different hunting - shooting needs. Usually one of the scopes comes along in my day bag in case a long shot presents itself. Sometimes very early or late in the day may have the scope on then remove it for full light hunting. Have tested this enough times to be confident in hunting accuracy return to zero.

Von Gruff.

I had one of the crew in a toyota drop the gun as he was handing it down. It was very nice to be able to remove the bent scope and quickly replace it with a sighted in spare. One quick shot to verify impact point and we were hunting. I always use QD mounts on my African guns since every gun equipment failure I have had has been scope related.

The last thing I want to move,is my glass.

QR is for the AirSoft Crowd.

QD's are the hunter equivalent of the spare tire in your trunk.

Rich
DRSS

QD's are nothing more than a weak link in the chain.

I'll pass...if only because I've the trigger/field time to substantiate same.

Well guys, I will present an analogy.

I ran a sportfish boat offshore Va.-N.C. for about two decades. Yes, perhaps you don't "need" that 36 mile radar for the most part. However, the day you do need it, you would give ten times what it would have cost (and throw in your left nut!). When the fog rolls in and you're in the wake of the freighter not knowing where it is, it's not a good feeling. Been there, done that.

I talked to JJ today. He was back from the range where he had filed in the new express sights on my Heym 88B/SS .375. He said he received my Heym 37B yesterday (for the same), but had not opened.

Well, hopefully I will never "need" the open sights. But, if shit goes bad, I will have confidence in my open sights!

I recently came in posession of a gun with claw mounts and scope. The scope was not attached to the rings when I received it. When I mounted the scope in the rings, the objective bell would not clear. So, in effect the claw mounts were useless. When I inquired of the prior owner, I was told that on a non DG gun you didn't need to remove the scope.

Oh well, life goes on.

Fog doesn't compromise a sound mounting system.

I shoot a minimum of 50lbs of powder a year through scoped rifles and will happily let you gals banty your Armchair Fantasies.

Careful...don't chip a nail!

You're an ass-wipe.

Claw mounts are "sound" Mr. clueless!!

Put that crack pipe away!!

I reckon those forced to slum claw mounts,have to tell themselves something.

In fairness,remember this..."you can bullshit the fans,but you can't bullshit the players".

I've been playing a long time.

I shall respond no more to the ignorance of Bushitter. He's (she's??) been on 6 months and has more posts than I. The more posts, the more you must know. Guess he (she) knows it all. Perhaps Buliwyf is back. 50# min. of powder a year. Yeah, right. More Bushit!

To do so may appear to add some credibility to his profound ignorance.

Back to the more educated audience, the QD mounts allow 2 (or more) scopes to be sighted in and ready to go.

One of my favorite guns in a Heym 9.3 with Zeiss 3-9x42 as well as Zeiss 1.1-4 with illuminated dot. This enables me to use one for longer range plains game and one for leopard on bait. As always, not bragging, just sharing my thought processes.

No need to reiterate your cluelessness...it was obvious from inception.

Perhaps consider a coupla clear coats on those nails and take some notes.

Leupold will tell you their double dovetail is their most secure mounting system. They second in line is one of their QD systems with the studs that mate into holes in the bases.
The Talley's appear damn secure to me. Conetrols are solid!
The only issue I ever recall having with a mounting system is the bases coming a bit loose due to inadequate tightening from the on set but that would effect QD's as well as fixed rings. Tighten them and add a little loctite if it floats your boat.
I have ancient Refield, Leupold, Talley's , Warnes, Weavers, Kimbers and never experienced a issue with any of them.
I do believe the Talley's compliment a nice iron sighted Safari rifle on the other hand the conetrols are slick as a whistle.

EZ

Anything windage adjustable will puke,if it's used.

My 378Wby walked through the S/S fasteners on Leupie DD's,but once they went Torx,I've never had another fastener issue.

My most beat to hell DD's were onboard my beloved Pink Rifle and the bases were welded to it's receiver. It's been to Hell and back...and then some.

I gun alittle of everything and alot of some things and not all mounting systems are equal.

quote:

Originally posted by Busheler:


My most beat to hell DD's were onboard my beloved Pink Rifle and the bases were welded to it's receiver. It's been to Hell and back...and then some.

Would love to see the weld job and the beloved pink rifle. Got pictures of this?

600 based 25-284,23" PN #1 S/S Supermatch(short shanked),twisted 1-10",700 bolt handle,RB firecontrol system and a 'shoe. Leupie DD XP-100 1pc base welded onto receiver and typically flew Posilign DD's to allow mechanical center of windage and max erector ele travel.




She single handedly fueled the 25-284 Craze...which was/is of course very wellfounded.

To say she served with "distinction" would be the most gross of understatements.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
Owned several rifles in my life equipped with scopes mounted in QD rings and lately I've been thinking back to the times I actually needed them. And guess what, the answer is never, go figure.


Just an informal poll here guys. How many of you have rifles equipped with QD rings that you actually NEEDED while hunting in the 50 states? If you did need them, what were the circumstances involved?

Since optics have improved so remarkably in my lifetime--

my "need" for a QD setup in the lower 50--

only once--

going into thick cover to help track my hunting partners wounded bear--

I was glad I had the ability to remove the optics by claw mount--

as it turned out we had given enough "stiffening-up time" and found and finished him without drama.

Overall, I still prefer claws, EAW's, Recknagel's, or QD Talley's or Warne Premiers on my rifles that wear optics--

Though it is indeed the rarity that modern glass fails OR the situation dictates irons--

the repeatability of the better QD and claw mounts is pretty stunningly accurate--

thereby giving the option--

no matter how rarely needed

AND gives the ability to spare potential strain or damage by removing them during transit--

(I have lost a rifle and scope to destruction by the airline gorillas)

Same reason you are now wearing a helmet and wearing a seatbelt to boot.

Other than the Medical mandates...of course!

Guess you never heard of Indian Larry??

He had no regard for "safety " equipment either--

Perhaps your head holds nothing of value to protect--

sad



Oh , I forgot--

you wear that specially genetically tailored

Pelvic Girdle helmet with the Sacral face guard

and the custom recto-hemorrhoidal lining.



Guess you are pretty safe in there from the

risk of an reality based injuries.

quote:

Originally posted by Busheler:
600 based 25-284,23" PN #1 S/S Supermatch(short shanked),twisted 1-10",700 bolt handle,RB firecontrol system and a 'shoe. Leupie DD XP-100 1pc base welded onto receiver and typically flew Posilign DD's to allow mechanical center of windage and max erector ele travel.




She single handedly fueled the 25-284 Craze...which was/is of course very wellfounded.

To say she served with "distinction" would be the most gross of understatements.

There is more wrong with that hideous pink-assed looking thing than I have time or inclination to list or catalogue.

Dude, you need to tone down your rhetoric and upscale your taste in tools.

And that is a vicious and dangerous looking cervid, right there, BTW.

With the right incentive, that deer might charge a thick stand of clover.

You are indeed brave to stand against bambi's daddy with a mere .25 in your sweating hands.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Scull and cross bones FFS - and on a pink stock to boot.

Now I have seen it all.


.

I'm much delighted when Windowlickers choose to pontificate poignantly,the premise of their utter cluelessness.

Take another stab.

quote:

Originally posted by Busheler:

She single handedly fueled the 25-284 Craze...which was/is of course very wellfounded.

IF that is you in the picture--

Neither you nor that rifle were around in 1963--

the year I fired my first 25-284--

but--
have your grandiosity as you please--

SURE-- you and that Pitiful Pink thing

really got the rest of the world stoked on the cartridge--

Grow up son--
Get A LIFE
Step Away From The Key board

AND--

go change that stinky Diaper

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:
Scull and cross bones FFS - and on a pink stock to boot.

Now I have seen it all.


.

As per always,you FAR overestimate the breadth of your "experience".

Though it do add to the humor!

quote:

Originally posted by DuggaBoye:

quote:

Originally posted by Busheler:

She single handedly fueled the 25-284 Craze...which was/is of course very wellfounded.

IF that is you in the picture--

Neither you nor that rifle were around in 1963--

the year I fired my first 25-284--

but--
have your grandiosity as you please--

SURE-- you and that Pitiful Pink thing

really got the rest of the world stoked on the cartridge--

Grow up son--
Get A LIFE
Step Away From The Key board

AND--

go change that stinky Diaper

The depths of your stupidity,is rather a marvel.