I have a Kimber 22LR Classic.

I currently have a Nikon Monarch 3x9x40 mounted in Leupold Med rings on top of Kimber bases.

My question is can I use low rings without the bolt handle hitting the scope?
The handle is about 1/8" from it now and this tells me if I drop it 1/8" it will hit.

Does anyone out there have this setup with a Kimber Classic?

Hey Ted, Hate to tell you this, but it depends on which "style" of the Leupold Rings and Bases you are using. You will have to either get one of their catalogs or go to their web site to get the actual heights. Or to a Gun Shop where you can try on a different size.

For example, the 1" Leupold Dual Dovetail Rings are:
Low 0.150"
Medium 0.270"
High 0.400"

But if you are using a different "style" it might be different.

I use a Feeler Guage Set to determine the clearance between the Objective Lens and the top of the Barrel and then verify that measurement with Calipers. Then I measure the space between the Scope Tube and the Base the same way. Subtracting the Objective Clearance from the Tube-to-Base space tells me if I can go down a size, or if I need to use a different manufacturers Rings. Generally I'm swapping over to Burris Signatures which solve a whole lot of scope mounting and scope damage problems.

Best of luck to you.

I take it that the Leupold rings you are speaking of are the tip-off style rings for a .22-type dovetail rail base. I also take it that the reason you ask is that you are dissatisfied with how high your scope is mounted above the action, thus requiring you to lift your head slightly from the cheekpiece in order to align your eye with the scope's sight picture?

My best guess is that there is less than .125" difference in the "low" and "medium" Leupold tip-off rings. Therefore, if you have .125" or more of clearance (both at the bolt handle and at the objective bell) the low rings will work fine.

These are standard medium Leupold rings. Dovetail front windage back. They are sitting in the proprietary Kimber bases. The best way to find out is to roll the dice...spent $28 a get a set of low rings and just see.

Hey Ted, That will work for sure.

I've had a low-recoil rifle or two that I used a Poly Shim in the bottom half of each Ring to hold the scope up just a bit. I'm pretty sure I cut them from the Top of an Oatmeal container.

I tried the Credit Cards that come all the time, but they work better for shimming-up an Action to see if the rifle shoots better Free Floated.

Anyway, if you are just a scooch too short, you might try the old Poly Shim trick.
-----

When I had my Kimber, there was something about the shape of the Bolt that forced me to have the Eyepiece closer to my face than I normally mount one. But the lack of recoil kept it from being an issue.

Best of luck with the new Rings.