Dentler BASIS VARIO across multiple rifles and scopes: how accurately does zero transfer?

Hey everyone,

I’m considering putting the system on several rifles and several scopes, but I’m concerned about whether everything will stay truly zeroed when swapping optics between rifles.

To be clear, I’m not asking about QD return to zero after removing and reinstalling the same optic. I’m asking how precisely the entire multi-rifle/multi-scope system can be calibrated in the first place.

I understand the VARIO can be adjusted so one scope is zeroed on multiple rifles. What I want to know is whether, once the rifles are calibrated, different scopes will also maintain the same zero across those rifles without needing individual corrections every time.

I’m not looking for “close enough for hunting.” I want to know the actual repeatability: are people seeing essentially no POI shift, or are there consistent offsets of 0.25 MOA, 0.5 MOA, etc. between different rifle/scope combinations?

I’d especially like to hear from anyone who has actually tested multiple rifles and multiple optics on paper.

The rifles I’m running are:
Proof Elevation MTR 2.0, 300wm (Zermatt Origin action).
AR-10, .308
A couple AR15s.
And I’m looking at building a custom 375 h&h down the line.

The optics I’m running are:
Swaro Z8i 1.7-13.3x42.
ZCO 4-20x50.
Vortex Razor HD Gen 2 1-6x24.
Nightforce NX8 4-32x50.
Elcan Specter DR 1-4.

I could fund the adoption of this mounting system on all of my rifles and scopes if I sold off some of my current scope rings/mounts and the Elcan, since it wouldn’t be compatible with the Dentler system.


Thanks guys.

I know people who have the Vario, and by all accounts, no POI shift.

I DO have several scopes mounted to the same basis, and on my Steyr, using either my Swarovski or my Trijicon, there is no shift between the two at all.

The only "downsides" I have heard on the Vario is that the original adjustments are made via allen wrench, not clicks... so it takes some time to BZO the scope... all adjustments are made to the Vario, never touching the scope. After the Vario is set, yes: no shift in POI. The system simply works.

SaintPanzer said:

I know people who have the Vario, and by all accounts, no POI shift.

I DO have several scopes mounted to the same basis, and on my Steyr, using either my Swarovski or my Trijicon, there is no shift between the two at all.

The only "downsides" I have heard on the Vario is that the original adjustments are made via allen wrench, not clicks... so it takes some time to BZO the scope... all adjustments are made to the Vario, never touching the scope. After the Vario is set, yes: no shift in POI. The system simply works.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback.

So you’re running the fixed basis correct?

How durable/rugged have you found the system to be? Are you hard on your gear?

I am running the fixed, and have had it since 2017. I have two scopes set to it, and the scopes were always detached as the weapon went into the safe. I switched them out depending on whether I was going on a driven hunt, or if I were going on a Keiler hunt. Truth be told, European safes are of a size that I'm not sure you could effectively keep the scope on the rifle. Certainly not if you tried putting several rifles in the safe.

I'm not sure how "rugged" I am on the gear... I was taught a long time ago that my rifle is my best friend, it is my life, I must master it as I master my life, etc. So I tend to not drop it very often.

That said, I also used it as an example when I was teaching the German hunting course, so I had many students attach, detach, wrongly attach, play with and otherwise do unnatural things to it. It sat in the back of a truck bombing across autobahn construction zones and up and down dirt roads in Poland.

It never shifted its POI.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out how to get a Vario for my Merkel into the US, but that's not a super high priority yet. The Z3 seems to be working well on that one, so no sense putting on the Z6iEE. But maybe I should call Dentler and see if they are setting up a US distribution network, and I could become the sole importer...

SaintPanzer said:

I am running the fixed, and have had it since 2017. I have two scopes set to it, and the scopes were always detached as the weapon went into the safe. I switched them out depending on whether I was going on a driven hunt, or if I were going on a Keiler hunt. Truth be told, European safes are of a size that I'm not sure you could effectively keep the scope on the rifle. Certainly not if you tried putting several rifles in the safe.

I'm not sure how "rugged" I am on the gear... I was taught a long time ago that my rifle is my best friend, it is my life, I must master it as I master my life, etc. So I tend to not drop it very often.

That said, I also used it as an example when I was teaching the German hunting course, so I had many students attach, detach, wrongly attach, play with and otherwise do unnatural things to it. It sat in the back of a truck bombing across autobahn construction zones and up and down dirt roads in Poland.

It never shifted its POI.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out how to get a Vario for my Merkel into the US, but that's not a super high priority yet. The Z3 seems to be working well on that one, so no sense putting on the Z6iEE. But maybe I should call Dentler and see if they are setting up a US distribution network, and I could become the sole importer...

Click to expand...

Thanks, this is all very helpful.

Have you checked optics-trade.EU ? They ship to the US and currently list these dentler vario mounts for Merkels

Thanks. Will check it out. I have a buddy who keeps checking Frankonia (and can mail via APO) but they are never in stock...