Quick Release / Quick Disconnect Scope Mounts - Do You Use Them?

[BeeMaa]

@Ontario Hunter - I don’t read, react or respond to your posts.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

My Highland Stalker has a bolt peep and I can shoot it really well out to 100 which is as far as I would care to shoot. On our lease, I enjoy removing the scope sometimes and using the irons on deer and pigs. When I remove the scope, I put it in my coat pocket, vest pocket or day pack, depending on what I am wearing.

I used to hunt my buddies lease and there was a huge area that nobody liked to hunt. It was a great spot and stalk area. I spotted a beautiful old 9 point one cold. sunny afternoon lying down by the creek about 300 yards away. I could see his antlers when he raised his head in the tall weeds. He would look everywhere but my direction and the wind was in my face. The stalk was on. At about 50 yards, thinking this is too good to be true, I removed the scope from the Highland Stalker and set the bolt peep. I began creeping slowly forward until there was less than 20 yards between him and me. As I took a knee and waited, I am thinking, is he as deaf as me or am I just a fat ninja? What seemed like an eternity, I waited for him to get up. Finally, he slowly rose and I dropped him where he stood. A big, old Texoma niner. The stalk and using the bolt peep sight made him more special.

I said I never "had" to remove my scope and use the irons but I do have a disclaimer. This past deer season, Mama went with me one afternoon and she brought her London Best 275 that also has a bolt peep. When her gun bearer (me) put the rifle on his shoulder the sling came unattached and it fell to the ground. Neither of us saw how it hit but nothing appeared damaged. We decided not to risk it. Fortunately, there was another rifle in the truck but I could have easily removed the scope in its H&H QD mount and used the irons.

I could not understand what happened for the sling to come loose like that. I went to the range the next day to check her scope. It missed the 8" x 10" target at 100 yards. It has a Swarovski Z3. While on the range, I started checking out the NECG sling swivels. Giving it a slight twist with minimal force, the sling swivel popped open. So the slight twist while putting the rifle on my shoulder was all it took. I repeated this several times on both the NECG swivels on her rifle as well as others that had those swivels. Same issue. Swapped them all out for locking swivels. On the Z3 scope, it was roughly a foot high and a foot to the left. It adjusted back to zero easily but to restore confidence after the fall, I "shot the square" around the target to make sure it was still adjusting properly.

Safe shooting

 

[50Gunner]

You bet I do, all heavy medium to big bore bolt guns are so outfitted, I prefer Talley QD rings with levers, I shoot right handed and don't want ANY extra gun/scope parts on the bolt side of my rifles, if you find yourself in a rodeo damn sure don't want crap in the way trying to get rifle reloaded and knocking hide off knuckles running the bolt at Warp 10 speed.

I run the levers on the left sides of all rifles, also clock levers at 4 o'clock on the rear ring, 8 o'clock on the front ring, anyplace below 3 and 9 o'clock will work, this method uses the 'bob' or 'weight' of the lever itself to keep rings tight, we all know anything on a rifle is flung forward upon firing.

9.3x62mm
375 H&H
400 Whelen
400 H&H
458 WM

All are outfitted in this manner, have never shot any loose or had any problems with returning to zero, any rifle going to Africa will also have a spare scope pre-zeroed and ready to go in case of scope failure, slip/trip fall accident.

 

[coreydb]

I have the QD mounts on all my hunting rifles. The reason is really out of necessity. I've had enough mishaps over the years where accidental drops and rough handling forced me to use one of the PH's rifles. Aside from taking a back up rifle, I've also come to the conclusion that using a back up scope also zeroed to my primary rifle (when taking only the one rifle) at least for me, is worth my while.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

@Ontario Hunter - I don’t read, react or respond to your posts.

Not very mature, @BeeMaa. But hey, that's your choice.

I'm sure others on AH might learn something from my posts on QD mounts/rings ... if they are willing to keep their eyes and minds open. I wouldn't want others looking for QD rings to write off Warne because you claimed incorrectly the levers can only be mounted on the right side. Flip the rings over and presto levers are on left side.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

What would make you think the levers on Warne rings can't be mounted on the left side? Just flip them. Many on here have mounted theirs on left side. The levers on right side don't interfere with loading. No more than the elevation turret.

The CZ dovetail is machined into the receiver, the recoil notch is on one side only (left I think) and to the rear of the rear dovetail. It makes it impossible to just flip them around. The same goes for the Ruger proprietary mounts. The levers will be on the right side.
I prefer them on the left but it’s not that big of a deal.

 

[gcbailey]

All of my hunting rifles have QD mounts. Sometimes I'm in open fields and need more magnification. Sometimes I am in smaller fields and only need illuminated reticles or hunting up close, and sometimes I am in woods where only iron sights are needed.

 

[375Fox]

I have to say I called this poll wrong. I was expecting somewhere around 25% use them. I still have very little interest in using them over fixed scope mounts though. I just don’t see the need. I think they have a higher likelihood of failing for no added benefit to me.

 

[CBeck]

I have to say I called this poll wrong. I was expecting somewhere around 25% use them. I still have very little interest in using them over fixed scope mounts though. I just don’t see the need. I think they have a higher likelihood of failing for no added benefit to me.

How so?

QD mounts aren’t inherently different—they’re basically traditional mounts with a lever that tightens the screw instead of needing a wrench. When properly engaged, they’re no more likely to fail than a fixed mount.

 

[375Fox]

How so?

QD mounts aren’t inherently different—they’re basically traditional mounts with a lever that tightens the screw instead of needing a wrench. When properly engaged, they’re no more likely to fail than a fixed mount.

If I have no intentions of using iron sights they are just a point to fail. Whether that’s user error, design, or unintentionally bumping the lever perfectly to loosen them. If they add value I could see the trade off but I don’t. I’d rather mount a scope once and never think about it again. If my scope breaks I’ll use a rental rifle before open sights. I shot my closest buffalo around 5 yards. I could still see the whole buffalo facing me in scope.

 

[baxterb]

I use them everywhere. Even rifles with no open sights. Once setup they are just as good as fixed in my opinion, and I have so many backup scopes it’s easy for me to swap.

 

[BJH65]

What would make you think the levers on Warne rings can't be mounted on the left side? Just flip them. Many on here have mounted theirs on left side. The levers on right side don't interfere with loading. No more than the elevation turret.

Due to the recessed notch on the left rear integral base of CZ 550 and Brno ZKK rifles, Warne and Talley QD rings with levers will always be on the right side. I have zero issues with this setup personally with many practice sessions reloading dummy rounds quickly.

Below is my Brno ZKK-602 458 Lott with steel Warne QD rings with levers.

Sorry, I didn’t see the previous posted response from @Wyatt Smith

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

The CZ dovetail is machined into the receiver, the recoil notch is on one side only (left I think) and to the rear of the rear dovetail. It makes it impossible to just flip them around. The same goes for the Ruger proprietary mounts. The levers will be on the right side.
I prefer them on the left but it’s not that big of a deal.

I was about to post the same thing, I would say great minds think alike but that could be too scary to contemplate…….


Gumpy

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I have QD mounts on a few larger bore rifles, those that have open sights as well, and only as a "just in case". I would prefer to have them and not need them than to go "oh bugger" miles from an Allen wrench
Gumpy

 

[BJH65]

Personally all my scopes are mounted on picatinny rails. This is just so scopes can be swapped between rifles of different breeds without compromising the level of the optic, for longer range shooting this is important.

If I had specific scopes that lived only on specific rifles then I would certainly not use pic. It adds weight and scope height - neither are good!

The only rifle not mounted with pic. is my new Ruger SM .416, which I will use Alaskan Arms QD mounts on. This is more (in my mind) so I can easily take it off when at camp / home if I know I’ll be hunting in very thick country or open country.

My question to those with more DG experience than me is two part.

A) how often have you shot with a scope initially and then dismounted it mid hunt to follow up?

And

B) what do you do with the scope when you’ve taken it off? Give it to someone with you? Back pocket?

I’m not being facetious, just wondering.

Sam

I have yet to remove my scope for several follow ups on DG although I use LPVO set at 1x or 1.5x so don’t feel it necessary unless the scope is damaged or potentially knocked out alignment from a fall. I basically use the front iron sight to prevent my rifle from falling over when I lean it against a tree. Still, I like to have iron sights as an emergency back up and I like QD scope rings to facilitate this for DG rifles. I usually carry a small day pack where I could put the scope.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I haven a QD mount on my .458 WM. Leopold or Redfield, I really can't remember. It's been on the rifle for around forty years. I thought I.might want to remove the scope if a buffalo got into somewhere thick and nasty. So far, I've never felt the need to take the scope off while hunting.

The word is Leupold not Leopold. I hate auto correct.

 

[mark-hunter]

Due to the recessed notch on the left rear integral base of CZ 550 and Brno ZKK rifles, Warne and Talley QD rings with levers will always be on the right side.

Your set up, is exactly the one I prefer. I have Rusan QD similar system on one of the rifles. exactly same set up.

The point: lever on right side, upward position.
On a recoil, the moment pushes lever forward, and tightens the screw.
(if lever is installed on the left, upward position the recoil loosens the screw)

Okey, lever can be left, positioned downwards, but this does not look good to me.

 

[458JCE]

I have 9 barrels (soon to be 10) for my Blaser R8 rifles - QD mounts all the way.

 

[PCC600]

I have 20 rifles of which 13 are 375H&H up to 600NE . I have 7 scoped rifles all bar one ( a 7mm Mauser) have QD scopes and iron sights. The QDs range from Talleys to proprietary mounts from Purdey , H&H and Mannlicher. All my scopes are low magnification and I rarely if ever remove them - no need as I only ever use the minimum magnification 1.5x or 2.5x . Whenever I have removed the QDs I have never lost my hunting range zero of out to150 metres max. My preference is to still use iron sights whenever/ wherever I can .

 

[BeeMaa]

I have to say I called this poll wrong. I was expecting somewhere around 25% use them. I still have very little interest in using them over fixed scope mounts though. I just don’t see the need. I think they have a higher likelihood of failing for no added benefit to me.

The results are the result, however you are only seeing a fraction of the total number of people on AH. On top of that, hunting Africa and this website specifically are a niche in the hunting community. I’m sure if there was a nationwide poll of hunters in a major hunting publication the vote would be very different.

I understand your view of not wanting an additional point of failure, however that point already exists. If you have screws attaching a scope rings to a base, it the same as having levers that tension the scope rings to the base. Don’t think fixed rings can’t come loose just because they are “fixed”.

I think if you were to see and handle some of the top quality QD mounts available today, it could persuade you to opening your view to this idea. The same way you did for me with quad sticks. Never say never.