Choosing tactical scope mounts involves more than simply walking into the shop and picking up the first scope mount you see. There are a number of other factors involved, including the specifics of your shooting, the rifle, and where you intend to go.
What Makes A Scope Mount Tactical?
The word tactical often gets thrown around too much, added to titles and descriptions because it’s the latest fashion. The thing is, tactical is an actual descriptor for items that means tough and built to survive harsh conditions. So how is a scope mount meant to be tactical?
Simply put, a tactical scope mount is of a higher quality and stronger than the normal mount. It should be sturdier, offer the scope more support, and provide more surface attachment between rifle and scope. Most tactical mounts are designed to be compatible with the Picatinny rail, which is the standardized rail as decided by the US Picatinny Arsenal in 1913.
Purpose
Just knowing you want a tactical scope mount because it’s more robust isn’t quite enough. You need to have an idea of what kind of shooting you’ll be doing.
What distances are you aiming to achieve? Are you shooting at the range, or taking it hunting? These are just the beginning of the questions that need to be answered before you buy.
Rifle
Not every scope mount will fit on every rifle, and sometimes your choices will be dictated by the type of rifle. A bolt action rifle either needs scope rings or a more specialized one piece mount, as the one piece has been known to interfere with the action.
Weight
A steel one piece mount can add a fair bit of weight to your rifle and make it difficult to use for a longer period of time. You need to have an idea whether or not you’ll be walking a long way with the rifle. If you are, you’ll need to consider a lightweight one-piece mount or scope rings.
Height
The height the scope sits at is determined by the mount used, and it should be at a level where the shooter can see clearly without breaking the cheek weld. Cheek weld is pressing your cheek to the comb of the buttstock, an essential part of sighting and aiming. If you have to lift your head or hunker down more to see through the sight, then it’s the wrong height, and you need a different mount.
If you decide to buy tactical scope mounts online then you’ll need to consider everything in advance. Or you can go in store, talk with the staff, and try a few mounts out to see what you like best.