GUN NOTES

j a n u a ry 2 0 1 5 G & A

23

The classic sporting application for detachable mounts

has been on rifes intended for dangerous game ... .
When I was a lot younger, I bought into this.

CRAIG BODDINGTON
/OFFICIALCRAIG
B O D D I N G T O N PA G E

out of a separate telescope

PART OF THE DRILL before
case and clamp it on his
any hunting season is
rife at the start of a hunt.
getting to the range and
I trust that Blaser mount,
making sure everything is
and Ive used other Euright. For many of us, that
ropean detachables, new
just means making sure
and old, that are just as
Old Betsy is still in good
repeatable, but I wouldnt
nick, but my life usually isnt
go quite that far. If the
that simple. There are test
scope is off the rife, I want
products, new loads and
to check zero. Maybe thats
sometimes even different
just being old-fashioned,
sponsors for different TV
because detachable scope
shows. I was getting ready
mounts are in. Domesfor a sheep hunt, and I
tic manufacturers have
wanted to use my Blaser
caught up, and there are
R8 and a Zeiss scope. It
now a number of American
occurred to me that this
detachable mounts that are
particular optic hadnt been
reliably repeatable. Dave
on the rife for months. It
Talleys mount is probably
had been sitting on the
the benchmark, but while
shelf in Blasers quickTop:
Talley
30mm
QD
rings
with
levers
on
I certainly havent used all
detachable saddle mount,
high mounts with matte fnish. $119
the options, I have great
so it was just a matter of
confdence in detachable
clamping the scope into
Middle: Talley 1-inch QD rings with levers
on
medium
mounts
with
gloss
fnish.
$119
mounts from Alaska Arms,
place and hoping the zero
Leupold and Warne, among
was at least close.
Bottom: Talley 1-inch QD rings with levers on
others. Come to think of it,
It wasnt just close; it was
medium mounts with stainless fnish. $161
the great old Weaver sysstill exactly and precisely
tem works extremely well. This is a page from the tactical/
in zero, so all I needed to do was adjust the elevation a
modern sporting rife side. The Picatinny rail is really just
bit so the stadia lines in the reticle would track properan extension of the Weaver mount with multiple attachly with the load. I understand why the Europeans have
ment points. Most rail mounts are detachable and fairly
long preferred scopes with larger objectives. They dont
repeatable.
observe shooting hours like we do, so they need (and
The classic sporting application for detachable mounts
developed) bright, light-gathering scopes. On the other
has been on rifes intended for dangerous game, from
hand, detachable mounts have been popular in Europe
bears to buffalo and beyond. When I was a lot younger,
for decades, long before they were common over here. I
I bought into this. You know, use the scope most of the
dont exactly know why this should be, but in this area the
time, but if you have to follow a big nasty into the thick
Europeans were a long way ahead of us, and they really
stuff, remove the scope and use iron sights for close-in
trust their detachable mounts. It isnt uncommon to see
work. Today Im not so sure this concept is valid. We see
a European hunter almost ceremoniously take his scope

PHOTOS: MICHAEL ANSCHUETZ

THOUGHTS ON
DETACHABLE MOUNTS