Scope Mount Recommendations

[Drillboss]

This is kind of basic, but can I get some recommendations on a good scope mount? I assume the best option is one that mounts directly to the upper receiver, rather than straddling across to the hand guard.

I've got the Burris PEPR, but I've recently had trouble getting any tight groups. The rings are torqued tight, but it seemed like the QD attachments may have been a bit loose.

At any rate, I'd like to hear some opinions on the good vs the bad.

Thanks

Update: I got in an Aero Ultralight and a Warne RAMP. I shot 5 rounds each of Alexander Arms 123gr Scenars with each of them and shot 5 rounds with the PEPR. I had the same group size with all three mounts. Maybe I had the PEPR torqued down better this time, I don't know.

That said, I love the slim, sleek, elegant look of the Aero. The Warne seems to be a fine mount, but I could use just a little more eye relief with it. It does come with the 45 degree side mounts for iron sights and that seems to be a pretty good setup if that's what you're looking for.

I'll go ahead and swap the PEPR with Burris for a fixed mount and I think it'll be just fine for my purposes. Thanks to all for your input.

[am4966]

Boboro Engineering, LaRue Tactical, American Defense Manufacturing, Aadmount, Nightforce UNI-Mount, Spuhr

All Great mounts and across all levels of toughness. Under 200.00-400.00 for me and my needs a American Defense Manufacturing mount is what I'm gonnat use. If I find a great deal on a Boboro, LaRue or UNI-Mount that'll be my next choice. The others are great just to pricey for me.

[LRRPF52]

My current go-to is the NightForce Unimount, which has 20 MOA, is very light, beautiful rings, Titanium, rock solid, no frills. I can +1 all the mounts mentioned above too, and have used most of them extensively.

If you want an inexpensive American made mount, Aero makes some great ones.

[CastorTroy]

if you dont need a qd mount, it's pretty hard to beat the aero ultralight scope mounts for quality and price

[Bill257]

I like Warne mounts, solid and come in at a mid range price point. No experience with QD mounts - prefer fixed mount as I never intend to take them off and fixed seems to eliminate a potential weak spot; although the top end manufactures have apparently mastered the QD system. FYI Burris has good customer service - returned 2 PEPR mounts (one for issues with the ring screws and the other for the bolt that tighten it to the rail) and got two new mounts fairly quickly - I would not hesitate to contact Burris.

[PredatorDown]

I replaced a PEPR mount with the Aadland Select-A-Slope a few months back and have been really happy with it. I run it with the 30MOA inserts so I can get the most adjustment possible out of my scope. I can only dial down 1 1/4 minutes from my 100 yard zero, so it's about perfect for my needs.

If you strictly want a 20MOA mount, go with one of their standard Aadmounts.

[Steamburn]

Aero Ultralight or Leupold.

[jeff556]

Just mounted a Vortex Razor HD Gen I in an AADMount. It feel super solid and the workmanship was excellent.

That scope has a 35mm main tube, so that limited the mount choices.

[Lightning8]

Another vote for AERO Ultralight. I have been replacing my PEPRs with the AEROs. I have one JP one piece mount and it is very nice but you cannot beat the AEROs for the price.

[Mark_L]

Please forgive my ignorance, but if you are using a flat top receiver, why do you need a mount at all? Shouldn't you be able to simply put your scope in a tall set of Weaver style rings and mount them directly to the rail?

[Drillboss]

Please forgive my ignorance, but if you are using a flat top receiver, why do you need a mount at all? Shouldn't you be able to simply put your scope in a tall set of Weaver style rings and mount them directly to the rail?

To get the proper eye relief with my scopes, I would either have to put one ring on the receiver and the other on the handguard or put both rings on the receiver behind the adjustment turrets. I don't like either of those options.

Thanks for all the inputs. It's a 1" scope tube, so that seems to eliminate some of the options. I've got an Aero and a Warne on the way. One will probably go back.

[Rainman]

Separate rings work just fine on rifles that are primarily set up for single purposes such as varmint hunting or always shooting from a bench or prone. Several companies offer them in AR specific heights. QR unitized mounts offer more flexibility on rifles that will serve in multiple roles and may be configured to shoot with open sights, scopes or red dot sights depending on what use the rifle will be depolyed for on any given day.

[pinzgauer]

Basic and non-tacticool... but I found the Nikon M223 mount to work perfectly on my bull grendel after wasting much time dinking around with rings, risers, etc.

Put it on, mounted Nikon scope, and eye-relief/height was perfect. (At the time came with the scope, still see them in the $50 range at times)

[rabiddawg]

Please forgive my ignorance, but if you are using a flat top receiver, why do you need a mount at all? Shouldn't you be able to simply put your scope in a tall set of Weaver style rings and mount them directly to the rail?

Sure, the weaver rings will mount but most folks find they are not tall enough.

I have a Burris pepr ($70)on a 16" gun but opted for the gg&g qd mount ($220)on my other guns.

[jim_bob]

PEPR, Unimount, Bobro, even SFWA (looks like a PEPR) hold zero for me. It really depends on if you want QD.

[LRRPF52]

One thing I will warn you all about with some of the cheaper mounts that I have personally seen issues with, is that they will strip out on the side where the cross bolt is supposed to be embedded in the mount base. When I say strip out, I mean using a torque driver with the correct number of inch lbs applied, not Big J Hoss McRoid cranking on a wrench.

That means cheap Chinese aluminum, bad anodizing or coating to look like anodizing, or soft metal that doesn't hold up to even low torque values.

While discussing this offline with a fellow forum member, he told me some words of wisdom shared with him by his father...

"Son, only rich men can afford to buy cheap things."

We had a chuckle over that, but it is so true. I tell people frequently that if you want to buy certain products that are priced too low to take seriously, just take the cash, walk out to your driveway or back porch, dump the bills into a can, pour some accelerant on them, strike a match, and warm your hands.

That doesn't mean I'll pass up an Aero Precision mount for under $100 though.

[am4966]

Man I can't believe I forgot about the Aero:o they make quality products at a fair price and I'd use GG&G too. For me if under 100.00 Aero can't be beat and for most we don't need QD.

[Lightning8]

The AERO's were hard to get for a while but back in stock now (or where in stock a few days ago). There are some great pricing on AERO scope mounts on eBay right now. I picked up two to replace a PEPR and a NIKON.

[am4966]

I know they where like unicorns talked about but never seen

[jeff556]

Please forgive my ignorance, but if you are using a flat top receiver, why do you need a mount at all? Shouldn't you be able to simply put your scope in a tall set of Weaver style rings and mount them directly to the rail?

I went with a unimount for two reasons. First, I needed a cantilevered mount to get the proper eye relief without spanning the upper receiver and handguard. Second, I wanted a 20 MOA cant. Badger makes a nice riser you can install on an AR to get a 20 MOA cant. However, it doesn't address the problem of eye relief.

A unimount, with 20 MOA built in, solved both problems for me.