Shoeless Joe from United States, WA Public Profile

Clamps nicely on a .798 diameter 16 GA barrel. At this diameter the screws protrude and interfere with the rail slots, but shorter screws are easy to find. Two piece design allows it to fit behind a Polychoke. Very light weight and very nice finish. The only quibble is that the screw head clearance is very close, making installation a bit slow.

I needed two of these to mount a rifle scope. The rifle was drilled and tapped for an old Weaver side mount that put a modern scope too far aft. I replaced the base with a Picatinny rail. The first attempt at scope rings was two cheesy flashlight mounts, and they loosened under recoil. This 45 degree adapter has square recoil lugs that engage the rail slots. Each adapter has two lugs and two clamping screws. It’s not going anywhere. The recoil lugs are a bit short and centered on the rail. I would avoid using a Picatinny rail with an aggressive relief slot down the center. The geometry of the offset put my scope very close to directly over the center of the bore.

I needed to bump a scope back an inch for proper eye relief. There are many offset rings at AR height (1.5 inches). I found one set that was too low. This is the only one I’ve found at close to a medium height (.840 from the edge of the rail to the bottom of the scope tube). Clearance between the bottom of the 40mm objective and the top of the rail is .200, only .100 more than I’d like. Fit and finish is very good. The fabric shim prevents any marking of the scope tube. Mounting is very solid. There are accessory top caps that have integral Picatinny rail sections.

Purchased specifically for the long eye relief. Recommended by a birdwatching site for use with eyeglasses. Twist up eye cups allow minimum distance between ocular and eyeglasses. I'm very nearsighted, so I need my glasses to spot my target at distance. Now I can pull up my binoculars without needing to remove my glasses. They appear to be good quality at a mid-range price. Images are clear and sharp out to the edges. Focus wheel is smooth and properly stiff. Lens cover are practical and well fitted. Fit and finish is very good. Schott glass lenses and Porro prism design means they're not particularly light or compact. Neck strap is cheesy and the bag is of similar quality. I suspect that these accessories are a must-have, so I'm glad they didn't waste too much money on them. The bag will get some use, but the neck strap will be replaced. Good deal and quick order fulfillment from Optics Planet.

I picked up a Savage 99 for a very low price, in no small part because the drilling & tapping was off-axis. I needed every bit of the windage adjustment on both the front and back rings, but it brought it right in to alignment. It brought this rifle back from the boneyard.

This is a well made economy soft case that is a perfect fit for a Savage 99 (43 - 3/4 inches from butt to muzzle). Finding the length of this case was a tussle. The manufacturer's website calls it a "Medium." I finally found the length measurement (44 inches) from some other obscure website. I was still taking my chances when I ordered, because it wasn't clear whether this was an outside or an inside dimension. I wanted a close fit in order to place the rifle crosswise in the back of a small car. It's just what I was looking for in a good simple case. No side pockets or shoulder straps. Heavy nylon with a smooth lining and good stitching. Heavy zipper. Metal hanger loops on either end. Simple carry strap.

Durasight markets their rings to the black powder market, where shooters like to remove their optics prior to a hot water bath. Too bad, because I think a lot of smokeless powder shooters would benefit from the features. I like to mount my optics in quick release rings so I can swap between a scope, a red dot and iron sights. Or remove the optic so the rifle fits in a slimmer case, or just to transport the optics separately. Or swap an optic between firearms. Or remove the optic so I can use an empty rifle as a club without risking my expensive glass.

These rings are more compact and far less expensive than the alternatives available. They're a zinc die casting, so they're a little heavy for their size, but strength and stiffness falls between Aluminum and steel. The square recoil lug is very stout. I think they're powder coated, which should stand up to serious abuse. I'm color blind, but I don't think their silver is a great match for stainless or Aluminum. Release takes about two turns of the lever. The levers don't reposition like some, so you're stuck with where they are when the threads tighten up. Mounting and alignment was very easy, and they might just have made me at true believer in vertical split rings. I bought two sets, and I don't think that's enough.

This QD swivel uses .135 diameter wire. The standard is .175. Body diameter is 1/2 inch compared to the standard 5/8, and it's shorter, too. The result is a much more slim swivel that's still plenty beefy. Still fits a 1-1/4 web. Finish is excellent, and the knurl is a nice touch. The picture is very accurate. I use it on both of my hand sewn carbine slings.

I'm tired of fighting with the cardboard flaps of factory boxes, and sliding a tray in and out. These boxes are more compact than any factory box, and have very positive snaps. It takes two hands to disengage both snaps. The wedge shape makes the cartridges easy to pull out, even if they're short (.44 Special). The pinned hinge allows the cover to lie flat. The translucent cover lets you see what's inside. Interlock features on the base and cover provide for positive stacking. Stick-on labels provided for marking. Caliber range that fits is molded on the front, and the useless product label is easy to peel off. I can't imagine that I'd ever install an extra clip or a padlock, but there's a hole for that, too.

Very clever snap retention for each cartridge. Molded-in instructions, "To remove bullet, press nose down." Cover snap is very positive, so it certainly won't open accidentally, but it does take a little effort to open. Hinge is stiff, so don't expect it to lie flat when it's open. Translucent, so you can easily see how many you have. Textured, so it's not slippery. Comes with a bonus six cartridge wallet. The six cartridge fits in a shirt pocket, and the 12 fits in a pants pocket. Great way to carry back up rounds for hunting or defense. Works just as well with .44 Special.