Best Scope Rings and Mounts – Ranked by Budget and Use

Not all scope rings and mounts are created equal – some are clearly better than others!

However, despite my many years teaching scoped rifle shooting, I can’t possibly tell you which scope rings or rifle scope mount is “best.”

Why?

Because there are so many different purposes (and budgets)!

For example, my favorite rings for precision rifles are not the same as my favorite red-dot mount for an AR style rifle and those are both different than the best rings (in my experience) for a hunting rifle. Don’t worry, I share each of these rings below.

Because of the different applications for scope rings and mounts, we’re going to do our best to rank our favorites while declaring clear winners for each category.

SCOPE RING FIT: If you need help determining which scope rings will fit your particular combo of scope and rifle, we’ve made a free tool for you to use that gives you every option that fits AND current inventory and prices! Check it out: GunUniversity Scope Ring Finder

Best Scope Rings and Mounts

Before we dive into reviews of each of these rings below, here’s a quick glance at the best rings and mounts for your scope in each category:

Best Scope Rings

BEST PRECISION Vortex Precision Matched		Editor’s Choice Great Value Very Sturdy Precise	Find the Right Fit
BEST HUNTING Leupold Backcountry		Excellent Fit and Finish Mount Directly to Rifle Lightweight Strong	Find the Right Fit
BEST CANTILEVER AR Bobro Engineering		Quick Detach Secure / Repeatable Mounting Many Options	Find the Right Fit
BEST DOVETAIL Warne Maxima		Split Design Easy On/Off Durable Clean Look	Find the Right Fit
BEST BUDGET Weaver Quad Lock		Budget Friendly Many Options Best for Casual Use / Plinking	Find the Right Fit

Scope Ring Specifications Comparison

Best Scope Ring Reviews

Because it is impossible to pick the best overall scope rings for you rifle without knowing the purpose for the rifle, we’ve broken down the best rife scope rings by category:

• Best Precision Scope Rings – These rings are best for precision or long range rifles. These rings are strong to resist any shifting or movement and are machined carefully to ensure perfect and consistent pressure around the scope so that you can get the most performance out of your high-end optic.
• Best Hunting Scope Rings – These rings are best for hunting rifles. Good hunting rings are strong enough to endure backcountry adventures while being small and light enough that you can carry the rifle all day.
• Best Cantilever Mount – This scope mount (two rings together as one unit) is best for AR-style rifles with a picatinny rail system. The cantilever feature places the scope further forward for good eye releif while still keeping the mounting platform only on the receiver.
• Best Dovetail Rings – These rings are best for existing dovetail grooves in some hunting rifles and many rimfire rifles. These rings are light and simple and allow a direct mount to the rifle without the need for a scope base.
• Best Budget Rings – If you can’t afford, or just don’t want to pay, for the premium “best in class” offerings above, these rings will get you by. They are inexpensive and will not be as strong nor precise as other options.

Vortex Optics Precision Matched Rings Review

Vortex Optics is known for offering a wide variety of products – this includes their rifle scopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, and their accessories like these scope rings and mounts.

The wide variety is very nice for consumers in that we can get the quality of product that fits our budget and needs. However, it does lead to some misunderstandings about their quality.

For example, some people see a Vortex product from the bottom tier and assume that all of their products are budget products. Similarly, some people see their top tier products, which are truly pro-grade, and assume that every Vortex product is pro-grade. Both ways of thinking can lead to mistakes.

These Precision Matched Rings by Vortex are part of their professional-grade line – I have many years of hands-on experience with these rings on multiple rifles and scopes.

I like these rings so much that they have become my go-to rings for my precision rifles regardless of the scope.

Of course, they have to be precise and well-built in order for them to be effective precision rifle rings. My favorite parts of these rings, in addition to how well they work for accuracy, is how they mount to the rifle’s base (both use a picatinny mount system).

Most tactical style rings have a 1/2″ nut off of one side to torque the rings down. This doesn’t necessarily cause a problem but these smooth side rings are just so much cleaner and nicer.

Also, since these mount to the rail AND they attach around the scope with a T25 Torx, I can mount my scope and move my scope on the rail with only one tool for the ring screws. That’s slick in my book.

Make sure you get the right height and diameter for your scope and rifle combo.

If you’re looking for alternatives for a tactical scope ring, check out Aero Precision, Seekins Precision, or Hawkins Precision.

Vortex Precision Matched Rings Pros and Cons

Leupold Back Country Ring Review

These integral-style rings are my favorite style of ring for most hunting rifles.

On my hybrid long-range hunting rifles, I’ll still use the Vortex rings above as I am looking for the best accuracy.

However, when light weight and durability are the name of the game, these integral rings which mount directly to a rifle’s receiver (instead of most rings which mount to a rail which is then, in turn, mounted to the receiver) are the way to go. If you’d like to learn more about mounting interfaces, check out 12 Best Types of Rifle and Scope Mounts

For years, the only main manufacturer for this style ring mount was Talley Manufacturing. I still like Talley rings and have them on some of my rifles that I’ve taken on hunts (including the rifle I took with me on my African Safari).

It was tough to choose Leupold over the Talleys since Talley was the originator but I believe that the Leupold rings have a better fit and finish and overall quality feel to them.

When purchasing these rings, you MUST make sure that they are not only the right height and diameter but also that they will fit the hole and thread pattern of your rifle’s receiver.

Leupold Backcountry Ring Pros and Cons

Bobro Cantilever QD Mount Review

There are plenty of QD style mounts for picatinny rails on AR-style rifles. In fact, by looking at cost and features alone, it might be difficult to pick the best one.

However, I have years of hands-on experience with three different Bobro mounts on my rifles. In my opinion, using one of these mounts, just once, will convince you that they are the best scope mount.

There’s just something obvious about their quality and the ease of using their QD throw levers on this scope mount to move or remove an optic make these mounts a dream.

Without question, these are the mounts I use and recommend when putting a rifle scope on a flat-top picatinny upper.

If you’re looking to save money here, you can get away with a Warne Scope Mount or a Primary Arms scope mount but the difference in quality is obvious.

Bobro QD Mount Pros and Cons

Warne Maxima Rings Review

If your rifle has a dovetail already milled into the receiver, I recommend these rings.

I have used these rings on multiple rimfire and smaller caliber rifles with dovetails and recommend them. As something I’ve learned while using them, the throw levers for attaching the rings can be adjusted by pulling out and rotating them to the position you want. Once I attache the rings to my rifle, I adjust the throw levers forward. This does two things for me:

First, it makes it easy for me to see that they haven’t come loose nor moved while handling.

Second, It helps to prevent them from loosening themselves under recoil as the levers are already forward (inertia tends to make object move forward on a rifle as the rifle recoils rearward).

These Maxima rings are also available in other interfaces as well. I have a set on my father’s old Remington 700 30-06 Springfield because they were available in gloss black and they matched the older gloss scope and rifle.

Additionally, being able to take them off in the field is a neat feature on that rifle as that rifle has factory iron sights that can be used if I need to remove the scope.

Especially in dovetail, these are not the most durable option for mounting a scope (they’ll never be able to compete with premium picatinny rings) but that’s not what they’re for.

These dovetail split style rings are at home on a hunting or plinking rifle – just understand that they can slide or move under extreme forces.

The split style is a benefit in a cheaper ring – it is simpler to use and makes it easy to ensure consistent pressure around the scope tube body.

Warne Maxima Pros and Cons

Weaver Quad Lock Rings Review

If you’re looking to save money and want a budget set of rings, you should consider the Weaver Quad Lock Rings.

However, if you can afford nicer rings, especially if you are looking for rings for a nice scope, you should get nicer rings.

These weaver rings are a bit of a standard in gunshops across America as a simple go-to way to attach a scope to a hunting rifle for a customer. There is nothing “wrong” with a weaver ring and there are many rifles with these rings, or similar, that work great!

In fact, I have no problem using these on a rimfire or a smaller/cheaper setup. Just be warned that they will NOT have the same performance as the other rings on this list.

As a general rule, if you’re spending $200 or less on your scope, these are the rings for you (just make sure you get the right coordinating weaver base from our scope ring finder). However, if you’re spending more than that on a scope, it’s time to upgrade your rings.

This is why they only come in 1″ diameter – I am not saying that all 1″ scope tube scopes are cheap. However, all cheap scopes tend to have a 1″ scope tube. 

Takeaway: I have not problem with anyone using these rings because I too use them (especially on a rimfire rifle). However, just understand where they’re appropriate and you’ll be fine.

Other options in this category worth looking at are the Leupold Rifleman.

Weaver QuadLock Pros and Cons

Scope Rings vs Scope Mount

You may be wondering the difference between a set of scope rings and a scope mount – especially if you’re looking to mount a rifle scope and don’t know which one to get.

There’s no definitive answer here – but I can give you some guidelines I follow here.

If the mounting system wraps around a scope tube (a ring shape), I generally call the mount “rings”. However, if the two rings are attached as one unit and that unit then clamps onto a rail, I often call that a “mount.”

So, the Vortex rings above are “rings” while the bobro mount is s a “mount.”

Mounts are very popular for AR platforms and they give a lot of strength while also making it easy to remove and attach your scope to your rifle.

Rings are lighter weight but they are not as easy to quickly attach and remove. Also, if you have something like a weaver rail, you’re going to need weaver rings. However, if you have a picatinny rail, you can get away with a mount.