Having a scope on a rifle is a great way to enhance the accuracy of your shooting, especially over distances. Most hunters, marksmen and shooting enthusiasts assume the scope is the most important factor to consider, but the scope mount also plays a very big role.
There are both one and two piece mounts available for any type of scope. Determining which is the best is often a personal choice, but so is how the mount works with a specific scope.
One Piece Options
The one-piece scope mount is one of the most commonly found on a wide variety of different types of weapons. They are very popular on an AR-15, and they allow for different heights off the barrel. This, in turn, makes it more comfortable for the shooter to customize the placement of the mount and the scope in the perfect position for their shooting style.
Another very important advantage of these types of mounts is that the two scope rings, the front and rear rings, are aligned right out the package. This is all done by the manufacturer, which means all that has to happen is the scope mount has to be attached to the gun without any calibration and alignment requirements.
These mounts are slightly heavier than the two piece design as there is more material. They are also more expensive, which leaves the gun owner to make the decision between ease of use and installation over a slight difference in price.
Two Piece Options
There are several different styles of two piece scope mount designs. These can be purchased as a set or individually, and they tend to allow the most flexibility for positioning the rings based on the specific type of rifle, the bolt action clearance and other factors.
They will need to be aligned once mounted on the weapon. They are also designed to sit lower to the barrel than the one piece designs, which may be important to some. They are lighter in weight, lower in cost and can easily be changed out and used on multiple types of rifles with ease, which may not always the same case with the one piece mounts.
Ideally, think about the typical use of the weapon and your comfort in completing the alignment on your own or having the mounts already aligned. As both are not extremely costly accessories, many gun owners may choose to try out both and see which works best for their needs.
