Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 These rings and bases are expensive poo! Before I knew better I got talked into buying a set for my first Tikka, they cost about £100 then, shop around and you can get them a bit cheaper now, but don't bother. The bases and rings are all but impossible for any mere mortal to join together accurately, a job which must be done OFF the gun and with just one screw, so no later adjustment possible. Then they are held on the rail by a single screw. After this farce we find 4 scope screws on each ring to keep us busy. I have since bought another Tikka and used Sportsmatch mounts at just over £20, they are easy to fit, well made, firmly attached and work, FAR better than the Optilocks. I have also had cause to us the Warne for a 30mm scope on the Tikka, they were under £50 and also better, but frankly I think the Sportsmatch are best, as well as being cheaper. Unfortunately they don't make a full range of mounts for Tikka/Sako. All I seem to hear from Optilock owners is how good they are, I simply don't understand that, I have just had cause to refit my Optilocks to my T3 Hunter and all the grief and annoyance has come flooding back. I just don't know how they can charge what they do for a design which is so clearly flawed........ and we keep buying them? :good: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I've been using Optilocks on my Sako's for many years and never had an issue with them. They are easy to fit (IMO), they don't lose zero if you have to remove/replace the scope, they don't mark the scope tube. No design flaw as far as I can see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 same here never had a problem, they look after and grip the scope very well from what I've seen and they have been on 2 years and never needed any tightening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 It's been a few years since i bought my rings and I'm sure they are opti locks, cost about 65 quid fifteen plus years ago, easy to fit and once zeroed stay zeroed even after some pretty hard knocks and a fall so hard it crushed the turret cap into the adjuster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 +1 never had issues with them i have them on 3 of my rifles. all are solid and are at one with the rifle,and no chance of marking the scope I can only say " work man blaming there tools" People spend £1000 + on a scope and use £20 mounts to mount to the rifle to save a few £ sorry i just cant see the point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 Just what I expected every owner is happy, I must have the only **** set in the country. Open Question for all owners..... How do you align ring and base exactly, there are no direct location fittings between them...(WHY, is it beyond the capability of modern CNC machinery to machine this accurately?), simply a single screw connection which allows swivel/twist, or is the response, the design is **** but as long as you are close the plastic ring insert takes up the slack? The design is flawed. They are bull for any money, let alone what they charge. ATB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 the fundamentals are though if you fit them properly they protect your scope and don't loose zero, isn't that the true function of scope mounts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 the fundamentals are though if you fit them properly they protect your scope and don't loose zero, isn't that the true function of scope mounts? The fundamentals are to provide a firm ACCURATE alignment between the rifle and scope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 +1 never had issues with them i have them on 3 of my rifles. all are solid and are at one with the rifle,and no chance of marking the scope I can only say " work man blaming there tools" People spend £1000 + on a scope and use £20 mounts to mount to the rifle to save a few £ sorry i just cant see the point I am not talking about saving money, if the Sportsmach cost more than the Optilock I would still say they are better, as it happens they are much cheaper AND better! Expensive doesn't necessarily mean better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 The fundamentals are to provide a firm ACCURATE alignment between the rifle and scope! and they do, its not hard to line them up properly, or at least I didn't find it hard or it seems quite a few people. The thing is your sportsmatch ones will be fine unless they receive any sort of knock. Thats where the optilocks seem superb I'm yet to loose zero with them, which I can't say for any other mounts on other rifles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbust Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I have had mine mounted for 2 years now, I cant recall having any problem mounting/setting them up and have never needed to adjust them once I zero'd the scope at the very start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I can only say " work man blaming there tools" :good: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 and they do, its not hard to line them up properly, or at least I didn't find it hard or it seems quite a few people. The thing is your sportsmatch ones will be fine unless they receive any sort of knock. Thats where the optilocks seem superb I'm yet to loose zero with them, which I can't say for any other mounts on other rifles. You must be bored at work again! What on earth are you doing with other mounts on other rifles to lose zero? It is hard to line them up EXACTLY (actually it's very near impossible for most with simple home tools), and my set does not offer the same spacing at the front of the ring/base on each one, on one the front of the base and ring is almost flush on the other probably 1/2 mill back. That is BAD engineering tolerance on something meant for precision, which added to a poor design isn't good. I am not here promoting Sportsmatch, just suggesting Optilock have a very poor design, bad manufacturing tolerances and charge a load for the privilege. Suggesting Sportsmatch are fine until you knock them is clutching at straws, they have more anchoring points with a more even and wider pressure distribution on both the rail and scope fitting, and they grip the base entirely rather that at one pressure point. If anything I consider the Optilock far more likely to go off if they receive a knock because in addition to that they also have another joint between base and ring as well. I have several Sportsmatch, Pro mounts, Buffalo, Accushot, Guntuff, BSA, Warne, Leupold and probably a few others, I have never knocked the scope off due to ANY mounts! Like I say, and like I have seen over the years, nobody else seems to have a bad word about Optilock, I just don't get it, perhaps I have just got a **** set, or perhaps I just had the balls to try something else and found them to be better, AND cheaper!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 You must be bored at work again! What on earth are you doing with other mounts on other rifles to lose zero? its called taking them out of the cabinet regularly and actually going shooting, involving bouncing about in the back of pickups and various 4x4's having them in slips in the back of vehicles, carrying over various terrain while in use its very hard to avoid the odd bump. If you actually use them much that is.... Most people started out with cheap mounts and moved on, in my case on a sako you really don't have much option but now having used them I'd fit to other rifles as I upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 its called taking them out of the cabinet regularly and actually going shooting, involving bouncing about in the back of pickups and various 4x4's having them in slips in the back of vehicles, carrying over various terrain while in use its very hard to avoid the odd bump. If you actually use them much that is.... Most people started out with cheap mounts and moved on, in my case on a sako you really don't have much option but now having used them I'd fit to other rifles as I upgrade. :lol: You must be very bored at work today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 just have enough time to pop back on in between bookings Its weird how the design and everything isn't up to your standards as they are quite cleverly thought out and certainly you know what mounts you need for which scope its all pretty well spelt out. Then you have the ability of the plastic inners to account for bad alignment and to stop scope damage and they just work. Well they do if you do them up properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 just have enough time to pop back on in between bookings Its weird how the design and everything isn't up to your standards as they are quite cleverly thought out and certainly you know what mounts you need for which scope its all pretty well spelt out. Then you have the ability of the plastic inners to account for bad alignment and to stop scope damage and they just work. Well they do if you do them up properly Any idiot can design a base with various size rings to fit, that will maximize on margins, through ease of packaging, shipping and less tooling. Where it gets harder is to make the base accurately line up with the ring, which apparently you suggest Optilock can't/don't, as they conveniently give you a plastic ring insert to take up the slack. Blue Peter, toilet rolls, elastic bands and glue come to mind, thats fine but not for the money Optilock charge. But as I have said all through, this isn't actually about the money, its about the product, and I have had no problem with my Sportsmatch on one Tikka and just a bit of slack on one Optilock, mount base joint. They are simply a bad design and a pain in my book, and as it happens expensive as well! And before anyone asks, Yes, I'm bored as well, just had the stitches out after my knee operation and going out to bounce a few rifles about in the motor on Sat for the first time since the op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 the good news is they retain value well so when you sell yours you will get a fair bit back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 What you seem to be missing is that the spherical ball which the polymer inserts create is totally tolerant of ring misalignment so it is virtually impossible to torque, bend or damage a scope which sits in a totally `relaxed` state within the rings. This is what all rings try hard to achieve but it is not always possible and it is laughable to look at some rifles as when you loosen one ring, the point of inpact displayed on a bore collimator can drift hugely, showing the scope was being bent in to position. They were designed the way they are to allow for the integral windage adjustment designed into sako tapered rails and just because tikka dont need them, doesent mean it wasnt worth keeping the insert design. Ok, for sure that helps explain a bit....... And I totally accept your comments about loosening one ring on some mounts, but times/and engineering are changing, there are some very accurately machined bits of metal out there today (ok, NOT all), and most cost a lot less than Optilock, and many manufacturers also fit this 'orrible soft tape in their mounts today to do the same thing (actually the tape may not be so bad, it tends to be the adhesive that's bad)! I still don't like Optilock, and I have no issues with Sportsmatch (etc) over Optilock on my Tikkas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 (edited) A couple of years ago I bought some Badger mounts (Rather expensive but meant to be one of the best at the time) for a Remington that I was building. As I was dropping an £1800 'scope on it I decided to lap the rings in. To see how much lapping was needed just to get the rings into alignment was very scary, and for certain would have put undo stress on my very expensive 'scope. That is when I decided that Optilocks and their inserts were in fact a very good idea, no more lapping, and piece of mind that my 'scopes were not being put under unnecessary stresses by out of aligned scope rings. I do understand your thoughts on single screw fastening etc, but as a base/ring/insert assembly I think they are a damned good design, and the proof most definitely is in the pudding, after many years use and abuse on working rifles. Edited October 17, 2012 by Browning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I like the way the 'grip' on the scope is spread equally around the tube of the scope. I have Sportsmatch mounts on my .22 and if I could get Optilocks that fitted I'd use them. With the Sportsmatch mounts the scope is squeezed from above and below. Never seen a crimped scope from Optilock mounts. Just not damaging a decent scope could save you the cost of the mounts by not devaluing your expensive scope. My gripe is the soft metal on the Optilock screws. Some seem to be made of cheese............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 Used a set on my Tikka for about 9 years now, never had a problem with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 he wont now he has told the world how **** they are They'll be cheap then... On a more serious note, could you put a photo up..? I've used Optilock for a good few years & have had very little in the way of problems that your experiencing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I think the basis of the problems is simply not doing up the nut that attaches the base to the ring enough. But thats encouraged lots of thinking which sometimes is a bad thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 (edited) I think the basis of the problems is simply not doing up the nut that attaches the base to the ring enough. But thats encouraged lots of thinking which sometimes is a bad thing Where did that come from, where have I mentioned anything about not doing it up tight, the problem is everything mentioned in my opening post!! Tightening up a Allen key bolt is the least of the issues! Edited October 17, 2012 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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