Get To Shooting with the Best Lightweight Scope Mounts for Your Rifle

   09.06.22

Get To Shooting with the Best Lightweight Scope Mounts for Your Rifle

When it comes to hunting rifles and optics, a lot of emphasis is often put on the cartridge, the rifle, and the glass. However, few people take into account their scope mount when they are looking at either their budget or their dream build. The quality, weight, and style of scope mount you select can have a pretty massive impact on the type of experience you’ll have either at the range, in the deer stand, or during your competition with your rifle. With lightweight hunting rifles being all the rage these days, a lot of people are seeking out the best lightweight scope mounts for their rifles so that they can keep their load light and save more room and energy for the trek back from a successful hunt. So today, we’ll be checking out some great options for the best lightweight scope mounts currently on the market for your semi-auto or bolt action rifles.

Get To Shooting with the Best Lightweight Scope Mounts for Your Rifle

Get To Shooting with the Best Lightweight Scope Mounts for Your Rifle
Photo: @relvcamo via Scalarworks

1. Scalarworks LEAP/08 lightweight QD canteliever mount

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Scalarworks LEAP/08 lightweight QD canteliever mount

The Editor's Choice

Rusty’s pick for this week is the Scalarworks LEAP/08 lightweight QD canteliever mount. The Scalarworks scope mount is machined from 7075-T6 aerospace-grade aluminum and blended with 4140H steel hardware. Scalarworks understands that this combination provides the rigidity you’ll need during field operation. One of the highly-rated LEAP/08 1.93″ 30mm scope mount features is the absence of a separating ring system. Scalarworks builds this LEAP/08 with a high-strength hinge that ensures even pressure around the optic tube. Scalarworks holds the scope in place with oversized shoulder screws, which guarantees rigidity while reducing weight.

Features:

  • Fit: 30mm Tube
  • Weight: 5.74 Ounces
  • Inclination: 0 MOA
  • Material: 7075-76 Aluminum/4140H Steel
  • Style: Quick Detach
Pros/The undisputed champion of Lightweight QD scope mounts
Cons/Very expensive
Bottom Line/If you don't mind the price, this is the best option for nearly any rifle out there that can accept it.

2. American Defense Recon 30mm Scope Mount

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American Defense Recon 30mm Scope Mount

Author's Pick

American Defense Manufacturing makes some seriously high-quality and innovative accessories for a wide variety of rifles and optics. Their 30mm Recon Scope mount combines the best of lightweight design and convenient QD mounting to give you a solid scope mount that can withstand both the elements and quite a bit of abuse. The American Defense Recon Mount is designed for scopes with a 30mm tube diameter and up to 56mm objective lens. This American Defense mount is low profile to get the center of the optic as close to the bore as possible. Featuring the ADM Auto Lock lever system for quickly attaching and detaching your scope without losing zero. The quick detach lever offers plenty of adjustability for use on Picatinny rails whether they are Mil-Spec or not. The cantilever design allows you to place the scope farther forward giving you more room to adjust for the perfect eye relief. The ADM Recon Mount 30mm is the scope mounting solution for your AR-15 that you have been looking for.

Pros/Wighs only 8 ounces and is made from durable 6000 series aluminum and finished off with a Hardcoate Anodize
Cons/QD mounting system is quick to swap between rifles but adds about 3 oz to an otherwise lightweight design.
Bottom Line/A good combination of neat features and lightweight design for a durable and useful combination .

3. Wheeler Pic Rail Scope Rings 30mm

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Wheeler Pic Rail Scope Rings 30mm

Wheeler Pic Rail Scope Rings 30mm Medium are perfect for mounting your favorite scope to an AR-15. It is a two-piece mount with a 6-hole ring design and retained 1/2″ lock nuts that secures the mounts to a picatinny rail. It boasts a 2″ cantilever extension allowing the scope to be mounted at a comfortable distance preventing eye strain and fatigue. The Wheeler swing out anti-cant level helps keep the rifle scope reticle level while shooting at distance promoting a more accurate and consistent shot. The Pic Rail Scope Rings are specifically designed for the AR-15 platform with 6061 aluminum construction and flat top ring. The mounts 6 screw design prevents the optic from being moved during recoil and makes mounting a scope to your AR-15 platform quick and simple. Looking to upgrade your AR-15 with a good optic? The Wheeler Pic Rail Scope Rings are a perfect complement to any AR build. They allow the scope to be mounted at a comfortable distance, help keep reticle level during shooting and secures the optic during recoil.

Pros/Integrated bubble level for precise aiming and offset mounting pattern for an easier time mounting and leveling the scope
Cons/Bubble level adds a bit of weight
Bottom Line/A great two-piece set of alloy scope rings suitable for long range precision shooting.

4. Aero Precision

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Aero Precision

The Ultimate in Lightweight Design

The Aero Precision Ultralight 30mm SPR Scope Mount features a rear ring that is pushed forward 2 inches resulting in better eye relief for most LPVOs and scopes and is specifically designed to fit AR-type upper reverse with standard Picatinny rails. The mount features a cross-slot keyway that offers excellent recoil protection and basically frees the rest of your setup of any unnecessary bulk, or weight and resulting in one of the lightest scope mount options in the industry.

Pros/Extremely lightweight - only 3.36 oz
Cons/Not a great option for bolt action rifles without the use of an extended eye-relief scope.
Bottom Line/If your end goal is to be as light as possible this is the only option for you.

5. Leupold IMS Mark AR 300 Mount

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Leupold IMS Mark AR 300 Mount

This Mark AR mounting system features an aluminum 1-piece integrated base and rings. It is designed to fit a Picatinny rail and any scope with a 30mm main tube. The Mark AR mounting system is made from aircraft-grade aluminum and has a total weight of just 5.8 ounces making it fairly light, but just a bit more robust than the Ultralight from Aero Precision.

Pros/Good balance
Cons/A little more expensive than other options
Bottom Line/Another solid option if you don't mind two extra ounces on your rig.

6. Talley Light WEight Scope Rings

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Talley Light WEight Scope Rings

These lightweight scope rings bring all the durability of steel without any of the heft! One-piece construction blends the ring and base into a single unit. Eliminating the ring/base joint not only keeps weight to a minimum, it provides a stronger mount. Each ring cap is 5⁄8″ wide, with four, TORX screws, to keep large scopes from slipping or shifting. Designed by Mel Forbes of New Ultralight Arms.

Pros/Solid Construction with a durable deisgn that's affordable
Cons/None really
Bottom Line/With a wide variety of options for both scopes and mounting methods, you can't go wrong with these competitivley priced scope rings from Talley
Avatar Author ID 693 - 1132392312

Luke is currently a full-time writer for TheFirearmBlog.com, OvertDefense.com, AllOutdoor.com, and of course, OutdoorHub.com. Luke is a competitive shooter, firearms enthusiast, reloader, outdoorsman, and generally takes an interest in anything that has to do with the great outdoors. Luke is also a private certified pilot and is currently pursuing his commercial pilot's license in the hopes of becoming a professional pilot. Some of Luke's other interests include anything to do with aviation, aerospace and military technology, and American Conservancy efforts. Instagram: @ballisticaviation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BallisticAviation thefirearmblog.com/blog/author/luke-c/ overtdefense.com/author/luke-c/ alloutdoor.com/author/lukec/

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