Right rings for my new Leupold?

[Mike]

I just got a Leupold VX3 8.5 - 25 x 50mm to put on my Cooper. Can I get away with the medium height rings, or do I need highs to clear the bell?

Thanks,
Mike

[Hotshot]

I'd use the medium and file a little off the barrel for clearance, but don't let RIO see this.

[Rick in Oregon]

Mike: According to Leupold, 50mm objective scopes almost always require high rings. I get by using low rings with all my 40mm LR scopes, but even 45mm objectives require medium height rings.

'Course you can go with Hotshot's suggestion, use medium and get out that old nasty bastard file and have at 'er.....

[Sidewinderwa]

You will want high rings, especially if you want to put caps on the scope.

[Mike]

Thanks guys! As much as I'd love to give my Cooper's barrel a custom contour, I'll go ahead and stick with the high rings this time around.

[stevecrea]

It may depend partly on how far forward you like to mount your scope. The 8.5X25 is fairly long, and therefore, the front bell is out there and far enough up front, where the chamber is tapering down to the barrel, thereby giving even a 50mm bell more clearance.

This is personal preference, but I like to mount the scope as low as possible, in order to get a good cheek weld on the stock. Even though Leupold may suggest the highs for 50mm scopes, I have been able to get away with much lower rings sometimes because of the more forward mounting position, the taper of the chamber and barrel, etc. I would suggest trying the mediums first.

I have used low to medium rings on several of my 30 mm Leupolds with 50 mm bells with adequate clearance, but again, the scopes are mounted quite far forward. And, if your Cooper is a Varminter or Varmint Extreme, it does not look like there is any taper in the chamber/barrel area.

The folks at Talley have been very helpful to me when I have asked them similar mounting questions.

[Mike]

I went with the high rings and mounted the scope last night. They were a perfect match, so now I'm anxious to test my new glass. Thanks for all of the input, guys.