It worked okay from a bench rest, but it was uncomfortable for offhand shooting and it was goddamned heavy. How heavy was it? I’ll spare you my favorite ‘Yo’ Momma’ joke and just show you:
And then I read Nick’s review of the Trijicon Accupoint, last week. I asked him what mount he’d used, and his answer was pure Foghorn:
Nick Leghorn says: Primary Arms, baby.
http://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Deluxe_Extended_AR15_Scope_Mount_p/padlxsmext.htm
$60
$60 is a pittance for this type of mount, and Primary Arms generally sells some pretty solid kit. Sure, their 3-9 illuminated scope committed seppuku on Nick’s .308 Weatherby Vanguard last summer, but Nick still runs their Micro-Dot on his trick AR. I’ve had an older Micro-Dot clamped to the gas tube of my AK-74 for a couple of years. Despite bumps, drops, and rapid-fire strings that leave it too hot to touch, the $80 scope has performed like a champ.
After mulling it over, I figured I couldn’t go too wrong giving the Primary Arms scope mount a try. It shipped the same day (for about $5), and arrived in my mailbox two days later.
Size & Weight
With weight like this, it’s easy to keep shipping costs down. The 7.3 ounce Primary Arms mount is 3.1 ounces lighter (!) than the rig it’s replacing, and it’s in the same weight range of almost all similar offset mounts. Only the $150 GG&G FLT mount weighs substantially less, and it costs substantially more.
The Primary Arms mount is 5.2 inches long overall, and there’s 2.5 inches of clearance between the front and rear rings. The forward offset and the ring spacing allow it to comfortably mount just about any scope for a NTCH hold unless it has a really long illuminated eyepiece. For my Leupold (and for Nick’s Trijicon, and most other logical AR scopes) it’s just perfect.
It places the center of the scope exactly 1.5 inches above the rail, which means your front sight post will be just barely (and fuzzily) visible in the bottom of your scope at low power. It also places the eyepiece high enough that most BUIS will fit neatly under it. It’s not a QD mount, but BUIS are a good idea and it’s nice to know that a coin or Leatherman will get your AR back in action in a jiffy if your scope craps out on you.
I’m not a featherweight rifle fanatic (my AR has a bull barrel and an A2 stock) but what’s not to like about better fit and lighter weight at a bargain price like $60?
Installation
If you have the gunsmithing skills to successfully open and consume the contents of a soda can, you can install this scope mount. No installation instructions are provided, since none are needed. After the invoice, the only printed document in the box was a small sheet warning you not to overtorque the mounting screws.
Unlike some overly-snug rings which demand lots of lube and patience to mount properly, my scope slid right into the Primary Arms mount’s integral rings. Tightening said rings was a bit of a chore, because I discovered that the freebie Torx wrench didn’t fit the ring screws quite perfectly. The screws fit rather tightly and seemed to have shallow heads, and the wrench slipped out a few times while I was tightening them. The next time I’m down at Ace Hardware, I’ll replace the lot of them for less than two bucks.
The scope mounting screws were a little frustrating, but the rail mounting hardware was spot-on. The slotted hex nuts are gently dehorned, and you can tighten them with a socket wrench, a broad-bladed screwdriver or simply the spare change in your pocket. Lock washers keep the nuts from loosening up during use, and I’ve found that these work just fine for AR or AK scope mounts. I’ve never had to use Locktite on such mild-recoiling rifles, but if your AR kit includes a .50 Beowulf upper, feel free to use as much blue Locktite as you can find.
Ergonomics
Consistent head placement is critical to consistent (accurate) shooting, and it also minimizes the negative effects of scope parallax. Parallax is where the crosshairs seem to wander around the scope’s visual field when you move your head around behind the scope, and a proper cheek weld (or nose weld, in this case) prevents your head from moving around much.
Summary:
If you’ve got a fancy AR and a quality variable-power scope, it may seem penny-wise and pound-foolish to cheap out on the scope mount. But don’t confuse ‘low price’ with ‘cheap’, because $60 is a steal for a well-built AR mount of this type. If you don’t need the bells and whistles of quick-release levers or the cachet of high-end name brands, this mount’s for you. If you’re even more of a minimalist, check out their single-clamp basic AR scope mount for $25.
Overall Rating: ****
That’s a lot of stars for $60. If you absolutely must have five stars, remember that that last star will cost you another $100.