I had never needed a mount for an AR as I was probably one of the last holdouts. While I’ve shot a lot of ARs in my work life, I did not own one. However, when I ran across a deal I couldn’t refuse, I suddenly became a proud owner of “America’s Rifle.” It had no sights on it and I decided it was high time I changed that. The good folks at Burris sent me over one of their Fullfield scopes. I have been a fan of Burris for decades. They offer good quality products at a fair price. Just perfect.
I mounted a set of high rings onto the receiver and put the scope in the rings, but when I shouldered the rifle, something just wasn’t right. Either my neck was too long, or my face was too fat, the scope didn’t fit.
More AR Mount Choices
It hadn’t been all that long ago when there wasn’t much to choose from for optics for ARs. If you wanted to mount a scope then you put it on top of the carrying handle. However, as the popularity of ARs increased and the flat top models came on the scene, shooters and hunters began looking for a way to mount an optic on them. The first optic mounted AR I ever saw used a riser block to get the eye in line with the scope. If memory serves me, a set of high rings completed the ensemble. While there is nothing wrong with using a riser block and rings, when I discovered the MSR mounts I didn’t look back. The MSR mounts offers a riser block and rings all in one unit. Most of these attach by means of a MIL -STD 1913 Picatinny rail mount.
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Mounts are produced by several firms. When I was shopping for mine, I found all of the major manufacturers produce great mounts.
Vortex AR Mounts
Vortex optics offers a plethora of AR mounts starting with their Sport Series Cantilever Mount available in 1inch, 30mm and 34mm tube configurations. Like all their mounts the Sport Series Cantilever Mount features two inches of offset for any need of additional eye relief.
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The US made Pro Extended Cantilever Mount is also available to accommodate 1 inch, 30 mm and 34mm tubes. The Pro Extended also features two inches of offset and uses ½ inch Hex bolts for a secure hold.
The Precision Extended Cantilever Mount is available in standard and built in 20 MOA slope.These rings are also available in 1 inch, 30mm and 34mm tube configuration utilizing grade 8 hardware to keep your optics from shifting under all circumstances.
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Vortex also has a Quick Release (QR) Extended Cantilever Mount which accommodates 30 mm tubes.
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Burris AR Mounts
One of my favorite mounts produced by Burris is the AP-Proper Eye Position Ready (P.E.P.R) also known as the Pepper. With two inches of offset to obtain crucial eye relief, the P.E.P.R is available in 1 inch, 30mm and 34mm. Burris also offers the P.E.P.R. quick detach model for one inch and 30mm configurations as well as a 34 mm model with built-in 20 MOA slope for longer distance shooting. The PEPR also features additional auxiliary rails atop the rings.
The Burris AR-Signature QD P.E.P.R. Mount utilizes a QD design with ¼ MOA optic remount capability which means you can remove your optics and replace it back on your AR and it will be zeroed or very close to zero. The Signature uses the Burris polymer insert system inside the ring to prevent marring or bending the optic tube while the offset provides an adjustment from 5 to 40 MOA without using the turret knobs. The AR Signature QD P.E.P.R. is available in 30mm,34mm and 35mm configurations.
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Leupold AR Mounts
Leupold’s Mark AR features an integrated design: base and rings are designed to fit any picatinny base. The 5-bolt design and three recoil lug base keep the mount from moving under any recoil. The Mark AR is available in 1-inch, 30mm, 34mm, and 35 mm optics. For those who prefer mounting rings to a base to fine tune the height of the optic, Leupold offers an AR rail mount without rings.
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The Mark 4 AR 30mm has an integrated base and ring which places the optic 1.4 inches above the rail (same as standard AR sights) to ensure proper eye relief and alignment. The Mark AR 4 fits any picatinny mount.
Warne AR Mounts
The Vapor series MSR mounts feature an integrated ring and base design. It is targeted towards entry level shooters. The features and workmanship of the Vapor series is bar none. It has a lightweight aluminum construction and peace of mind with a lifetime warranty. This mount will not let you down. The Vapor is available to fit 1 inch and 30mm tubes. For long distance shooters, a 20 MOA slope model is also available.
The XSKEL series MSR mount features a lightweight, integrated skeletonized base and rings. Itfeatures steel hardware and threaded inserts to ensure the optic stays in place no matter what you might throw at it. The XSKEL is available in several colors to truly customize it to suit your tastes. The XSKEL series has an AR mount for nearly any scenario you may ever face from long range to shooting with a gasmask or Night vision. It is available to fit 1 inch, 30mm and 34mm tubes. The LRXSKEL has built-in 20 MOA slope for long range shooters.
Warne Cantilever Mount & More
According to Warne “The Skyline precision cantilever mount has been engineered from the ground up with the MSR rifle shooter/competitor in mind.” Machined from 7075 T6 aluminum billet, the Skyline offers a STANAG rail interface which gives more precise mount alignment and return to zero capability than a traditional Mil Spec 1913 Picatinny. The Skyline is also designed to accept accessories which long range shooters need such as precision mount levels,data card holders and accessory rails. The Skyline is available to fit 30mm, 34mm and 35mm tubes and is available in 20 MOA slope for longer ranges.
The Warne Rapid Acquisition Multi-Sight Platform or R.A.M.P tackles the problem of not giving the shooter enough eye relief by extending the mount forward by one inch. The R.A.M.P.also feature 45 degree accessory rails on both sides of the mount to place a red dot or other Close Quarter Battle (CQB) sights to the rail for close quarters when a high magnification scope is not useful but still warranted for the rifle. THE R.A.M.P. is available to fit scopes with a 1 inch tube.
The latest MSR mount from Warne is the HyperLite made from a material Warne calls MagnaFusion Alloy. The HyperLite boasts up to a 35% reduction in weight compared to traditional aluminum mounts without giving up strength or durability.
With the number of mounts available in just about every configuration, there’s no reason not to mount an optic on your AR.
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