what height scope rings to install on a ruger american predator 308 suppressed

D

deadwooddickey

Inactive
I just bought a Ruger american predator rifle in 308.I am planning on getting a suppressor for it. The can will be approx. 2 inch diameter. I have a nikon prostaff 1 in. tube 3x9 by 40 mm. BDC scope that i plan to use on the rifle. I am leaning towards buying a set of burris zee rings for it.They are machined from a single piece of steel so they should be very strong and sell for less than 30.00. I am not sure if i should go with low, medium, or high rings.When i lay a 4 foot straightedge on the factory installed picatinney scope base it shows that the scope base is about 1/4 lower than where the top edge of the can will be. I like to mount my scope as low to the bore as possible.If the top 1/2 to 3/4 of my can is higher than the bottom edge of my scope will it be visible to me in the scope?I want to set the gun up so the scope will be as low as possible if i am not using the can and at the same time high enough that i can see over the can if i am using it on the gun. Has anyone done this before. THANKS.
 
All 4 of my RAR's use medium rings with 50mm optics. I like my scope very close to the barrel and I like the Warne rings myself. With the size of that can you might want the high mounts so it doesnt blur your FOV.
 
What's most important; suppressing noise or shooting accurately?

You'll need a clear view of at least 6.6 degrees with the scope's 33 foot field of view at 100 yards. At 20 inches in front of the objective bell, you'll need nothing less than 1.4 inches below a line straight out from the bottom of that scope's front bell if you don't want to see anything clouding the view.
 
Last edited:
The focal length of your scope should be enough (assuming you are using 3x or higher on the low end) that you will not see the suppressor. My CZ 527 has a front sight with a hood over the sight that stick up a good inch or more over the bore. Anything over 2.5x magnification in my scope and I can't see it at all...
 
Focal length

The ratio of the focal length of the eyepiece divided into the focal length of the objective gives the linear magnifying power of scopes.
 
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus. A system with a shorter focal length has greater optical power than one with a long focal length; that is, it bends the rays more strongly, bringing them to a focus in a shorter distance.

In most photography and all telescopy, where the subject is essentially infinitely far away, longer focal length (lower optical power) leads to higher magnification and a narrower angle of view; conversely, shorter focal length or higher optical power is associated with a wider angle of view. On the other hand, in applications such as microscopy in which magnification is achieved by bringing the object close to the lens, a shorter focal length (higher optical power) leads to higher magnification because the subject can be brought closer to the center of projection.
 
I agree with Dufus on what makes scope's magnify, but I think precision_shooter's got optical power, or "diopter," confused with focal length. A 4 diopter lens has a focal length of 250 mm; a diopter value is 1 meter divided by the lens' focal length; 1000 divided by 250 equals 4. The higher the diopter number, the more "powerful" the lens is and the shorter its focal length.

My post was put up 'cause I'd never heard of a scope having a focal length per se. Most scopes' eyepiece lens has a focal length of about 50mm or 2 inches. But a 25 power scope ain't 50 inches long; its objective lens group is a "telephoto" design wherein its physical length is shorter than a "long" lens of the same focal length.

Anything above the objective lens viewing angle will be seen in the scope; yes, your can's top will be a blur at the bottom of the scope's view.
 
Last edited:
Use the lowest rings that let the objective clear the barrel.
You are not likely to see any part of the barrel in the scope
 
Unless you were born without cheekbones, the straight AR stock will not allow you to sight through a scope mounted close to the barrel.

Both of my 308 ARs have LaRue LT158 scope mounts. There are similar mounts made by American Defense and Bobro.
 
mock up the scope on my RAR 308

Thanks for all the help everyone.I will probably go with high rings as a compromise.I wont be shooting over 300 yds.so on a deer sized animal i will be in the kill zone.I want to see clearly over the can if i opt to use it. As one of you said,a small object, like the front sight on my M4 completely disappears when i use the scope on my AR even though it is directly in the scopes view.A can may be a different story though because it is a bigger item.Before i buy the rings i am gonna put the rifle in my gun vice and install the same size fake can. I will put different thicknesses of wood shims between the scope tube and the base to see how low i can go til i get blurringing the scope. This may be a primitive way of doing it but does anyone know why it wouldnt work? I may have to use a few strips of duct tape to temporarily secure the scope for my mockup
 
Thanks BART B. I am an ole HILLBILLY from the hills of southwest missouri.I wish i knew as much about scopes as you do. I bet you are a helluva shot as well. I will post what height rings i end up using.Hopefully it will help someone else. RUGER FIREARMS......MY RIGHT ARM.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top