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In my line of work, I’ve seen more than my share of scope ring failures from rings not securely holding the scope in place to actual scope damage due to poorly designed scope rings. I recall my favorite scope ring design (which changed after this happened), a rotary dovetail front and windage screw set up was damaged from a lightweight, hard recoiling WSM rifle. Although many shooters claim only steel rings will hold a scope securely, I have good luck with aluminum rings. However, I will confess I’ve had aluminum rings strip out when tightening even with a torque wrench. The worst culprit being the cheap rings found on many “package deal” rifles which include a scope mounted on a rifle which is very popular at the big box stores.
I like lighter weight rings. When I do my part, they hold the scope in place without the extra weight of steel rings.
New Paradigm in Scope Rings
Warne Scope mounts began in 1991. While not a newcomer by any means, they were slow to catch on. This was years before the Internet. I saw my first set sometime in 1993. They sat atop a Kimber rifle. It wasn’t too long before I owned a set of the rings for my own rifle. While I do own other scope mounts, the rifle I carry most has Warnes mounted on it.
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The HyperLite series of rings and mounts is made from Warne’s proprietary Magnafusion alloy that is up to 35% lighter than conventional aluminum rings.
Warne HyperLite Rings
The Warne HyperLite rings utilize the STANAG 4694 interface rather than the MIL-STD1913 Picatinny, but it also fits Picatinny and Weaver mounts. The STANAG 4694 holds tighter tolerances and has better repeatability and rigidity which is paramount for rifle accuracy. The HyperLite rings are available in 1”, 30mm and 34mm tube sizes in high, medium and low heights. MSRP on the rings are $109.99 for the 1” and 30mm and $119.99 for the 34mm rings.
The Tikka HyperLite rings are designed to utilize the integrated Tikka recoil pin and dual-screw clamps and mounts directly to the rifle. They are available in 1” and 30mm tube sizes in medium and high to allow clearance for the newer, large objective scopes.
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HyperLite MSR Mount
With a nominal height of 1.5” above the flat top of an AR, The HyperLite MSR mount weighs inat 4 ounces. It features a very generous 3.25” between rings to accept a variety of scope or opticoptions. The MSR mount is available in 1” and 30mm tube sizes and has a MSRP of $199.99.
Scope Mounting Tips
I often hear grumbling concerning the stripping of the cap screws with aluminum or alloy rings. It is important to determine the proper torque spec from the ring manufacturer before installing the scope to the ring you are mounting. Warne recommends torquing their screws on the HyperLite series rings to 18 in- lbs. This is a dry thread torque spec and Warne does not recommend the use of thread locker on the threads. Thread locker becomes a lubricant, and the screws will torque at a higher specification which can cause thread failure.
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I have also heard concerns about smashing tubes. In my 35 plus years as a gunsmith I have never crushed a tube, however, I use the screwdriver provided by the ring manufacturer. By holding the short end of the torque key it is nearly impossible to over torque these screws using just your fingers. Where many shooters get in trouble is when they use a large handle on the torque key. It doesn’t take over torquing the screws to keep your scope from sliding in the rings.
Whether you are looking for just a lightweight or a ring with a higher strength to weight ratio or a MSR mount, the HyperLite Warne rings have you covered.
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The post Warne HyperLite Rings appeared first on Athlon Outdoors Exclusive Firearm Updates, Reviews & News.
