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QD Roundup (Updated w/ Bobro) |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Posted: September/25/2010 at 11:50 |
Obligatory verbiage:
To anyone who has, in the past few years, participated in a carbine class, or run a 3-gun match, or served time - behind a rifle - in our armed forces, LaRue is a name you know. They make mounts that work well, attach/detach quickly, and generally absorb much abuse without failure.
In the QD (quick detach) world, LaRue is the gold standard.
This isn't a review of LaRue, that review has been hashed out thousands of times, on the internet as well as the local gun range, and they remain the top of the heep, for now.
That said, there are areas in which LaRue could improve.
Below are my thoughts on a few "other" QD and quasi-QD mounts, all relatively new to market, all hoping to displace LaRue in some small segment.
Before I begin, I will say this in LaRue's favor: every time I open a box with a new LaRue mount, I find a bottle of "Dillo Dust", usually a free Larue hat, and at least a few other niceties; that isn't why I buy from them, but it sure helps.
On with the countdown.
The newest addition to my arsenal is an American Defense AD-Recon.
The mount is need to easily swap a day optic and a night optic on a 6.8 AR (primarily for hog eradication.) In this role, ease of use is a necessity, as is adequate strength to hold the optic in place and repeatability following dismounting/remounting.
Initial impressions: It is light weight, yet seems plenty strong. It will not be mounted on a 50-cal or .338, so overkill in weight and strength isn't necessary. The cut-outs on the rings lighten the overall package, and they are aesthetically pleasing. As it is brand new (mounted last night on my kitchen counter), no reports as to durability, but I have high hopes.
The QD feature is a locking lever that feeds through, along
a recoil lug, to a plate on the opposite side.
Rather than engaging a small piece of metal on one side to friction lock
the QD to the rail (as LARue does), this setup actually clamps both sides to
the rail - providing significantly more lockup area and, at least to a non-engineer,
more secure lockup. The levers are unlocked
via a small latch on each lever (yes, both levers have a lock, unlike LaRue),
and tension adjustment is made with a slotted head on the opposite side. I really like the ease of adjusting tension
and the secure manner in which the tension system locks up. Compared to LaRue's wrench-requiring tension adjustment, this is simpler to adjust than LaRue, and
seems much more sturdy. Also, with 2 locking levers, the chances of a catastrophic "oops" decrease dramatically.
Each ring secures the scope to the base using 5 screws, 3 shorter on top and 2 longer on bottom (the bottom 2 screw through the base and into the other ring half.) Unlike LaRue, one of the ring halves is permanently - or so it seemed - attached to the base, I like this.
The rings do have generous cut-outs for lightening, so they do sacrifice contact area between scope and ring when compared to a traditional ring design. Whether that results in slippage, I cannot say, haven't shot it yet. But, as said above, it ain't on a thumper, so slippage shouldn't be a problem. If it does slip, I'll definitely make that known.
Rings halves are torqued to 20-25 in-lbs, as per the instructions. Additionally, they include a thread lock with the mount. I have always appreciated that minor addition. As you can see from a few of the pics, it is a red, "lok-tite"-esque thread lock.
Overall first impression: solid mount, well priced, fewer pieces (than LaRue)to misplace or fall off, "conceptually" better lockup in the QD attachment (whether that translates to actual, real-world "better", we shall see), light weight, aesthetically pleasing mount.
I don't own any "safe queens", she'll be tested in the real world shortly.
I have a Bobro Aimpoint mount on the way (thanks, Brady) and will report on that shortly. For the Aimpoint, the bar is high, LaRue's mounts in that area are fantastic. The review will follow shortly.
The last of the day is the Aadmount. It is technically not a QD (it requires a tool to mount/dismount); however, the ease with which it mounts and dismounts puts it in the "quasi-QD" category. You need an allen wrench to remove and reinstall, but it bolts on and is taken off quite quickly, and with little shift in POI.
First impressions: beefy. Very beefy. It is big and blocky and not lightweight. For an SBR or even 16" sporter, absolutely not. For an AR-10 or Barrett 50-cal or Cheytac, it might be the best option going.
The base attaches to the rail via |
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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Great write up. Thank you!
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Voodoo6
Optics Apprentice Now With Kung-Fu Grip! Joined: March/29/2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 213 |
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Tango Yankee.
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"A prisoner of the white lines on the freeway"
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Very nice review thanks RC
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stickbow46
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/07/2009 Location: Benton, Pa Status: Offline Points: 4678 |
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+1 RC,good review.....Thanks |
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Pearls of Wisdom are Heard not Spoken
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Had the 6.8 with new AD-Recon mount (Swaro AH 3.5-10X) on the range today. Swapped between the Swaro and night optic, less than 1MOA total drift when swapping scopes. not bad - considering most of that MOA is probably the gun (it's a 1 MOA gun.) The QD functions quite well, no slippage on the scope, very good return to zero. Mountain lion and hog hunting next weekend, there will be swapping of scopes, more to report. |
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Freedom is something you take.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Bobro Aimpoint cantilever
First impressions:
Cool design, looks really nice. Locks up tight, the rail interface seems very solid Lots of little pieces that would be impossible to replace in the field Not sure I'd trust it to a "life-n-death" weapon.
When I first started playing with the mount, the first
"uh-oh" I came across was the ring mounting. Where most traditional rings have a (common,
easy to replace) screw that feeds through one ring half and engages threads in
the other ring half, this mount has a permanently attached threaded post on the
upper ring half that feeds through the lower ring half and has a locking nut that
is tightened to 14-20 inch-pounds. My
first concern is nuts, they ain't in my optics box, I have no spares, and if
one fails or shoots out, it's gone. This
isn't to say I have no mounts with proprietary hardware, but I am always
reluctant to mount a piece of hardware that doesn't have easily accessible
spare parts. I've been playing the optics
game for many years and have never seen these particular fasteners, that causes
me some concern.
Next, in examining the mount closely, it has 8 additional screws and bolts (not requiring tightening or loosening to mount or use.) That makes, in total, 12 small nuts, bolts, and screws; Murphy is gonna love this mount! And if any should shoot loose or fall out, the mount takes the optic out of service (or potentially so.) Another red flag for a combat mount.
Next, the rail mounting mechanism uses a lever on one side to engage a rail segment (just under 3/4 of an inch in length) to securely lock the mount to the rail. This should provide significantly more clamping force than the LaRue cantilever mounts of similar purpose. The lever is held in place by a push-button locking mechanism that is easy to operate on purpose and not likely to operate by accident.
Bobro claims the BLAC (Bobro Lever, Auto Compensation) lever system "only gets better with time and usage", I am always skeptical of such claims. It's like the "unbreakable comb" I had as a kid, I broke mine on the first day.
All in all, it is a cool looking mount that locks up tight and allows easy cowitnessing of iron sites through an Aimpoint optic. Compared to others on the market, this mount is prettier.
I d |
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FireEMT5
Optics Journeyman Joined: September/07/2010 Location: S.E. Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 317 |
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Jeff,
Have you ever used, or are you going to review the GG&G QD mounts? I have 2 of the GG&G 1383 FLT accucam QD's. One is used on my MP15-22 holding a viper 2x7 and the other is going to be on my AR holding a SS 3x9.
They grip well and don't gouge or mark up your rails. Single flip lever is easily adjusted. GG&G claims mount/dismount/remount within 1/2 MOA. I have mounted/dismounted the viper on my .22 and it seems as though those claims are correct.
I've also put this on my AR. Note that the FLT is for a 30mm scope. I had to add a set of GG&G delrin 1" spacer rings to make the viper work in this mount. Granted my AR chambered in 5.56/.223 isn't a kicker, but the scope hasn't moved.
All in all I like the GG&G's. I can scope up, switch to my QD Eotech, or quickly be down to just my BUIS. Just another option that's out there. Give them a look.
Not knocking Larue, but the GG&G can be had for less, and when I was looking for a QD the Larue's were on back order, the GG&G's were readily available.
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FireEMT5
Optics Journeyman Joined: September/07/2010 Location: S.E. Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 317 |
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Here's a link I've found very useful. It runs down quite a few one piece mounts. Good place to compare specs, measurements in one place.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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I have now torture tested the Bobro (but not pushed it to failure - that tends to diminish the value of the mount.)
I will have a more thorough write-up shortly, but a few quick thoughts. 1. The fasteners still make me nervous (since they ain't common and a lost nut will cause problems), but the damn thing stayed tight through a few hundred rounds and probably 50 on/offs. 2. The locking system works very, very well, all but impossible to trip accidentally, works as needed when you do need the optic off the gun. 3. Maybe it is my upper, but 1/3 co-witness was closer to 1/4th co-witness. I could get the irons through the Aimpoint, but just barely. 4. Lockup seems much more secure than LaRue, for this reason I'll probably be keeping the mount. LaRue is absolutely serviceable, but I have never been a huge fan of their lockup mechanism. 5. Minimal POI change when dismounting/remounting. My Aimpoint is 2MOA and I could not discern a shift in POI when shooting at targets 25-100 yards out. The Aimpoint ain't for precision anyway, and the mount seems to return to zero very consistently. More to follow, and pictures. |
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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Just checking to see how the Bobro's holding up?
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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I've got 2 ADM mounts, and I've had problems with both. Both are on AR-15s 5.56. On one mount, holding a SS3x9, the scope slipped in the mount. It was torqued to 20 inch pounds. I have re-torqued the rings to 25 inch pounds, but have not had a chance to see if that will solve the problem.
The other mount slipped on the reciever. I have tightened the nuts, and hopefully will get to try it out this weekend.
So far, I'm not impressed, but I'm not ready to give up on them yet.
I would like to know what RC thinks of them and what kind of luck he has with them.
Please see my updated comments below. Edited by BeltFed - February/06/2012 at 12:22 |
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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I have 3 bobros. So far they have been good for me. Mine get stuck on the gun rack on my wheeler often so they get bounced around a lot as we spend a lot of time on rough trails.
Repeatability is excellent also on taking on and off. I am pretty happy with them. |
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Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.
"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own." |
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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It's really a good product!
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If at first you don't secede...try..try again.
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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After hauling all my tools and instructions to re-mount and re-zero my scope in the ADM mount that slipped on the reciever, it was all for nothing. The scope was still zeroed. I just didn't have the base adjusted tight enough the first time I zeroed it. It is difficult to remove from the rifle now, but it returns to zero now.
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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cruft
Optics Apprentice Joined: November/20/2005 Status: Offline Points: 88 |
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GG&G QD mounts are working fine for me and certainly worth a look see.
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ScottsBad
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/27/2011 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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I've been experimenting with Bobro, LaRue, GG&G, and 1 ADM.
Bobro - I have three of these now. Pros - QD lever CAN be moved to either side (great for a SCAR), self adjusting QD works period, nice style (if you care about that), extended mount works with long eye relief scope (tested Trijicon TR21, TR24, and even a NF NXS 2.5-10), holds on SCAR 17 test, repeats zero. Cons - Too many parts, proper torque difficult to achieve due to placement of rear nuts, and odd fasteners. Scope rings are set relatively close together which may not work with some scopes (US Optics?). Comment - Very good mount, would bet my life on it. I don't like mounts with multiple machined parts that bolt together, but this holds together well so far. Held NF scope on SCAR 17 when LaRue EER slipped. Not really my favorite mount for large scopes like the NF NXS 2.5-10 because the rings are so close together and I worry about adequate support. Tried on SCAR 17, SCAR 16, Noveske 5.56, and BCM. GG&G - I have two, the FLT QD and the FLT bolt on. Pros - Mount, except necessary QD parts and top of rings, is machined out of ONE PIECE OF BILLET ALUMINUM (Minimal parts to come apart!). FLT bolt on seems very very light. QD locks up very well, but requires some adjustment. Again minimal parts and single piece. Ring bolts are standard type and easy to torque. Cons - I don't care for the rail adjustment method, it has a funky screw set up. QD has no lock. Rings are relatively close together, but useable. GG&G only offers a couple models and NONE OF THE MODELS HAVE 1" RINGS (must use spacers). Comments - Actually a very solid one piece mount which I have tested on a couple ARs. The QD IS solid and stays put even with no lock. Not the best mount for really long eye relief scopes (TR21) on an AR, as you run out of rail for NTCH shooting. They have another model which I do not own that provides less extention. I LOVE the fact that these mounts are machined out of a single piece instead of multiple pieces bolted together. LaRue - I only own one one piece scope mount, but I have a T-1 mount and an Aimpoint magnifier flip to side mount. Pros - Very well respected and battle tested mounts, materials and workmanship are superb, a number of models to fill just about every need (except a good SCAR 17 solution IMHO). Solid rail lock, with easy adjustment. QD mechanism is simple and compact. Mounts are reasonably light weight. Plenty of space between rings mounts. Cons - QD mechanism seems a bit dated (But works well.), requires two levers for traditional scope mount. Mount made from multiple machined parts instead of billet. Vertically split rings are not my favorite and I do not like the torque of the scope ring being tied to the tightness of the scope ring to the mount base (Although some people love them). NF NXS 2.5-10 in LaRue SPR-E shifted after 20 rounds on the SCAR 17S. On the aimpoint mounts - T-1 mount does not line up with magnifier mount as well as I would like (But really the T-1 is not a great sight to use with a magnifier anyway). Comments - Even with my reservations you cannot discount the fact that LaRue has a long history and proven track record. If you want a solid mount that just does its job you cannot go wrong if you pick the proper LaRue mount. If you are looking for more modern designs then check out some of the others. I choose the SPR-E in an attempt to keep the QD mechanism back away from the charging handle on my SCAR 17. Apparently, the recoil impulse of the SCAR 17 matched with the extened mount and a NF NXS 2.5-10 created a situation were the scope actually rotated slightly. This, with the mount properly torqued and mounted. However, the SPR-E is unflappable with a SWFA 1-4 on an AR. ADM - I own exactly one ADM mount and it is not common configuration. It is the AD-RECON-Delta. Pros - The AD-RECON-Delta is not the standard config for an ADM mount. It is extremely robust with a fewer parts and more traditional horizonal split rings. The QD mechanism is very well designed and provides high clamping force. It is easy to adjust, and each lever has its own locking mecanism. The finish and machining are very good. Cons - The QD mechanism can go from just snug to tight in what seems like an eight of a turn. It is easy to make the mount so tight that your fingers cannot flip the mechanism to release the mount without using something to pry it open, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER. I do not care for the standard ADM design with vertical rings and bolt together design as much as I like the AD-RECON-Delta design. Comments - A more modern QD design than the LaRue, it still requires adjustment (Unlike the Bobro), but provides a larger clamping area on the rail than the LaRue. The standard ADM mounts have too many parts and vertical split rings which I do not favor, but seem to work find for many people. The AD-RECON-Delta was designed for the SCAR and works very very very well. The mount has fewer parts and the body is machined mainly of a single piece of aluminum. The horizontal rings are robust and easier to torque. I have only tested this mount with a NF NXS 2.5-20 on my SCAR 17. After several hundred rounds there has been ZERO problems. Overall - I like the QD mechanism of the Bobro for its ability to tenaciously grip the rail with one lever and no adjustment. I like the AD-RECON-Delta for its absolute rock solidity with excellent QD capability. But like the LaRue and Bobro, I don't like the multi part bolt together designs. I like the LaRue for its reputation, rail lock, finish and selection of mounts. I like the GG&G for its single piece light design. In the end, all of these mounts can do the job if chosen for the right purpose. Bobro works best for shorter scopes. For heavier scopes ADM or LaRue. For really big bang, use rings. Just my opinion |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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As this old thread has been resurrected, I'll add a little to update.
Since the initial post almost 3 years ago, EVERYTHING has changed in the QD game. I've had rails get chewed to hell by LaRue, I've done a few dismount/remount relays and found the LaRue to wander more than I'd like, and I've found the Aadmount and AD Recon mount to hold up much better than any other (tried) option. I no longer own a LaRue and don't see one in my near future. My QDs are all now of the AD or Aadmount variation. I like the Bobro, but ended up selling it with an Aimpoint awhile back. The new owner is a friend and still likes it, still hasn't lost any of the proprietary mounting nuts.
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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ScottsBad
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/27/2011 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Yeah, old post, but still relevant. It makes sense to follow how your stuff holds up over time. The Bobro is holding up OK for me as I mentioned. I wish we could get feedback from others about their experiences.I found that the LaRue does chew the rail finish, but not the rail material. But, I believe that the rails are tools and therefore will see wear.
I'm glad to hear that you are liking the ADM. |
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Renartp
Optics GrassHopper Joined: March/11/2013 Status: Offline Points: 7 |
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Is there a specific guide explaing how I should mount my NightForce Optic? I just received my mount and I am being extra careful with it.
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