One piece mounts are a popular choice for many shooters but there are some factors to consider. Heere are the pros and cons of the one piece design to consider when deciding if they are for you
Pros and Cons of One-Piece Scope Mounts
Pros:
- Alignment - The one-piece design ensures that both rings are 100% aligned, reducing the chance of scope misalignment, which can negatively affect accuracy.
- Stability and Recoil Resistance - One-piece mounts offer greater stability due to their solid structure, particularly useful for high-recoil rifles or tactical shooting.
- Durability - More durable and rigid than two-piece mounts, as there are fewer individual parts that can wear or fail over time.
- Holds Zero Better - The solid construction helps maintain zero more reliably, even after removing and reinstalling the scope.
- Easier to install compared to two-piece mounts since you don’t have to worry about aligning two separate bases.
- Elevated Mounting - Typically offers slightly higher scope placement, providing extra clearance for large objective lenses and better cheek weld positioning.
- Additional Features - Many one-piece mounts come with integrated features like 20 MOA slants for long-range shooting, giving more adjustment for elevation.
Cons:
- Heavier - One-piece mounts tend to be heavier than two-piece options, not well suited for lightweight builds or for hunting where every ounce matters.
- Bulkier – The build an interfere with other components on the rifle or make the rifle less maneuverable in tight spaces.
- Less Customization – 1 piece mounts generally offer less flexibility in terms of how far forward or backward you can mount the scope, limiting adjustments for eye relief. Though a cantilever design can get round this.
- Cost – Often more expensive than two-piece mounts due to their more robust construction and added material.
- Rail Limitations - Some rifles may not have enough space on the rail or may have a top magazine or bolt that does not allow for a once piece.
- Compact scope fitting – Most 1 piece mounts have a length that is too long for most compact scopes ocular and objective bell distances - what we call the Total Mounting distance. see post diagram. For example, if you have 100mm mounting distance but the ring is say 126mm (see image example) then not gonna fit
- Large saddle scope problems – the height from base to ring bottom may be too little for some scopes with big centre turret saddles. Check your scope if it is big compared to the scope measures