PSA: Cantilever mounts are designed specifically to solve a problem on ARs and are not the best option for lever actions or bolt actions
Posted by HybridP365@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 7 comments
Disclaimer: This is meant entirely as a good faith post to help out newbies. I am in no way bashing people's builds or saying you can't do what you want to your guns. Just trying to spread a bit of good info.
As seen in the photos:
ARs tend to have the cheek rest basically in line with the top rail, and fairly close to the back of the receiver. Because of this, it can be difficult to get the correct eye relief on a scope without bringing the optic, i.e., placing it across both the receiver and handguard. The handguard can flex, which can throw off the zero. To get around this, the Cantilever mount was created. The entire point is to push the optic forward far enough to get good eye relief without bridging. And to raise it a bit since the check rest is in line with the rail.
Conversely, levers and bolt actions(and technically shotguns) have much longer stocks(length of pull) that angle down from the receiver. Because of this much larger height difference between the rail and the cheek rest, as well as being much farther back from the receiver, you generally want to move the scope back not forwards, and have it as low as possible to enable a good cheek weld and not have to hold your head up too high. Cantilevers are basically the opposite of what you want in that situation.
TL:DR Don't use a Cantilever or riser on lever actions or bolt actions. Get the lowest height scope rings you can that will still allow the scope bell to clear the barrel, and put it as far back as necessary for good eye relief.
Diligent-Parfait-236@reddit
I've seen many a rifle with scopes with insufficient eye relief for their stock/rail spacing. While raising the scope is less ideal than buying a better scope, using a cantilever mount correctly (backwards) can solve this issue on these guns.
onceagainwithstyle@reddit
This is just coping with bad equipment.
Diligent-Parfait-236@reddit
Yes, and?
QuinceDaPence@reddit
It's what we do.
HybridP365@reddit (OP)
While that's true, you then run into the chin weld issue. Adding a comb or riser can help that, but it's still not ideal.
THELEGENDARYZWARRIOR@reddit
Redditor discovers mount height
HybridP365@reddit (OP)
Just saw a post the other day with a backwards mounted cantilever on a lever action and made me think of putting out this PSA to hopefully help someone out.