Mounting a Nikon M-223 Scope Mount

globemaster3 · October 29, 2017, 05:19 PM

Ok folks, I'm mounting a Nikon M-223 mount on a flat top AR and it just doesn't want to slide on from either end of the upper. This is my first experience using a one-piece scope mount on an AR, as I have used rings on all my others. I can get it started about an 1/8" with a little finagling, but feel I will have to resort to a rubber hammer to get it to slide down. I've always operated by the premise that if you have to force it, you're probably doing something wrong.

Knowing that different brands' specs can be off a thousandth or so, is this normal? Anything I am missing?

ed308 · October 29, 2017, 05:27 PM

You need to loosen the screws so the side piece can be move out far enough to position the mount where you want it. Then tighten the screws which will lock the mount in place. You won't be able to slide due to the design of the mount.

globemaster3 · October 29, 2017, 05:32 PM

Ed, I wish it was that simple. I completely removed the bolts on the bottom, but unlike other designs, there are no wedge pieces that come off! The base is 1 solid piece, and the bolts designed to fit pretty well in the pic rail grooves.

Pops1085 · October 29, 2017, 05:34 PM

I wouldn't pound it on. Did you purchase it from a store or online?

If you bought it from a gun store I'd bring it back to them and ask them to help you install it. That way some of the liability is on them and not on you. There's no reason to beat the snot out of your rifle and possibly mess up the pic rails on top.

Troy800 · October 29, 2017, 05:43 PM

Some pics might help. Some of us work best withsome visual aids.

globemaster3 · October 29, 2017, 05:55 PM

Pops, I appreciate the advice, and would normally seek that recourse before posting. However, I bought 2 of these at Bass Pro for 2 identical uppers and the bass pro is an hour 20 away. I would never "beat the snot" out of something... unless it deserved it!

Troy, in all my years on here, I have failed miserably at posting photos. I will try to attach one in a few minutes.

I was hoping to find someone who had installed this particular one before.

globemaster3 · October 29, 2017, 06:19 PM

Working on shrinking the file size to the 244kb limit.

globemaster3 · October 29, 2017, 06:56 PM

Ok, after editing this post 3 times, I give up. I got it uploaded in a test email in the test section, but can't seem to replicate here, even changing the file name to upload... it just gives me the error that I've already uploaded the file...

Copy and pasting the URL from the test email to here doesn't work either.

Maybe time to forget this and just buy another couple sets of Warne rings.

ed308 · October 29, 2017, 07:33 PM

Looking at Nikon website, I must have the M-223 XR model which has the side piece that detaches. Other have commented they've had trouble sliding the mount on for the same mount as the OP. You might try using a rubber mallet. But I think I would exchange it for a different mount.

globemaster3 · October 29, 2017, 07:42 PM

Yeah, the ER has a cant built in for long range.

The two I am mounting are designed for hunting, so cartridge limitations put me a 300 yards or less... no need for the ER capability.

Jut a bummer, was going to set it up for the kids tonight and go to the range tomorrow. Did not anticipate not being able to get them to fit on the rail...

globemaster3 · October 29, 2017, 08:17 PM

Well, decided to give the rubber hammer a shot but determined ahead of time that any more force than just some taps would be too much and I would either visit a smith or just go purchase regular rings. Just some love taps got it into place. There was some very slight marring of the finish on the underside of the pic rail, but nothing really noticeable.

I also love tapped it the other way a couple times along the way and it backed out, so it's not like I am going to be stuck with a "permanent" mount...

Now off to the range tomorrow!

ed308 · October 29, 2017, 09:44 PM

Glad it worked.

DaleA · October 30, 2017, 01:47 AM

I've got a friend with a Ruger AR-556 that got that mount and then traded it immediately for an quick detachable mount. On his Ruger it would slide on from the back but not the front...based on your experience it probably would have slid on from the front if he would have 'persuaded' it a little bit.

If anybody wants to see it, here's an add from Midway for the mount. It certainly felt and looked like a quality piece of work to me but I know little about scopes and mounting them.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/37...op-ar-15-matte

P.S. I share your pain on posting pictures. Every time I try to post a photo it's like pulling teeth...I have to go back to the tech section and re-read the directions a couple of times.

globemaster3 · October 31, 2017, 01:05 AM

After mounting those scopes last night, I took the 16 year old out for her first day shooting an AR and also anything bigger than .22LR. At 25 yards, I got the 5.56 upper sighted in with XM193 and refreshed the 3" stick on Shoot-n-C style target.

Then it was her turn. After walking her through the process and dry firing a bit, she loaded a 5 round mag and put the first round into battery. The first trigger pull shocked her from the noise, but hit the bullseye. She then proceeded to go through 4 magazines and kept all of her shots in a 3" circle. If I discount a couple fliers, she's closer to 2 inches.

In the end, smiles all around! Tomorrow we are going back to focus on the 100 yard range and then swap uppers to a matching 6.8 SPC and start the process over.

October 29, 2017, 05:19 PM	#1
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Mounting a Nikon M-223 Scope Mount Ok folks, I'm mounting a Nikon M-223 mount on a flat top AR and it just doesn't want to slide on from either end of the upper. This is my first experience using a one-piece scope mount on an AR, as I have used rings on all my others. I can get it started about an 1/8" with a little finagling, but feel I will have to resort to a rubber hammer to get it to slide down. I've always operated by the premise that if you have to force it, you're probably doing something wrong. Knowing that different brands' specs can be off a thousandth or so, is this normal? Anything I am missing? __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

October 29, 2017, 05:32 PM	#3
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Ed, I wish it was that simple. I completely removed the bolts on the bottom, but unlike other designs, there are no wedge pieces that come off! The base is 1 solid piece, and the bolts designed to fit pretty well in the pic rail grooves. __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

October 29, 2017, 05:55 PM	#6
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Pops, I appreciate the advice, and would normally seek that recourse before posting. However, I bought 2 of these at Bass Pro for 2 identical uppers and the bass pro is an hour 20 away. I would never "beat the snot" out of something... unless it deserved it! Troy, in all my years on here, I have failed miserably at posting photos. I will try to attach one in a few minutes. I was hoping to find someone who had installed this particular one before. __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

October 29, 2017, 06:19 PM	#7
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Working on shrinking the file size to the 244kb limit. __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

October 29, 2017, 06:56 PM	#8
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Ok, after editing this post 3 times, I give up. I got it uploaded in a test email in the test section, but can't seem to replicate here, even changing the file name to upload... it just gives me the error that I've already uploaded the file... Copy and pasting the URL from the test email to here doesn't work either. Maybe time to forget this and just buy another couple sets of Warne rings. __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control." Last edited by globemaster3; October 29, 2017 at 07:12 PM. Reason: First and second attachment attempt failed

October 29, 2017, 05:27 PM	#2
ed308 Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2016 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 1,147	You need to loosen the screws so the side piece can be move out far enough to position the mount where you want it. Then tighten the screws which will lock the mount in place. You won't be able to slide due to the design of the mount.

October 29, 2017, 05:34 PM	#4
Pops1085 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2012 Posts: 369	I wouldn't pound it on. Did you purchase it from a store or online? If you bought it from a gun store I'd bring it back to them and ask them to help you install it. That way some of the liability is on them and not on you. There's no reason to beat the snot out of your rifle and possibly mess up the pic rails on top.

October 29, 2017, 05:43 PM	#5
Troy800 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2015 Posts: 118	Some pics might help. Some of us work best withsome visual aids.

October 29, 2017, 07:33 PM	#9
ed308 Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2016 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 1,147	Looking at Nikon website, I must have the M-223 XR model which has the side piece that detaches. Other have commented they've had trouble sliding the mount on for the same mount as the OP. You might try using a rubber mallet. But I think I would exchange it for a different mount.

October 29, 2017, 07:42 PM	#10
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Yeah, the ER has a cant built in for long range. The two I am mounting are designed for hunting, so cartridge limitations put me a 300 yards or less... no need for the ER capability. Jut a bummer, was going to set it up for the kids tonight and go to the range tomorrow. Did not anticipate not being able to get them to fit on the rail... __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

October 29, 2017, 08:17 PM	#11
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Well, decided to give the rubber hammer a shot but determined ahead of time that any more force than just some taps would be too much and I would either visit a smith or just go purchase regular rings. Just some love taps got it into place. There was some very slight marring of the finish on the underside of the pic rail, but nothing really noticeable. I also love tapped it the other way a couple times along the way and it backed out, so it's not like I am going to be stuck with a "permanent" mount... Now off to the range tomorrow! __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

October 29, 2017, 09:44 PM	#12
ed308 Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2016 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 1,147	Glad it worked.

October 30, 2017, 01:47 AM	#13
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	I've got a friend with a Ruger AR-556 that got that mount and then traded it immediately for an quick detachable mount. On his Ruger it would slide on from the back but not the front...based on your experience it probably would have slid on from the front if he would have 'persuaded' it a little bit. If anybody wants to see it, here's an add from Midway for the mount. It certainly felt and looked like a quality piece of work to me but I know little about scopes and mounting them. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/37...op-ar-15-matte P.S. I share your pain on posting pictures. Every time I try to post a photo it's like pulling teeth...I have to go back to the tech section and re-read the directions a couple of times.

October 31, 2017, 01:05 AM	#14
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	After mounting those scopes last night, I took the 16 year old out for her first day shooting an AR and also anything bigger than .22LR. At 25 yards, I got the 5.56 upper sighted in with XM193 and refreshed the 3" stick on Shoot-n-C style target. Then it was her turn. After walking her through the process and dry firing a bit, she loaded a 5 round mag and put the first round into battery. The first trigger pull shocked her from the noise, but hit the bullseye. She then proceeded to go through 4 magazines and kept all of her shots in a 3" circle. If I discount a couple fliers, she's closer to 2 inches. In the end, smiles all around! Tomorrow we are going back to focus on the 100 yard range and then swap uppers to a matching 6.8 SPC and start the process over. __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."