Has anyone mounted a scope low on an AR type rifle?

[mellow_c]

Standard centerline height for AR sights is 1.5" I believe. Most rings or one piece scope mounts are set at that height.

That height is fine and works for me, but i have to use more of a chin wield than a cheek wield.

I would like to mount a scope lower than that, so i can actually put my cheek against the A2 stock i will be using to get proper alignment with the scope.

I might be going for a scope like this vortex 4-16x44
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/24...de-focus-matte

The rifle has a continuous top rail from the receiver through to the end of the handguard (not a one piece, but you know what i mean) so i would need to make sure the objective lens will be clear of the rail. I don't think i could go much lower with a 50mm lens, and I'm sure i could go real low with a 40mm, but the 44mm sounds like a good middle of the road option for light transfer and the ability to mount it lower.

I figure with the A2 stock i might have enough length of pull to have proper eye relief even if i use regular rings and don't have a one piece mount that let's you mount the scope further forward, but i don't really know.

I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has done something like this before and what products they used as a set up. I know what I'd like to accomplish, but i don't know what is out there product wise and what combination I would need for it all to end up working out. I hate to return things, so id love to have confidence that I'm buying stuff that will work together from the get go.

To summarize, I'd like to mount a 30mm scope body (or I could go with a 1" if I need to) with 44mm objective lens, lower than normal on an AR rifle with continuous top rail, and forward enough that i can get proper eye relief with an A2 stock.

I'm not gonna hold my breath, but maybe I'll get lucky and someone will have some good input for me. Thanks!

[mellow_c]

P.S.
I've searched this question or variations of it quite a few times on the internet and I still haven't found much info on the idea. Not enough that I feel confident in placing any orders on any particular products anyway.
And I know that a lot of people will just say to stick with standard height mounts for muscle memory and consistency... But I'm looking to be different this time and would enjoy something a bit more comfortable and I also think I would enjoy the lower profile look of a low mounted scope, plus it puts the scope closer to the bore which is always a good thing. So, I think it's worth a shot!

[Mobuck]

I use whatever ring height gives me proper eye alignment when the rifle is mounted.

[mellow_c]

That's very appropriate

I think it would be a safe bet for me if i were to mount the 44mm scope as low as it can be mounted and still clear the top rail.

[HiBC]

Do you have iron sights on the rifle? How is the sight height for you?
You can estimate a good ring height from there.

[jmr40]

I don't think mounting a scope that low on an AR will work. Common sporter rifles have the stock 1.5" or so lower than the barrel. Mounting the scope 1" or so above the top of the barrel aligns the scope with the eye. You're actually 1.5" from the center of the barrel to the center of the scope on most bolt rifles.

Iron sights or optics on an AR will be about 2.5" above the bore. A traditional scope mount would make it almost impossible to see through the scope. You'll be looking over it.

The stock on AR's is at the same height as the barrel.

[mellow_c]

I do not have iron sights on the rifle, and I don't plane to put any on.

A friend of mine just decided to slap a scope on an AR rifle one day. I think it was a 40 or 42 mm Redfield. He was just using two scope rings mounted to the upper receiver rail. I don't remember how well he had it set up for eye relief, I think it may have been a little too close to your eye (I just looked through it by shouldering it a few times in the house) but the scope was indeed mounted lower than a typical AR height optic or iron sights. And it was just about perfect. Maybe could have even gone a bit lower, but probably safer not to.

I think about how I looked through a red dot sight once on an AR rifle that was at "HK" sight height, , , so I think it used a medium height mount or something? but it was lower than your typical Eotech or other red dot with a mount. I remember it being almost optimal... again, could have maybe gone a bit lower, but probably best not to.

I could probably try to figure out exactly what height those rings and mounts were (maybe just what height HK type sights are) and then try to find rings or a one piece mount in that height that will work with whatever scope I choose and then buy it all and just hope it clears the rail... I just have a feeling it would be kind of hard to gather all the right measurements online for the mount and scope along with the thickness of the scope caps and all that to be sure it would clear the top rail of the handguard.

[turkeestalker]

I originally set up my AR platform .308 Windham with a 3-9x by 40 Nikon with offset rings that put it about 1 1/2" above the rail and didn't like it.
Uncomfortable and it got in my way for easily operating the charge handle.
Switched to a 2-7x by 32 Nikon with another couple of inches of eye relief on quick detach medium height rings and love it.

[9x19]

This is one of my hunting rifles (.300AAC), with a Bushnell 1.5x-6x 44mm scope on top.

With some really high conventional rings (or a 1/2" riser and some low/med rigns), you could maybe get it 3/8" closer to the top rail, but for me the current height is ideal in terms of cheek weld.

Good luck.

[9x19]

This is an old pic of mine, another rifle (7.62x39mm) using 1/2" risers with high rings. The scope is a Vortex Diamondback 3x-9x 40mm. Again you could get the scope lower with lower rings.

[pete2]

I mounted my P223 scope on Nikons P223 mounts, Rock River A4. Had to raise it another 1/2". I think even the shape of your face makes a difference.

[stagpanther]

How are you going to get line of sight alignment with just a cheek weld and low rings (1" I assume)--without having to cock your head? I think you would have issues with a larger front scope bell clearing the rail as well.

[zukiphile]

Standard centerline height for AR sights is 1.5" I believe.

I believe they are much closer to 1.4, but many rings are 1.5. I find a 38mm too tall, but there are also a number of mounts that come in at 31mm. I find those unusable.

If your current mount is 38mm, tape junk to your stock until you have correct support. Take off the junk and measure, and you have the math for your next mount.

[Blue Duck]

I tried it with some high rifle mounts, Not AR Mounts and it was doable but not natural, I had to cock my head over sideways to get low enough to see thru the scope. I put up with it for a while but eventually changed them out for a light one piece AR scope mount. It was much better.

However, my brother in law, only a couple of hours ago, showed me his 300 BLK in which he had just mounted a vortex scope down pretty low because he wanted a low bore axis to get trajectory as flat as possible. We will see how he gets along with it, but once again, it didn't work well from me, and I think one is giving up too much when they go that route.

[Mobuck]

If you have to force your face into the stock, it's not going to work . If you happen to have a thin face and/or high cheekbones, it's not that hard to use the lower rings.
BTW there's no requirement to use "AR rings". I use a specific brand of "high see through" rings that put the scope at the proper height--have at least a dozen set up with that ring and it's perfect for myself and my older Son who also shoots my rifles.

[FrankenMauser]

It doesn't work.
It's nearly impossible to get eye alignment with scopes mounted low on an AR.

This hodge-podge joke was thrown together to launch some golf balls with whatever leftover parts I had on hand (after selling my previous dedicated golf ball launcher).
The scope was included specifically because it is impossible to use when mounted below standard height. It was fun to watch my brothers, nieces, nephews, and father try to aim with the scope while unable to actually get their eye low enough.

[Crankylove]

The above contraption is one of the funnest guns I’ve ever shot.

And, that low mounted scope was impossible to use.

[Rembrandt]

Tried to get the scope as low as possible, but also needed additional length to space rings apart that the upper receiver didn't offer. Used a secondary cantilever mount rather than change out the forearm.

[Duke of Lawn Chair]

I use(d) this in F class. It's pretty low and when laying on your belly, fit quite comfortably.

[mellow_c]

Ha!

You guys and your comments about having to cock your head to the side and it being nearly impossible to get correct eye alignment with a low mounted scope really had me second guessing myself.

Just to be clear. I'm not looking to mount any old scope just as low as possible. I'd just like to mount one lower than typical AR height. And I'm thinking that with a 44mm objective, I could probably mount that as low as possible with a continuous top rail and likely find it to be at a comfortable height. For Me.

I don't have a scope right now, so maybe I should buy one first in anticipation of making something work with rings or a mount AFTER I have the scope around to play with. I could do something like zukiphile said and "tape junk to my stock" until I have the right eye alignment with the scope in a traditional mount (which I have an extra one I can use) and then take off the junk measure its thickness to see how much lower I would like to mount the scope. Then try to find rings or a mount that would work (Cross my fingers)

Back to what I said about second guessing myself... Just to be sure I wasn't out of my mind or doing something dumb like cocking my head to the side or otherwise not shouldering/mounting the rifle properly... I just checked with another AR that has a standard height scope and mount on it and sure enough... If keep my head straight up and down and bring my cheek and eye down to the rifle, or the rifle up to my eye and cheek (either way) the scope ends up too high. I find that I instead need to use the side of my jaw bone to keep my eye up enough to see through the center of the scope.

If I bring my cheek down to the stock, the way I would a shotgun, I'm looking just above the bottom of the optical lens and hardly seeing anything through the scope.

Do you guys just have big fat faces?

I'm not a small guy, nor do I have a small face or head, but the height of standard AR sights is just not a natural alignment for me.

I've adjusted to it, and I'm not about to make any changes to any rifles I currently own. But I do think it would be nice to mount a scope lower on an AR (not TOO low!!!) as I think it would be a comfortable change from the norm.

This very subject is one of the reasons for the existence of stocks like the PRS from Magpul... but since I'm just dealing with an A2 stock, I'd like to bring the scope down to my eyes natural level rather than add any extra material to the stock to bring my eye to the scopes level.

Some nice pictures and examples so far, and some good suggestions as well. Very happy with the idea of making this a reality, so now it's just a mater of figuring out the right combination of parts on the first try. Anymore suggestions or examples would be greatly appreciated!

[ms6852]

Have you considered replacing the A2 stock with a Magpul PRS stock. It has an adjustable cheek weld and lop. I love mine.

[fourbore]

When I got my first AR, I mounted the scope down low and found the butt stock was too high and it did not work. Human anatomy dictate a higher scope mounting with an ar type butt stock. I assume the OP is human and not handycap.

I asked the same question. Was told old-school low would not work. Did it any way. Surprise! Low does not work. You dont need exactly 1.5 inch and there is NOTHIN to say you need to use a one piece mount.

Mo gave the obvious answer. What is the big deal??? Buy some rings and check it out. Seriously, buy some rings and check it out. $14 at walmart - How hard is that?

[zukiphile]

Duke's optic has a centerline of 37mm unless he found extraordinarily low rings, less than 10mm from bottom of ring to bottom of scope. Even if that's only a one inch scope, it's probably a 35mm centerline.

If you want to try a half inch riser, the YHM-9474 is a bit less expensive. However, if you are starting at 12.7mm, the rings would have to be extremely low.

This has a centerline of 32.7mm

https://www.amazon.com/UTG-Integral-.../dp/B00CJ7F6Z6

I received one of these attached to a scope I took in a trade. If memory serves, the centerline was 30.9mm.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tactical-Ri....c100005.m1851

I just saw that you will use a 30mm scope. These rings will have a 30mm centerline.

http://leapers.com/index.php?act=pro...1409_1363_1411

This mount would provide a 33mm centerline.

http://leapers.com/index.php?act=pro...temno=AIR31850

[Zen Archery]

Originally Posted by Mobuck

I use whatever ring height gives me proper eye alignment when the rifle is mounted.

This...

[stagpanther]

I believe the AR was originally designed so you can do a "blind alignment" by simply tapping your nose to the charge handle; otherwise you are likely to get into a game of "musical chairs" as you adjust the stock, scope and shooting position. You Vets may have a better perspective on this.