Re: MOA elevated base?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: balls2elwall</div><div class="ubbcode-body">oh one more question in your opinion should i get picatiny style? </div></div>
It really depends on what you're wanting to do. The big advantage of Picatinny style in my opinion is that you can swap one expensive scope between several rifles with the same bases.
For example one of the AMU guys always puts the same NF base on his rifles, and just swaps his favorite scope between whichever one he is shooting. He claims it repeats to 1/2 MOA on every rifle, but of course each rifle has a different "zero" for the scope in windage and elevation. I guess he doesn't mind keeping track of that and he gets to shoot enough to always have the settings fresh in his head.
The Picatinny rails tend to raise the scope up higher over the bore, and are heavier than other types. But for long actions the extra strength of the base can really stiffen the action up which is a good thing.
Like I said, for my hunting rifles I prefer a lighter weight base that sits lower over the bore. I use the Leupold twist-in bases and just shim them to get the range I want. I'm also using lightweight scopes (Nikon or Sightron, usually < 1 lb) so I don't worry about the recoil stressing the rings too much. For range rifles or anything going over 800 yards or with a scope over 20 oz weight, I use a NF picatinny steel rail with recoil lug, and steel rings. Both systems work well for me and are reliable and accurate when set up properly.
One other thing I don't like about the picatinny rails is that they can cover a substantial portion of the ejection port, making it hard to load or unload the rifle sometimes.