A common mistake folks can make when picking a set of direct mount / 1-piece scope rings like our Hawkins Precision Long-Range Hybrids or Featherweights is selecting the incorrect ring for your action type or profile.
An example of what can happen is instead of purchasing a Stiller Pattern featherweight for a Weatherby 307, folks will grab a set of rings for a Remington 700, and they do not fit. It’s easy to figure out once you get the rings on the rifle as they are flat in the back and the hole spacing for the screws is off. This doesn’t make sense because you have a Remington 700 clone action. So, what’s the deal?
Well, as you know from our custom action video, not all R700 actions are set up the same. There are three variations you’ll need to know when selecting scope rings or picatinny rail bases for a Remington 700 pattern action. Let’s break it down.
Remington 700 Direct Mount Rings –
Remington 700s and any action that is a complete clone have .860” hole spacing on the front mounting screws and .605 hole spacing and a flat rear bridge for the rear. The action will use either 6-48 or 8-40 screws depending on the configuration.
A telltale sign you have a R700 pattern action is the flat bridge, or you can grab a set of calibers and measure the center-to-center hole spacing on the front and rear mounting locations of the action.
Note: some of these actions can have an accommodation for a recoil pin, and some do not. However, the Springfield Waypoint has a recoil pin hole, but it is not in the standard location for Remington 700s.
Examples of these actions are:
Remington 700, Bergara, Christensen Arms, Fierce Rival, HS Precision, Nosler M48, and the Springfield Waypoint 2020.
Stiller/Lone Peak Arms Pattern Direct Mount Scope Rings –
The next variation is the Stiller profile. These round actions that have .860” mounting hole spacing front and back and have an accommodation for a pin in the center of the mounting points. Screws for these are generally always 8-40.
This is by far the most popular configuration you’ll find on custom actions.
Examples of these actions are:
Stiller, Lone Peak Razor and Razor TI, Impact Precision, Kelbly, Zermatt Arms, Pierce Engineering, Pure Precision, Kauger Arms, the Weatherby 307, Mack Bros EVO 1, BAT Ignitor, the Tuebor Legion, and even the Savage 110.
Defiance Pattern Direct Mount Scope Rings:
The next configuration you’ll find is on Defiance actions. These are fully round actions that have a .860” front hole spacing and .605 rear on a round rear bridge. These actions also come with an accommodation for a recoil pin. Screws are also 8-40.
Examples of this are the Defiance line of actions, Mac Bros EVOII, Falkor LW7, and the Allterra C2 action.
Additional Fitment Notes:
Those are the most popular actions and hole spacing / action profile for each. However, there are a few additional items to keep in mind if you are using an action on the list above.
Terminus and Curtis use the same hole spacing as a Stiller, however they use 8-32 screws. We have not been able to find a suitable screw for this configuration, so our Long-Range Hybrid rings and Featherweights will not work on those actions.
Additionally, the Zermatt Origin, TL3, and SR3 have the same center-to-center hole spacing as a Stiller, but they have a different spacing distance from the front/rear mounting areas. If you mount a set of Long-Range Hybrids with the built in 25-MOA of cant, they will put your scope in a very slight bind with a set of Stiller pattern rings. However, the 0MOA Featherweights work just fine.
Conclusion –
And that is the hole spacing of actions for direct mount rings.
Hawkins has created a brand-new page on the website dedicated to selecting and the right Long-Range Hybrid or Featherweight Scope rings for your action that is more user-friendly.
Visit it here: https://hawkinsprecision.com/long-range-hybrids/