I guess I was good this year

[WingMaster]

I bought an Encore 209X50 last winter to use muzzle loader hunting.  It was a lot of fun and I ended up tagging two nice, tasty whitetails this fall with it.

For Christmas this year, I was given a new barrel in 223 and a new rifle fore-end.  The fore-end has a beautiful burled woodgrain to it.  I was completely blown away - I wasn't expecting it in the least - though I do put "Varmint Rifle" on mu list every birthday and Christmas...

So...  I need to scope this rig.

In an effort to save a bit of cash over the long run, I have thought I may invest in a quality detachable base set and a good scope that I can move from barrel to barrel as I get new ones.  I plan on a Leupold VX II in 3X9 for the scope.  I have considered Warne and Leupold QD mounts for my barrel(s).

I think the next barrel (someday) will be a 243.  I don't envision getting a barrel any larger than 270 or 308 for this rig.  My 338 will be its own set-up.

Considering that I won't be putting a monster calibered barrel on this, am I on the right track, or off base or crazy to go with a QD syystem?  Anby other ideas or thoughts on a way to procede here?

Thanks and Merry Christmas.

Dave

[Keith L]

I am not a fan of QD mounts.  When you take them off and then return them to the same barrel you will be close to zero, but you still have to shoot to make sure it is on.  When you move them from barrel to barrel you have to sight them in each time.  It always seemed to me that the scope was never on the barrel I wanted.

The other issue is that QD rings have is that they are inherently weak, with a small cross section on the pins used to mate with the bases.  You said you weren't going to have a heavy recoiling gun, but if you decide to go that way it is likely you will have failure of the mount system.

The last point is that a varment barrel has far different needs than a deer rifle, so a double duty scope will be a compromise on at least one end.

Good luck to you, and have fun with this.