If you love shooting, you would want to get everything you can to make your shooting experience worthwhile. You have bought an expensive rifle, the best scope you could find in the market, and all the other accessories required with that. But the efficacy of your weapon depends on how well you use it. Among other things, properly mounting your weapon is crucial if you want to make the best use of it. There are a variety of options of weapon mounts available in the market. A weapon mount is a system used to hold a weapon on a platform. It is essential to maximize the potential of a weapon and a valuable shooting experience.
There are so many different riflescope mounts, rails, and rings in the market that one is bound to get confused about the difference. One such option is a Cantilever mount.
Wondering what a Cantilever mount is?
Now, you must be wondering what a cantilever mount is? Let me tell you about it in good detail so that the next time you hear about it or come across it, you will know what it means. You will also understand how it functions, what its advantages and disadvantages are and what now and most importantly, whether you even want it for your rifle or not.
The Distinguishing Structure
The structure of the Cantilever mount includes a long projecting beam fixed at one end. It also extends out of that end. This distinctive structure of a Cantilever mount makes it easily distinguishable if placed with other different mounts. This distinguishing feature also explains what a Cantilever mount is. When you attach your scopes to other mounts, they sit directly above the receiver of the gun. But in a Cantilever mount, the scope is a bit more on the gun’s barrel and not the receiver.
Types of Cantilever Mount
Cantilever mounts can be of two types: one-piece and two-piece.
One-piece Cantilever mount
A one-piece Cantilever mount has a single ring. It is more rigid and gives more stability to the weapon. It also makes for excellent support. These types of Cantilever mounts work well for tactical rifles because they have more height. As there is only one ring, there is no hustle to align the two rings together. But there’s also a downside to it. The one-piece mount is heavy and can come in the way of the receiver when it comes to bolt action rifles that make it difficult to load rounds into the chamber directly.
Two-piece Cantilever mount
The two-piece rings are lighter than the one-piece ring, and they give more clearance between the scope body and the receiver and allow clear jams quickly. This feature is the reason that hunters prefer them. They are less in height as compared to a one-piece mount. However, you need to align the two rings with each other.
Specializations of a Cantilever Mount
A Cantilever mount includes a lot of exciting specializations. The most superior one is that both its length and height are adjustable. It doesn’t look essential, but if you ask all the specialists and the users, they would tell you how important it is and how much of a prominent role it plays. Another most significant aspect and feature, or we can say a bonus is that it can assist and fit in with both 1 inch or 30mm riflescopes. You have to attach or detach the inner rings to arrive wholly and appropriately.
The best part is it even has an integrated and fused rail system for attachment and accessories. Allen key, of course; how could we forget about that? It also includes the Allen Key.
Why do we use a Cantilever mount?
If you are willing to buy a Cantilever mount, you have these two different options, but what is similar in both these types of Cantilever mounts is that as the mount extends, it will also push the scope forward. In this way, it gives more space behind the optic. One fantastic thing about this is when the optic moves forward; it provides more eye relief. The pushed forward scope also gives a wide-ranging and substantial field of view to work; this is because the lens of the scope is moved forward from the eye and increases the shooter’s peripheral view.
A Cantilever mount gives enough space to mount an additional accessory with the scope, such as a magnifier. This feature is beneficial as we know that magnifiers increase the efficiency of some scopes. Moreover, it sits more on the barrel, and with that, it changes the center of balance of the rifle that improves accuracy.
As we have established already, the Cantilever doesn’t sit over the receiver. Now, while choosing and coupling the scope, you must keep this crucial information in mind that some scopes are heavier and bulkier, so the weight can fluctuate and make it look enormous and burdensome. Another critical factor is that it gives a few inches to the height of the scope. This added height can be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on how you’re shooting the rifle.
Like everything else, guns also come with a lot of accessories, attachments, and fittings. It depends on how fancy you want to get. Likewise, a cantilever scope mount comes with many accessories, features, options, and everything. It’s entirely up to your taste and mood. If you’re not satisfied with the strategic forward projection and you think that isn’t enough, then there are other exciting features as well. To begin with, it provides a crystal clear vision for trouble-free co-witnessing, extra and additional rails for arranging and organizing stuff and things on the vertex of your rings such as green light, or the best part is even the combination of all these things.
Some Popular Cantilever Mounts
There are many different and wide varieties of Cantilever scope mounts available in the market for sale. Featured below is a list of some popular Cantilever mounts:
- LaRue Tactical S.P.R. Q.D. Scope Mount LT104
- Vortex 2-Inch Offset Cantilever Scope Mount
- Aero Precision 30mm Ultralight Extended Scope Mount
- NcStar AR15 QR Weaver Cantilever Scope Mount
- Rock River Arms Hi-Rise Cantilever Scope Mount
- Warne R.A.M.P. 30mm Tactical Scope Mount
- AR-Stoner Gen 2 Extended 1-Piece Cantilever Scope Mount
- American Defense AD-Recon 30 S.T.D. Rifle Scope Mount
- Sage Detachable Scope Mount for M1A EBR
If you have made it to the end of this article, then that means you have read it all, and now you are fully equipped with the knowledge of the Cantilever scope mount. Hopefully, you must be able to identify the thing, be fully aware of its advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons, and most importantly, its different features and specs and so much more. And I’m convinced that you might be able to educate someone on the topic. If you have gone through the article thoroughly, you might be able to make a better decision for yourself now as to what kind of Cantilever scope mount do you want for your rifle or even if you want one or not. You are the best judge of yourself and your skills, and only you can make this decision for yourself.
Please make sure whatever you choose or whatever you decide to go with, make sure it makes your life easier and happier and the shooting experience better and not worse or miserable.
Final Words
A Cantilever mount is best known for its distinguishing structure. It is a one-piece tube that extends forward. Due to this structure, the mount does not sit on the rifle’s receiver but the barrel. It provides for extended eye relief, a large field of view, and gives space for additional accessories. Furthermore, it is easy to position.
FAQ’s
Can people mount their rifles?
Although many professionals are available for this job, the preferred way is that you learn to mount your rifle. Mounting a gun is not as difficult as it seems, and one can quickly learn to mount their rifles on their own.
What is the difference between a ring and a mount?
Usually, people use the terms rings and mounts interchangeably, but there is a slight distinction between the two. A mount is a single piece, while a ring has two separate parts.
Why should one consider a Cantilever mount?
A Cantilever mount gives considerable eye relief due to the space it leaves because of being pushed forward. It is ideal for those who want good eye relief.
Can a Cantilever mount be used with a AR 15?
If you use a scope with a large objective lens with your AR-15 rifle, you will need to offset it with a Cantilever scope mount.
Is a Cantilever mount easy to set?
A Cantilever mount is easy to set because it consists of only one piece. You can position the entire piece together without the need to attach individual parts separately.
Can a Cantilever mount be adjusted on a Weaver and Picatinny rail?
The height and length of a Cantilever mount are adjustable. Due to this, it can adjust to fit any Weaver and Picatinny rail.
