Five years ago, I was setting up a new-to-me Model 70 chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum, and needed a new set of scope rings. I stumbled upon the DNZ Game Reaper one-piece scope mounts and they piqued my interest for this particular set up. They seemed pretty idiot-proof, and I am supremely qualified to evaluate such a claim.
Compared to traditional scope bases and rings, the advantages of going to a one-piece mount like the Game Reaper are fairly obvious; everything is machined and align bored for the specific gun they’ll be going on, and the additional rigidity of the one-piece construction creates a really, really rock-solid and durable setup for a hunting rifle. It looks chunky, which means you’ll be in for a surprise when you pick one up and feel how light they are — around 2-3 ounces per the manufacturer, which makes them under one ounce heavier than Talley Lightweight rings.
Does this apparently-stouter construction convey any real, measurable durability in the field compared to another high-quality and more traditional setup like the Talley rings? Probably not in any tangible way, but it does inspire confidence next time you land on your rifle after eating it… which counts for something.
I don’t think I’ve touched this mount once, other than swapping scopes. I’ve logged hundreds of miles on foot and in the mountains with no issues at all. I’m one of those guys who makes witness marks on the mounting screws and the body of the scope itself, and there’s never been and loosening or unwanted rotation.
Lastly, I took a flat bastard (everyone’s favorite file) and hit the front lip of the mount just a bit to clear the objective on the old Vari-X and bring the eye relief back just a bit more where I want it. Worked like a charm, and there was more than enough meat around the screw bosses to support such a modification.
If a bulletproof and reliable piece of kit is more important to you than (perhaps) aesthetics, the DNZ Game Reaper is going to be hard to beat.
That said… this would probably look killer in anodized gold. Hmm…
