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Sportsmatch HOP77 Maxi Clamp & AR15 Scope Mounts

Sportsmatch HOP77 Maxi Clamp & AR15 Scope Mounts

With few notable exceptions scope mounting systems are not exclusive to particular gun types. Though and by the same token certain styles do suit specific rifle builds, something that Sportsmatch have obviously cottoned on to with their HOP77 Maxi Clamp and HETO68C mount sets. In this case it’s the generic, flat-topped AR15, which and due to the butt to receiver layout tends to favour the scope located further forward on the Picatinny rail to get the best eye relief.

HOP TO IT

Of the two the one-piece HOP77 Maxi Clamp is perhaps the more dedicated AR15 design as it offers a single base that has the lower halves of the rings integral to the unit. It’s 120mm long and uses 30mm rings and Sportsmatch say it can take scopes with objective bells of up to 50mm. Depending on the forend you have on your rifle and mount position that might go up to 56mm. For example I fitted it to a Southern Gun Co Speedmaster with their new free-float forend, which steps down in diameter about two inches past the end of the action. If it had been a 4-way design the rail at 12 o’clock is flush with the receiver, so a case of suck it and see. But given most AR shooters tend to favour more compact models with either parallel or sub-50mm objectives then the HOP77 is well suited to the job.

It attaches by a long, one-piece Picatinny/Weaver-type clamp that is secured by twin thumbwheels with screwdriver slots in the middle onto captive cross bolts that engage with the recoil slots in the rail. The build is what I call a dog leg or offset, in that the clamp is at one end and the rail extends from the other by 63mm. This offers greater mounting options as it can be positioned with the offset either forward or back. The ring’s top caps are secured by 4 X Allen headed bolts and an Allan key is included. The finish is black and the mount weighs just 170-grams and is robust and rigid. This would defiantly be my choice for an AR 15.

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REACH FORWARD

The HETO68C is a standard, high, 30mm ring set with a twist as one of the rings has a 25mm offset. This like the Maxi Clamp allows the optic to be pushed further forward as required or even back as it can be fitted either way. Reversed it might well allow a bit more lateral clearance if for example you have emergency iron sights fitted so you can leave them on under the scope. Attachment is the same with cross bolts and slotted thumb screws, as are the four Allen-headed screws for the top caps and an Allen key is included as before.

In use both mounts proved highly effective and though 223 Rem is hardly a heavy kicking calibre, the sort of continuous pounding they would get from sustained shooting; as many course of fire are up to 20-rounds or even more and reasonably rapid is still a good test on materials and build quality. Suffice to say when properly tightened they stayed where they were put!

GOOD KIT!

Overall and as we have come to expect from Sportsmatch two excellent designs well suited to the AR15 and similar builds be they in rimfire or fullbore options. I would be equally happy to put either mount on something with a bit more poke with confidence! Like the LMT 308SP which is a 7.62x51mm AR15-type. It also occurred to me that either mount would also be very useful for a barrel-mounted intermediate eye relief (IER) scout-type scope too. I have a Ruger Scout Rifle and will be seeing how they shape up on it.

What I really appreciate is the price as these days scope mounts, rings and bases can get very expensive in some case adding well over £100 to the cost of your gun. Sportsmatch products do the job are well made and will last the test of time and fire and all at very good money!

  • Sportsmatch HOP77 Maxi Clamp & AR15 Scope Mounts - image {image:count}

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  • Sportsmatch HOP77 Maxi Clamp & AR15 Scope Mounts - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Sportsmatch HOP77 Maxi Clamp & AR15 Scope Mounts - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Sportsmatch HOP77 Maxi Clamp & AR15 Scope Mounts - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

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