Quick detachable Picatinny Mount

The Contessa range of mounts emanates from Italy and has been associated with the firearms industry for over 40 years, so this knowledge has been honed in the design of their proprietary, Quick Release Mounting System. The mounts are all machined from solid billets, with the main body and rings machined in the same Ergal 7075 light alloy as used in the firearm and aeronautical industries. So, each mount is not only lightweight but incredibly durable.

Contessa also makes a great array of Picatinny scope rails for an incredible number of rifles, but I will look at those later. As well as Picatinny mounting, you can opt for European 12mm rail or Blaser too. There is also a vast selection of ring/ mount sets, so check out their excellent website.

The product

On test is the Contessa Picatinny Quick Release Mount with rings (code SBP00). It is available in either 1”, 30mm, 34mm, 36mm or even 40mm ring tops and there is a choice of heights (low, medium or high).

I had the 34mm ring set with 6.5mm height for the fitment of the excellent, Kahles 6-24 tactical scope. The total mount length is 118mm and the height of the base without rings is 14mm. The weight is 195-grams.

Both ring sets fit to the base via a large Allen screw system, with the rearmost having dual positions so that you can customise it to the body length of your scope or eye relief. You also have the ability to move the rear ring left or right for windage adjustment and this is very useful for centring your scope to get the best from your scope’s internal adjustment range.

The split rings are very well made and secure via four screws per ring. One of the best features is the inner clamping point as the rings tighten on the scope, as these are chambered in order not to damage the scope’s tube.

Clamp-on

The base itself is black anodised, as are the rings. There is a Picatinny rail lock spur to locate in the rail. It can be removed if you desire. On the underside, you have the usual Picatinny clamp profile, with the left-hand side cut away to fit the blued, steel Q/D clamping system. This is 60mm long, sprung on either side and pivots off the central clamping lever. It’s very secure and can be adjusted for tension by a screw on the other side of the body.

The clamping lever is also 60mm long and opens by pressing down on a serrated release button that’s set within the lever itself. One thing to remember is that this mount is a true Picatinny mount and it will not fit a Weaver rail.

Conclusion

This Contessa mount clamps at the same tension each time and when I took off and reattached it, I had no zero shift at all during the tests. It is superbly made, totally reliable and worth the £324 asking price, as you have peace of mind that your scope is secure.

Contact

Alan Rhone - www.alanrhone.com