Tier One Cantilever Mounts

Tier-One, based in West Yorkshire, started business in 2008, making a range of shooting accessories on 5-axis CNC machinery. Their mission statement is: ‘We make the best possible shooting accessories from the best materials using the best components available or not at all’.

The company produces a wide range of products, including; scope rings, monomounts, Picatinny rails, bipods, moderators, muzzle brakes and bottom metals.

Reach forward

However, I’ve always thought that they were missing a trick in not producing a reach forward, one-piece scope mount for all us AR15 straight-pull and rimfire clone shooters! This type of mount is needed because most modern AR’s have a Picatinny rail in place of the original carry handle/rear sight unit and conventional rings when fitted, position the scope too far to the rear for correct eye relief.

Yes, there are many suitable mounts available from numerous US companies, but it’s always nice to be able to buy British. I’m therefore delighted to have been sent a pre- production sample. They have been extensively used by some UK special forces and have proven to be very robust! Please note that the item I was sent is used with synthetic ring inserts, normal units do not have these.

Quality product

The mount is manufactured from high-grade 7075T6 aluminium and is beautifully designed and machined with not a blemish in sight with a tough, matt black 30 micron, hard anodised coating. The rings are positioned further forward than is usual, which is perfect for all AR’s. There are four titanium Torx screws in each cap, and larger ones are used to clamp the unit to the rifle’s rail; the correct Torx keys are included. There are four ridges machined into the underside, which mate perfectly with the slots on the rifle’s upper. Once clamped to the required torque (45 in/ lbs), this mount isn’t going anywhere! The rings are torqued to 20 in/lbs by the way, and the correct figures are etched onto the base of the mount for reference – nice touch! Production versions will have the figures in Newton-meters (Nm).

It’s clear that Tier-One has invested a lot of time when designing this product and there’s a small spirit level bubble built into the rear to help prevent cant. There’s also a strengthening rib at the rear of the front ring, and a slot machined into the left of the body for the company’s scope levelling wedges that will be included.

Conclusion

Once again, Tier-One has come up trumps, with a superbly designed and made accessory. Yes, starting at £294.95 it’s not cheap, but quality like this never will be, and it is just about as bomb-proof as you can get! I can see them being extremely popular – just like their other products! I can’t wait to use it in competition.