It is and has been just complete crap, with the exception of when Sportsman's Warehouse was here.
This is one of the main reasons I mourned the closing of SW to this day: they were the ONLY place in town (that I could or can find) where you could buy (a) QUALITY STEEL (b) P-rail / weaver rifle scope rings!
To break it down.....as you know in the last 10 years, the P-rail has come to replace (in large part - not completely) the old "standard" of the "turn-in/dovetail front - clamp rear" ring/base convention (or a "double dovetail/turn-in").
But despite this clear trend with both "tactical" rifles and standard hunting rifles, here's the current situation:
--If you want the old standard turn-in/dovetail (1 or 2), fine, you have a multitude of choices where to buy these (Leupold mainly, but also Millett): Bass Pro, Academy, H&H, Outhouse America. Fantastic...
--If you want a crappy (albeit steel, if you want to call what Millet does 'steel') "Millett Angle-Loc" ring set for P-rail (which I now despise), you also have that same myriad of choices. For some reason, these crappy rings can be found danged near everywhere. Hell, I saw them for sale in Bed Bath and Beyond the other day.
If you want *really* crappy aluminum rings for P-rail, carrying various and sundry brand names (Traditions, Leupold Rifleman, B-Square, blah blah, blah), you can likewise find these pretty much anywhere, including Walmart.
--If you want so-so/decent quality, but really ugly rings (part steel and part aluminum), you can get the standard Weaver brand rings for weaver/P-rail at a couple of places (Bass Pro and I think Outhouse America - assuming you can pry up JP from hiding).
--If you want esoteric, non-standard HIGH-QUALITY rings similar to the P-rail for Sako, Ruger, CZ, etc., which give you that "close but no cigar" sinking feeling after you realize they're not for P-rail, you can also get these danged near anywhere, including Academy & BassPro.
--BUT, if you want STANDARD, P-rail, HIGH QUALITY, STEEL rings, "non-tactical" (i.e. non-$175-plus, weighing a couple pounds, and sky high), you
CAN
NOT
GET
THEM
AT ALL
, anywhere locally now, with the demise of S.W. S.W. had Warne Maxima which I love and prefer over most, AND Leupold (non-Rifleman) high-quality steel rings, AND Burris Zee rings. And they had them in all heights and various configs (QD and non-QD).
You cannot get a high quality P-rail ring now for a hunting rifle anywhere locally, to my knowledge, which I find extremely weird & frustrating, particularly in light of the fact that my T/C Icon gives me no other choice. Not at H&H. Not at Outhouse America. Not at Academy. Not at Walmart. Not at BassPro. I love the old standard Leupold dovetail/clamp setup, but this is not an option on my T/C Icon.
So am I missing something here? Is there anyplace locally that has what I'm looking for? Does anyone else have this problem over and over and over and over again, year in and year out? Of course, I always end up ordering online, but every year I think to myself "surely, someone will pick up the trend this year and modify their stocking selection."
H&H, BassPro, Academy, OAS, is anyone listening!?!?
Rant Mode Off.
This is one of the main reasons I mourned the closing of SW to this day: they were the ONLY place in town (that I could or can find) where you could buy (a) QUALITY STEEL (b) P-rail / weaver rifle scope rings!
To break it down.....as you know in the last 10 years, the P-rail has come to replace (in large part - not completely) the old "standard" of the "turn-in/dovetail front - clamp rear" ring/base convention (or a "double dovetail/turn-in").
But despite this clear trend with both "tactical" rifles and standard hunting rifles, here's the current situation:
--If you want the old standard turn-in/dovetail (1 or 2), fine, you have a multitude of choices where to buy these (Leupold mainly, but also Millett): Bass Pro, Academy, H&H, Outhouse America. Fantastic...
--If you want a crappy (albeit steel, if you want to call what Millet does 'steel') "Millett Angle-Loc" ring set for P-rail (which I now despise), you also have that same myriad of choices. For some reason, these crappy rings can be found danged near everywhere. Hell, I saw them for sale in Bed Bath and Beyond the other day.
If you want *really* crappy aluminum rings for P-rail, carrying various and sundry brand names (Traditions, Leupold Rifleman, B-Square, blah blah, blah), you can likewise find these pretty much anywhere, including Walmart.
--If you want so-so/decent quality, but really ugly rings (part steel and part aluminum), you can get the standard Weaver brand rings for weaver/P-rail at a couple of places (Bass Pro and I think Outhouse America - assuming you can pry up JP from hiding).
--If you want esoteric, non-standard HIGH-QUALITY rings similar to the P-rail for Sako, Ruger, CZ, etc., which give you that "close but no cigar" sinking feeling after you realize they're not for P-rail, you can also get these danged near anywhere, including Academy & BassPro.
--BUT, if you want STANDARD, P-rail, HIGH QUALITY, STEEL rings, "non-tactical" (i.e. non-$175-plus, weighing a couple pounds, and sky high), you
CAN
NOT
GET
THEM
AT ALL
, anywhere locally now, with the demise of S.W. S.W. had Warne Maxima which I love and prefer over most, AND Leupold (non-Rifleman) high-quality steel rings, AND Burris Zee rings. And they had them in all heights and various configs (QD and non-QD).
You cannot get a high quality P-rail ring now for a hunting rifle anywhere locally, to my knowledge, which I find extremely weird & frustrating, particularly in light of the fact that my T/C Icon gives me no other choice. Not at H&H. Not at Outhouse America. Not at Academy. Not at Walmart. Not at BassPro. I love the old standard Leupold dovetail/clamp setup, but this is not an option on my T/C Icon.
So am I missing something here? Is there anyplace locally that has what I'm looking for? Does anyone else have this problem over and over and over and over again, year in and year out? Of course, I always end up ordering online, but every year I think to myself "surely, someone will pick up the trend this year and modify their stocking selection."
H&H, BassPro, Academy, OAS, is anyone listening!?!?
Rant Mode Off.