EAW swing-mount rings, - why are they so expensive, and do alternatives exist?

[Scipio]

Hello all

I have a 6.x5x57 M98 build, which sports an EAW swing scope mount like the one in the picture. It is set up to use a 6x42 Zeiss scope at the moment, with zeiss rails, and that is more than fine for the sort of day hunting that i do.
However i'd like to be able to switch to a thermal for night hunting, but for that i will need the 30mm eaw rings, and even used ones are 300-350 pounds!
Can that be right? It just seems excessive vs what the entire scope mount costs, and given that they are so expensive, are someone perhaps making their own decent versions of them, which are priced more moderately?
In these days of 3d printing, i was thinking that it might be possible.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

They are the best but EAW do produce an enormous array to suit all different makes and models which cannot make the cost of storing till they sell low. They do low medium and high now extra high sets too.
The front and rear K98 mounts are I believe not on the same height plane (please correct me).
Recknagel do do a good set too but they are not much if at all cheaper than EAW. EAW will only sell to dealers (I asked at their stand at IWA).
Then there are MAC mounts from an ex EAW employee I was told.

 

[HonestJohn]

Rusan mikron

 

[Scipio]

They are the best but EAW do produce an enormous array to suit all different makes and models which cannot make the cost of storing till they sell low. They do low medium and high now extra high sets too.
The front and rear K98 mounts are I believe not on the same height plane (please correct me).
Recknagel do do a good set too but they are not much if at all cheaper than EAW. EAW will only sell to dealers (I asked at their stand at IWA).
Then there are MAC mounts from an ex EAW employee I was told.

cheers @Bavarianbrit It just seems crazily highly priced to buy extra rings, for an already existing montage, so high that i reckon it might not be conductive to sales.
Luckily a hunting mate just wrote me that he has ones just like the one in the pic posted, (which look identical to the ones my rifle uses), but can i guess they even so, might not fit mine anyways
Or is it the mount bases, which are model specific, and the rings (of the right mechanical design and locking mechanism)will fit all the bases of that design type?

 

[HonestJohn]

Or try @Edinburgh Rifles , Ed might have a used set going cheap

 

[Scipio]

Rusan mikron

but will their rings fit existing eaw montage bases ?

 

[Scipio]

Or try @Edinburgh Rifles , Ed might have a used set going cheap

thanks for the tip, if i am lucky he'll even spot this thread himself

But unless i have misunderstood @Bavarianbrit , even a set of 30 mm eaw rings, which seems to have exactly the same locking mechanism as my zeiss scope rail has on it, might not fit my bases, as they were not specifically made for the mauser 98 ?

 

[HonestJohn]

All EAW swing off bases have the same fixing structure, so swing off rings with the same feet will fit. The bases are designed to give a level mounting, so you don’t need to worry about rings being different front and rear heights

 

[HonestJohn]

but will their rings fit existing eaw montage bases ?

They should, but an email to Ivan should clear that up.

Used EAW rings should be obtainable for not much more than £80-£100 for a set, max!

 

[HonestJohn]

If you have m98 bases with the turn in front base and the slide in with button lever lock rear base, a used set of rings will be all you need

@artur might have some too

 

[Scipio]

They should, but an email to Ivan should clear that up.

Used EAW rings should be obtainable for not much more than £80-£100 for a set, max!

hello again mate, and thank you for the constructive response .)
I hope i do find them for that sort of price, but so far, in my admittedly still young search, i've only found signifcantly higher prices

 

[Scipio]

If you have m98 bases with the turn in front base and the slide in with button lever lock rear base, a used set of rings will be all you need

@artur might have some too

this is what i have, - like in the picture

 

[HonestJohn]

Bet you Ed from Edinburgh rifles will have a set that won’t make you need to remortgage

Call him or the shop, ask for Ed or Chris

 

[Scipio]

Bet you Ed from Edinburgh rifles will have a set that won’t make you need to remortgage

Call him or the shop, ask for Ed or Chris

i shall , thank you again, @HonestJohn I am based in Denmark, not the UK, but i cant see scope rings importation being made difficult by the danish police. Then again, i guess they are technically components intended for gun use. But that can easily be researched, should Ed or Chris indeed have some rings of the right type and price

 

[HonestJohn]

There will be no issues legally, shipped as ‘machined metal components’, only risk is Danish customs asking you for their cut based on declared value.

 

[Scipio]

There will be no issues legally, shipped as ‘machined metal components’, only risk is Danish customs asking you for their cut based on declared value.

Good to know - and yeah, taxes and death are two of the certainties in life, i guess

 

[HonestJohn]

Good to know - and yeah, taxes and death are two of the certainties in life, i guess

You can cheat on one, but the other will catch up with you no matter what.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Have rings
Not sure we have m98 bases Will check when in

 

[Bavarianbrit]

thanks for the tip, if i am lucky he'll even spot this thread himself

But unless i have misunderstood @Bavarianbrit , even a set of 30 mm eaw rings, which seems to have exactly the same locking mechanism as my zeiss scope rail has on it, might not fit my bases, as they were not specifically made for the mauser 98 ?

The front dovetail base mount has a grubscrew/ marderschrauben to adjust the tension so not too loose or tight for taking them off.

 

[Heym SR20]

An alternative is The Leupold dovetail front and rear adjustable mounts - The redfield type system. If you threadlock one of the rear screws it is then pretty repeatable.

EAW swing mounts are high quality machined steel. If you are spending good money on a rifle and optic, why then hold the two together with cheap chinesium type stuff.

EAW swing mounts are really a gunsmithing type fit. Once set up properly they work very well.

If you want simple and cheap go Piccatiny type system.