As riflescopes have become more reliable over the years quick release ring systems have become less and less popular. However, in certain use cases, they still make sense even with reliable riflescopes. After some frustration with the Sako 85 Optilock system I was in the market for a new set of rings. I purchased a set of Leupold QR rings utilizing the post and hole system and have been using them for about a year.
Why use QR Rings
Firstly, QR rings of any kind would not be my first choice for a rifle built for extended range use. From a theoretical standpoint, it introduces an additional variable. Leupold themselves claim that their QR Rings will return to zero within 1/2 MOA, which is less than perfect. Also, there is rarely a need to switch to iron sights in open country. However, for a bush rifle there are times when being able to quickly switch to irons is very useful.
Use Case
A great example of this is a recent moose hunt in northern British Columbia. The area we were hunting is exceptionally thick and shot opportunities rarely exceed 350 yards. For example, the shot opportunities that were had by me and my hunting partners on this particular trip were at 297 yards, 177 yards, 80 yards, and 55 yards. Also, Grizzly populations in the area are much higher than anywhere in the lower 48. Leaving trail cams on the kill sights there would consistently be grizzlies on the kills between 4-6 hours after opening the animal up.
Obviously, hunting moose and elk on foot necessitates multiple trips to and from the kill site to get the meat out of the bush. Leaving a kill down overnight is not an option as it is nearly certain that a bear will have claimed it by morning. As such, returning to the kill site in the dark is part and parcel with a successful evening hunt. Anyone who has tried to shoot through a magnified optic with a headlamp on knows that glare makes it difficult. Iron sights are much easier to see in these conditions.
The Equipment
Next, the test rifle is a Sako 85 Kodiak chambered in 338 Winchester Magnum. This rifle is topped with a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9×40, which has proven itself to be a very durable optic. The ammunition used was a stout handload pushing a 225gr Accubond at just over 2750 fps from a 21 inch barrel. In testing, this combination produces 1.6-1.7 MOA 10 shot groups. Candidly, this is inadequate for a long range precision rifle. However, this rifle is primarily used for moose in thick country, where the targets are large and the distances modest.
Results
In both range testing and field use, return to zero was not absolutely perfect but was very close. In general, results fell in line with Leupold’s 1/2 MOA claim. 10 shot groups open up to around 2 MOA after the scope is removed and replaced between each shot. For hunting inside of 400 yards on an enormous animal such as a moose, this is satisfactory.
Over the last month the rifle was along for three successful moose harvests as well as an elk. Each time the scope was removed for the packout and the zero was checked when the scope was returned to the rifle. Every time the rifle returned to zero, requiring no adjustments to return to hunting. One dislike I have is that the levers can be hard to actuate without a metal object to push against them. The handle of a knife works well so this is very minor concern for hunters.
Concluding Thoughts
In closing, the Leupold QR ring system does have a measurable decrease in precision over traditional fixed rings. Because of this, for the one rifle or open country hunter there are better options. That said, for a purpose built rifle for certain BC, Alaskan, and Yukon hunts they are accurate enough that the benefits outweigh a slight loss of precision. Easy access to irons still has advantages in 2026, be it nighttime packouts in grizzly country, following up a wounded bear in the willows, or quickly removing a damaged scope on a remote fly in hunt.