Your Privacy Choices
In the world of scope mounts, there is a sea of choices from two-piece mounts to one-piece QD mounts. Previously I have gone with something from American Defense MFG for my Schmidt and Bender 3×20 and had great luck but the QD levers have snagged on clothing and gear in the past when competing. I decided to try out the Scalarworks Leap/07 30mm mount for my Vortex Razor. Over the last 4 months, I have been testing out the Leap mount and let’s jump into what my experience has been with this optic mount.
Specs
The Scalarworks Leap 30mm mount prides itself on being one of the lightest scope mounts on the market. When putting the Leap/07 on a scale, it weighed in at just 5.48 ounces. This is fairly impressive compared to something like the Spuhr QDP series which weighs roughly twice as much. The Leap/07 mount incorporates the ClickDrive system from other red dot mounts where users can adjust the tension through a circular thumbwheel. These thumbwheels eliminate the need for QD levers to protrude off the side of the mount creating snag points.
The mounting screws for the scope are placed in the body of the mount rather than inside the rings. This gives the mount structural rigidity without adding weight and makes mounting easier. Mounting seemed easier since the rings have a pivot point at the top so the whole mount is one piece rather than the rings coming off the mount. It’s a fairly innovative design and makes mounting an optic in the mount extremely easy.
Probably the most unique aspect of the Scalarworks Leap 07 mount is the built-in level that comes with the mount as standard. The LevelDrive feature squares up the scope inside the mount and adds to rigidity and consistency to the scope mount. Scalarworks offers the Leap mount in 1.57″ height or 1.93″ as a standalone mount or bundled with a Nightforce NX8 1-8×24 or ATACR 1-8×24. I decided to pick up the standalone mount to use with a Vortex Razor HD Gen II 1-6 for my testing. The Scalarworks Leap/07 30mm mount retails for $399.99 and can be picked up from Brownells or other large online retailers.
Range Time
Over the last few months, I’ve used the Scalarworks Leap/07 mount on my Type-A 10.5 SPR 308 with a Vortex Razor HD Gen II. When putting an LPVO on something like a short-barreled 308, recoil and abuse was something I was fairly concerned with. I thought it would raise hell on an optics mount and decided to try out the Leap mount. Probably the first thing that became clear is how streamlined the mount is with no snag points.
Often times with mounts, I will have the rifle slung and when its time to start a drill or stage, and time to bring the rifle up, occasionally the QD levers will snag material and throw off my shouldering a little here or there. With the Scalarworks mount, there’s no snagging since its a thumbwheel adjustment instead of levers. This may sound rather simple but having confidence when competing or shooting for time makes a big difference in overall performance. I felt the most difference between the Scalarworks Leap mount and other one-piece scope mounts during rifle transition drills.
Sometimes when you work off the buzzer fatigue starts to kick in. Transitioning between targets multiple times, you start to feel the weight after awhile. If you do enough drills or practice a certain shooting position enough, you’ll begin to fatigue after a while. Having lighter mounts and accessories on your gun will help delay fatigue. For me, lighter attachments help me stay sharper for a longer period of time. After a dozen range trips, I have noticed the subtle changes from typical mounts and honestly, all the small changes Scalarworks did on the Leap mounts make a big difference when it comes to performance at the range.
Overall Thoughts
Honestly, I know the Scalarworks Leap/07 mount is priced in the higher end of the scope mount price range. In its defense, it does a lot of things most scope mounts don’t address or improve. Personally, I think the LevelDrive feature is a nice standard feature that isn’t typically included in mounts. I think my favorite feature out of everything though has to be the ClickDrive system. I think this is probably the biggest difference between traditional QD mounts that will affect a shooter’s experience the most. Not having the large throw levers on the side of the mount yet having a quick and easy way to disengage the mount is a big plus in my book.
Not many companies have created a simple solution like the Leap mount has. Scalarworks has made an effort to innovate and I think its kind of special for that. I completely understand the people who say this is expensive and may not be for everyone out there. This mount is more aimed at the people who will abuse and push their gear. It’s also good for people who need the lightest possible attachments they can find. Let me know what you guys think about the Scalarworks Leap/07 mount in the comments below. If you have any questions about the Scalarworks mount or just in general, don’t hesitate to send me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there!
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