Burris XTR Signature rings

[efm77]

I know many on here love the Signature Zee rings, myself included. I use them almost exclusively. Thinking about trying the XTR Signatures because I need a little more height than what the regular Signature Zee's have. Anyone used these yet? What's your take on them?

[Jester560]

I love them and they are all that I use. I have had them on everything from 22lr to 338 Lapua without any issue. Well worth the money.

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[efm77]

I love them and they are all that I use. I have had them on everything from 22lr to 338 Lapua without any issue. Well worth the money.

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Thanks! So no issues with the inserts binding up the scope? I saw a youtube video of a guy saying when he torqued his down it was binding up his parallax adjustment. Thought the inserts weren't rotating enough since they're broader than the regular signature zee's to keep the scope tube aligned with the rear ring and was binding up. Said problem went away when he changed rings. But most of what I hear about them is positive though and that was the only claim like that I've seen so far.

[Jester560]

I have never had an issue. Burris has torque specs for all the screws and I have always went by those recommendations.

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[efm77]

Awesome thanks!

[want2ride]

I have 2 sets in 30mm and 3 sets in 34mm, and i have seen many other people use them. I have nothing but good things to say. Follow the instructions and you will be good. The only time i have heard of issues, people were either lying (saying that their aluminum rings were rusting) or user error.

[want2ride]

remember that when you are using the inserts that you need to use a -20 and a +20 in the same ring to even out so that it is fitting correctly or it will cause you problems.

[efm77]

Thanks guys. Been using the Signature Zees for years so I'm familiar with how the inserts work. I just wondered how durable/tough the XTR's were being that they're aluminum. At least the 30mm ones are, the 34mm says it's steel.

[Txhillbilly]

I have always liked the Signature Zee Rings and only use them on all my 30mm tubed scopes,but on all of my 34mm and bigger tubed scopes I only use American Rifle Company M10 rings. They are the best scope rings made IMO,and hold a scope rock solid without leaving any marks on them. Yes,They are expensive but so are the scopes that set in them. I've got 5 pair of them and would never choose another brand.

https://i.imgur.com/0b1DDxm.jpg

[justpassinthru]

I've been using the Signature Zee Rings for years and love them but from what I can see in the photos online, the XTR rings aren't made the same way.
The old ones are rounded inside so when the scope is raised or lowered on one end, the plastic bushings can rotate and self align inside the adjacent ring. I've never see a photo of the inside of the ring but unlike the old inserts, the XTR inserts seem to be flat on the outside so I don't see how this could possibly work.
I'm not very good at describing something so I hope this makes sense.

[justpassinthru]

7181Here is a 30mm Signature Zee ring. The ring is rounded inside and the insert is rounded to match it and can go in any direction needed. The XTR inserts I've seen online appear to be flat.

[efm77]

I've been using the Signature Zee Rings for years and love them but from what I can see in the photos online, the XTR rings aren't made the same way.
The old ones are rounded inside so when the scope is raised or lowered on one end, the plastic bushings can rotate and self align inside the adjacent ring. I've never see a photo of the inside of the ring but unlike the old inserts, the XTR inserts seem to be flat on the outside so I don't see how this could possibly work.
I'm not very good at describing something so I hope this makes sense.


I had that same concern. But if you look, there are a few images of what the interior of the ring looks like. Maybe someone here can clarify. It appears the center of the rings has a rib or ridge in it with recessed at front and rear. I believe this is what allows the inserts to pivot one way or the other because you’re right, the inserts appear flat and I was wondering how they were supposed to rotate to line up too.

[justpassinthru]

What is the purpose of the narrow hollowed out portion in the center of the ring? If holding these in my hand it might make more sense but based on what I can see and what I know at this point, it doesn't.
7193I

[efm77]

Look closer. It's a rib. The recesses are at the edge. Look to the right side where the screw holes are on the bottom ring half and you'll see it's raised. I believe this to be a pivot point that allows the inserts to tilt one way or the other.

[justpassinthru]

I see that now, thanks for pointing it out.
How's that supposed to distribute the clamping force equally around the scope tube?
Might be why the guy on you tube claims to have damaged his scope by using them.
They had a good design, why change it?

[efm77]

They've not gotten rid of the old design, this is just in addition to. This is a more tactical style ring, and the main reason I'm considering it is because I'm going to need the extra height on the rifle I'm going to be putting a scope on. They can be had in taller heights the the standard Signature Zee ring. I thought this might be a win/win because I can get the height and still have the inserts. I saw the youtube video you're talking about and he's the only one I've see so far claiming that. I can't help but wonder if there wasn't something else going on that he either hadn't figured out or wouldn't admit to. I've seen some other complaints about them but it wasn't the same issue, and the complaints are few and far between.

[justpassinthru]

I don't know about this, on one hand I'm sure Burris knows a lot more about ring design than I do but still, that big raised rib in the center of the ring bothers me quite a bit. I see no way this design can put equal pressure on the scope tube.
With the previous design, the inside of the rings are concave, the inserts are convex to match and have 100% contact with the ring. The scope has 100% contact with the inserts, can move anywhere it needs to and everything is happy.
If I had a set in hand to look over in person I might change my mind but as of right now I'll pass.

[efm77]

I don't know about this, on one hand I'm sure Burris knows a lot more about ring design than I do but still, that big raised rib in the center of the ring bothers me quite a bit. I see no way this design can put equal pressure on the scope tube.
With the previous design, the inside of the rings are concave, the inserts are convex to match and have 100% contact with the ring. The scope has 100% contact with the inserts, can move anywhere it needs to and everything is happy.
If I had a set in hand to look over in person I might change my mind but as of right now I'll pass.

Do you think the inserts are that flimsy that they'll give where the rib is in the rings and only put pressure on the scope in that small of a spot? They look pretty thick and tough and would seem that they would displace the pressure evenly across their surface area. I can't confirm as I don't have any yet, but that's just my thoughts on how I interpret it to work.

Again, I'm fully aware with how the Signature Zee rings work. I have them on almost everything with a scope on it. Unfortunately the scope I'm putting on my RPR has a 56mm objective and with the hand guard over the barrel, even the extra high Signature Zee's aren't high enough. So it's either try these, or go to a completely different ring with no inserts, which at this point, I do not want to do. I'm just going to have to get some and try them out first hand.

[JW]

I have had a set of the XTR rings for a while now.
I have to admit that I did not give it a thought as too how they work compared to the signature zee rings ( which are my favorite rings).
The only thing I did not like was torqueing all the screws LOL
Jack

[justpassinthru]

With the XTR's the hard contact points seem to be at the very center and at the edges where the bevel can be seen on the insert. Pressure everywhere else is dependent on the plastic inserts. It there is ANY flex in the inserts, the clamping force will be reduced there. With the old ones, the inserts have 100% hard contact with the steel rings, no gaps anywhere and no worries about anything flexing.
I'm not into all this new "tactical" stuff either and just prefer the look of the old steel rings.
Seems like I've read about problems with the threads in the XTR rings too which could be user error but still, I much prefer tightening a screw into steel over aluminum. I almost bought a set of these a few months ago and did a lot of reading about them.
I've been using the old ones for a whole lot of years, never had a scope move and never put the slightest mark on a scope.
I'm in no way saying the new ones won't work, only that that I prefer the previous system.
If ever in a situation though where there isn't a set of the older ones that I can use, I will be trying the XTR's because having a my scope touching only plastic, has spoiled me for life.