The question we are asked most often about mounts is not which brand is best. It is "will this fit my rifle?" — and for the rifles British shooters actually own, the answer usually depends on a receiver interface that is neither Picatinny nor M-LOK. Tikka, Sako, CZ and Blaser all use their own systems, and Weaver looks close enough to Picatinny to catch people out. This guide sets out what each of those actions natively takes, what has to happen before a conventional ring will fit, and — plainly — which of those parts we stock and which we do not.
Weaver versus Picatinny: the difference is 0.65 mm
Start here, because it is the one that produces the most confident wrong answers. Both rails present a raised platform with 45-degree angled flanks and transverse slots cut across it. They are not the same standard.
| Picatinny (MIL-STD-1913) | Weaver | |
|---|---|---|
| Recoil slot width | 5.23 mm (0.206 in) | 4.57 mm (0.180 in) nominal |
| Slot spacing | 10.0 mm (0.394 in) centre to centre, fixed | Not standardised — varies by maker and model |
| Platform width | 21.2 mm (0.835 in) | 21.2 mm (0.835 in) |
| Origin | US military standard | Commercial, predates Picatinny |
The consequences follow directly from those two numbers:
- A Weaver-width crossbolt drops into a Picatinny slot. The narrower key fits the wider slot, so most Weaver-pattern rings and accessories will mount on a Picatinny rail.
- A Picatinny-width recoil lug will not enter a Weaver slot. 5.23 mm does not go into 4.57 mm. This is the failure mode: a mount specified as Picatinny-only, bought for a rifle carrying an older Weaver base.
- Spacing bites on multi-slot mounts. A one-piece cantilever mount with two recoil lugs needs both to land in slots. On a Picatinny rail they always will; on a Weaver base with irregular spacing they may not.
- "Picatinny / Weaver" on a listing means the narrower key. Both the Warne and Burris ring ranges we stock state Picatinny or Weaver rail fit, so they work on either.
Tikka T3 and T3x
Tikka actions do not come drilled and tapped in the conventional American pattern. Instead the receiver top carries an integral dovetail machined into the action itself, tapered along its length. It is not an 11 mm dovetail and it is not a rail; it is Tikka's own profile, and rings sold as "11 mm" will not fit it.
That leaves two routes. Either fit rings cut specifically for the Tikka dovetail, which is the lowest and neatest option, or clamp a one-piece Picatinny rail made for the T3/T3x dovetail onto the action and then use conventional rings on top. The second route is what most people choose when they want a modern one-piece mount, a quick-detach ring or built-in cant for long-range dialling.
Sako 85 and 90
Sako uses the same idea and a different profile. Sako actions carry an integral tapered dovetail of Sako's own dimensions, and the factory ring system built around it is Optilock. A Tikka ring will not fit a Sako dovetail and vice versa, despite the two rifles sharing a parent company — this is a genuinely common and expensive assumption.
As with Tikka, a Sako-specific Picatinny rail converts the action to the universal interface. Note that Sako model generations differ: check which action you have before ordering anything, because the dovetail is not identical across the range.
CZ 455 and 457
The CZ rimfires are the good news in this article, in that they use the same interface as most British air rifles: an 11 mm dovetail groove machined into the receiver. Both the 455 and the 457 carry it, and both have factory Picatinny rails available that bolt or clamp on.
The bad news is the one we flag hardest, because it is the most likely cause of a returned rimfire ring order: a set of Picatinny rings will not fit a CZ 457 out of the box. You need either dovetail rings or a dovetail-to-Picatinny rail first. We have written the dovetail case up in full, including how to measure your groove, in 11 mm dovetail scope mounts.
Blaser R8 and R93
Blaser is the outlier. The R8 and R93 use a saddle mount that clamps over the barrel rather than bolting to a receiver, which is what allows the rifle to be broken down and reassembled with the scope on and return to zero. The interface is entirely proprietary to Blaser.
There is no adapting your way onto a Blaser with generic parts. What you can do is fit a Blaser saddle mount that presents a Picatinny top surface, at which point conventional rings become relevant again — but the saddle itself must be a Blaser-pattern component. If you own an R8, buy the saddle from a Blaser dealer and treat everything above it as a separate decision.
What this store actually fits
Setting it out honestly, because a fitment guide that quietly avoids the question is not worth reading.
| Action | Native interface | Needed first | Do we stock that part? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tikka T3 / T3x | Integral Tikka dovetail | Tikka-pattern rings, or a T3/T3x Picatinny rail | No |
| Sako 85 / 90 | Integral Sako dovetail | Optilock or Sako-pattern rings, or a Sako Picatinny rail | No |
| CZ 455 / 457 | 11 mm dovetail | Dovetail rings, or a dovetail-to-Picatinny rail | No |
| Blaser R8 / R93 | Blaser saddle | Blaser saddle mount | No |
| AR-pattern and straight-pull | Picatinny flat-top | Nothing | Yes — rings and one-piece mounts |
| Any rifle already carrying Picatinny or Weaver | Picatinny / Weaver | Nothing | Yes |
In short: we stock everything from the Picatinny rail upwards, and nothing that creates a Picatinny rail on a proprietary action. Buy the base from your rifle's manufacturer or a specialist, then come back for the rings. Once a rail is in place, the choice opens up considerably — Warne Maxima quick-detach rings for a stalking rifle that gets stripped and cleaned, Warne HyperLite rings where weight matters, or Burris XTR Signature rings when you want built-in cant without spending turret travel.
Picking the height once the base is sorted
The rule does not change with the action: fit the lowest ring that still clears the objective bell, because a lower optical centreline gives a firmer and more repeatable cheek weld. Measure the objective's outside diameter rather than trusting the ring name — "medium" is not a standardised term across manufacturers. Our mounts and rings buyer's guide covers cantilever, one-piece and quick-detach in detail, and the mount height chart gives the figures for red dots.
Frequently asked questions
Will Picatinny rings fit a Weaver base?
Often not. The Picatinny recoil lug is 5.23 mm wide and a Weaver slot is nominally 4.57 mm, so the lug will not enter. The reverse works: Weaver-width keys fit Picatinny slots. Rings specified as "Picatinny / Weaver" use the narrower key and fit both.
Do Tikka and Sako rings interchange?
No. Both actions carry an integral tapered dovetail, but the profiles are different. Rings for one will not fit the other.
What do I need to put a scope on a CZ 457?
Either rings cut for an 11 mm dovetail, or a dovetail-to-Picatinny rail followed by conventional rings. Standard Picatinny rings will not fit the bare receiver.
Can I use a normal mount on a Blaser R8?
Not directly. The R8 uses a proprietary saddle mount that clamps the barrel. Fit a Blaser saddle that presents a Picatinny top and conventional rings become an option above it.
Do you sell bases for Tikka, Sako, CZ or Blaser?
No. Our mounting range starts at the Picatinny or Weaver rail. Source the action-specific base first, then the rings.
Browse rifle scope rings and rifle scope mounts, or the Warne and Burris mount and ring ranges. For the glass itself, see deer stalking scopes, rimfire and .22LR optics and our guides to scopes for deer stalking, scopes for a .22LR rimfire and the best rifle scopes under £800. Nothing here is licensed in the UK — the framework is in do you need a licence for a rifle scope, red dot or torch. Everything is held in our UK warehouse and dispatched tracked, with no import charges to follow — see buying optics in the UK.