Some rifles make you question why you didn’t stick with iron sights. Mounting a scope should be straightforward—find solid bases, torque the rings, and hit the range. But certain rifles turn that process into a frustrating mess of odd screw spacing, uneven receivers, or mounts that never quite sit level. You spend hours swapping rings, shimming bases, and wondering how something this basic got so complicated. Whether it’s old design quirks, poor machining, or proprietary mounts no one stocks anymore, some rifles seem designed to test your patience more than your accuracy.
Winchester Model 94
The Winchester 94 is a legend, but it wasn’t built for optics. The top-eject design sends brass straight toward any scope you try to mount. You either end up offsetting the scope awkwardly to the side or using see-through mounts that destroy your cheek weld. Neither solution inspires confidence in precision. Later angle-eject versions helped, but even then, short mounting surfaces and high rings make it tough to get a proper sight picture. If you want glass on a 94, be prepared for trial, error, and a few four-letter words before you get it right.
Ruger Mini-14
The Mini-14 is a fun little carbine, but whoever designed its scope mounting setup must’ve been allergic to simplicity. The integral mounts sound good on paper, yet finding rings that actually fit your model year can feel like treasure hunting. Ruger changed dimensions slightly over generations, and aftermarket support is inconsistent. Add in the rifle’s short receiver and you’re left wrestling eye relief or scope clearance. Many shooters end up resorting to rail adapters, which stack height and make the setup look awkward. It’s a reliable rifle, but it’ll test your patience when you add glass.
Marlin 336 (pre-Ruger)
Older Marlin 336s were sturdy hunting rifles, but their uneven receiver tops and inconsistent screw patterns made mounting scopes more frustrating than it should’ve been. Some had slightly misaligned holes, others had soft threads that stripped under normal torque. Add in varying receiver finishes that don’t sit perfectly flush with bases, and you’ll spend half your day trying to get the reticle level. The newer Ruger-made Marlins fixed much of that, but if you’ve ever tried to mount a scope on a 1970s 336 without cursing, you deserve a medal—and probably a cold beer.
Mosin-Nagant
Mounting a scope on a Mosin-Nagant isn’t gunsmithing—it’s black magic. The rifle was designed for iron sights, and most surplus models don’t have receiver holes for mounts. Installing a scope means drilling, tapping, and often bending the bolt handle just to clear the optic. Add in uneven receiver surfaces and sketchy aftermarket parts, and you’ve got a project that can eat a weekend. Even if you get it mounted, keeping it zeroed is another challenge. The old steel and wood expand at different rates, shifting your alignment. It’s possible—but rarely worth the headache.
SKS
Like the Mosin, the SKS wasn’t meant to wear optics. Its stamped cover and inconsistent fit make traditional mounts unreliable. Some companies tried making receiver cover mounts with built-in rails, but they almost always shift after a few rounds. You can drill and tap for a side mount, but that adds cost and often requires a gunsmith. Many SKS owners end up with high, awkward setups that ruin cheek weld and balance. For what the rifle is—a dependable iron-sighted carbine—it’s fine. But when you try to turn it into a scoped deer rifle, you’ll hit frustration fast.
Springfield M1A
The M1A is accurate and iconic, but it’s one of the most frustrating rifles to mount a scope on cleanly. The receiver design and op-rod clearance limit mounting options, forcing you into complex side mounts or tall rail systems. Even with good gear, getting the scope perfectly aligned over the bore is tough. Add the rifle’s recoil impulse, and some setups won’t hold zero for long. It’s no wonder many M1A shooters give up and run irons—they’re faster, lighter, and a lot less aggravating. This rifle can shoot, but scoping it is an endurance test.
Remington 742 Woodsmaster
The Woodsmaster was a big seller, but anyone who’s tried to mount a scope on one knows the struggle. The thin receiver and limited rail space make it tricky to find a secure, level setup. Many of these rifles also have worn or stretched screw holes from years of use, which means bases don’t stay tight. Combine that with the rifle’s harsh cycling and you’ll be re-tightening mounts constantly. It’s a great woods gun, but if you want reliable optics, you’re better off with a drilled-and-tapped bolt gun—or a pocketful of Loctite and patience.
FN FAL
The FAL’s top cover might be one of the worst foundations ever conceived for optics. It slides off for cleaning, which means anything mounted to it loses alignment almost instantly. Some aftermarket dust covers have integrated rails, but they’re rarely rigid enough to keep zero under recoil. You can find high-end options that fix the issue, but at that point, you’ve spent as much as a second rifle. The FAL is battle-proven, but it was never built for precision shooting. If you want dependable optics, this platform will make you work harder than it’s worth.
Swiss K31
The K31’s straight-pull action is a masterpiece of engineering, but it leaves almost no room for a conventional scope mount. The top ejection and bolt path force optics to be offset to the side, and that offset can make eye alignment awkward and parallax unforgiving. Aftermarket side mounts help, but most require permanent modification or precise fitting. It’s a fantastic rifle for what it was built for, but it was never meant to host glass. When you finally do get a scope on it, you’ll realize why so many K31 owners stick with the irons—they’re more reliable and a lot less trouble.
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Calibers That Shouldn’t Even Be On the Shelf Anymore
Rifles That Shouldn’t Be Trusted Past 100 Yards
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
