Ring height
Scope Ring Height Chart
Quick answer
Stocked ring heights run from 0.75 inches (ultra low) to 1.45 inches (extra high), measured from the rail to the centre of the tube. A 0.75 inch ring clears roughly a 23.5mm objective in the worst case, and a 1.45 inch ring clears up to roughly a 59mm objective. Height names like low and medium are marketing, not measurements: buy by the number.
Ring height is the vertical distance from the top of the base or rail to the centre of the scope tube, and it is the one mounting figure that stops a build dead when it is wrong. It is also the hardest to look up correctly, because the objective bell outside diameter, the part that actually has to clear the barrel, is almost never published. Only the lens diameter is printed on the box.
This page lists every ring height actually stocked across major scope ring lines, what objective diameter each one clears, and the two conventions that trip up more builds than any calculation: which point on the ring is being measured, and what the height names actually mean.
These figures are researched from manufacturer published ring heights and the standard clearance convention used across the hobby, not from mounting these specific rings on a specific rifle.
What ring heights are actually stocked, and what do they clear?
The working
Ring height to tube centre = objective bell radius + clearance. Clearance is conventionally an eighth of an inch (0.125 in), the minimum gap so a lens cap or a gloved hand cannot bring the bell into contact with the barrel.
The bell outside diameter is estimated as the lens diameter plus 4 to 8mm of housing wall, since it is rarely published. "Clears up to" below is the worst case, a bell 8mm larger across than the lens.
Height names vary by maker: one catalog's "medium" is another's "high". The number is what matters, and it is what every generated ring height page on this site sorts by.
The most common stocked height, 1.00 inch (medium), clears up to roughly a 36mm objective even in the worst case bell diameter, which covers the large majority of hunting scope objectives sold.
Shooter convention
| Height (centre) | Sold as | Clears up to (worst case bell) | Example stocked product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.75 in | Ultra low, extra low | ~23.5 mm objective | Lowest 1 inch tube option |
| 0.76 in | Low | ~23.9 mm objective | 0.76 inch matched rings |
| 0.80 in | Low | ~25.3 mm objective | 0.80 inch sport rings |
| 0.87 in | Low | ~29.5 mm objective | 0.87 inch matched rings |
| 0.92 in | Low, medium | ~32 mm objective | Common low-medium stocked height |
| 0.95 in | Medium | ~34 mm objective | 0.95 inch pro series rings |
| 1.00 in | Medium | ~36 mm objective | 1.00 inch pro series rings |
| 1.10 in | Medium, high | ~41.5 mm objective | Common medium-high stocked height |
| 1.26 in | High | ~49.5 mm objective | 1.26 inch pro series rings |
| 1.45 in | Extra high, X high | ~59 mm objective | 1.45 inch pro series rings |
"Clears up to" assumes the thickest realistic housing, an 8mm bell wall over the lens diameter. A thinner housing clears a slightly larger objective at the same ring height, which is why measuring your own scope beats trusting any table, including this one.
Centre of the ring or bottom of the ring: which convention applies?
There is no industry standard here, and it is the single most common source of a wrong ring order. Most American makers publish to the centre of the ring, which is the convention this whole site uses. Others publish to the bottom of the ring instead, which is smaller by roughly the radius of the tube. Convert between the two before comparing two different makers' numbers.
A ring published as 1.00 inch to centre on a 30mm tube is only 0.41 inches to the bottom of the ring, a difference large enough to look like an entirely different product if you compare the wrong figure.
Shooter convention
| Centre height | Sold as | Bottom height, 1 inch tube | Bottom height, 30mm tube | Bottom height, 34mm tube | Bottom height, 35mm tube |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.75 in | Ultra low, extra low | 0.25 in | 0.16 in | 0.08 in | 0.06 in |
| 0.87 in | Low | 0.37 in | 0.28 in | 0.20 in | 0.18 in |
| 0.92 in | Low, medium | 0.42 in | 0.33 in | 0.25 in | 0.23 in |
| 1.00 in | Medium | 0.50 in | 0.41 in | 0.33 in | 0.31 in |
| 1.10 in | Medium, high | 0.60 in | 0.51 in | 0.43 in | 0.41 in |
| 1.26 in | High | 0.76 in | 0.67 in | 0.59 in | 0.57 in |
| 1.45 in | Extra high, X high | 0.95 in | 0.86 in | 0.78 in | 0.76 in |
Bottom height equals centre height minus the tube radius, which is 0.5 inches for a 1 inch tube, 0.591 inches for 30mm, 0.669 inches for 34mm and 0.689 inches for 35mm. Always confirm which convention a listing uses before assuming two numbers from different brands describe the same physical ring.
Why height names are marketing and the number is the only thing that matters
Two rings both called "medium" from two different lines can differ by a quarter of an inch or more in actual measured height. There is no regulatory body enforcing what low, medium or high means, and a maker sets those labels relative to its own product line rather than to any external scale. The only reliable comparison is the printed number in inches or millimetres, measured to a stated reference point.
For the exact height a specific objective needs, work from the objective lens diameter directly on the objective diameter and ring height chart, which runs the clearance arithmetic for every stocked objective size across all four tube diameters sold.
Sources
- Manufacturer published ring heights, as listed in our catalog
- Ring clearance convention, an eighth of an inch minimum gap, standard shooter practice
Frequently asked questions
What ring heights are commonly stocked?
From roughly 0.75 inches (ultra low) up to 1.45 inches (extra high) measured to the centre of the tube, with common stops around 0.87, 0.92, 1.00, 1.10 and 1.26 inches. The exact set varies by maker and tube diameter, which is why the height in inches matters far more than the marketing name attached to it.
Is ring height measured to the centre or the bottom of the ring?
There is no standard. Most American makers publish to the centre of the ring, the convention used throughout this site, while some publish to the bottom instead, a figure smaller by roughly the tube's radius. Always check which convention a specific listing uses before comparing two makers' numbers directly.
What does "medium" ring height actually mean in inches?
It depends entirely on the maker, since height names are marketing rather than measurements. One line's medium can be 0.95 inches and another's can be 1.10 inches. Buy by the printed number in inches or millimetres, not by the name, since the name carries no guarantee across brands.
What is the eighth inch clearance rule for scope rings?
It is the shooter convention that a ring should leave at least an eighth of an inch, 0.125 inches, of gap between the bottom of the objective bell and the barrel or rail. That margin exists so a lens cap, a gloved hand or a slightly bent rail cannot bring the bell into contact. It is a convention, not a published safety standard.
Do I need a different ring height for a 30mm tube than a 1 inch tube?
Not for the objective clearance itself, since the bell diameter does not change with tube diameter. What differs is the stocked product: a 30mm ring line and a 1 inch ring line rarely offer identical height options, so the closest available stocked height can differ slightly between the two even though the physical requirement is the same.
What ring height does a 50mm objective need?
Roughly 1.19 to 1.27 inches to the centre of the tube, which usually means an extra high stocked ring in most catalogs. See the full matrix across every stocked objective size and every tube diameter on the objective diameter and ring height chart.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published manufacturer specifications, published optical and ballistic formulas, and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Figures described as a rule of thumb are shooter convention rather than sourced numbers, and they are labelled that way wherever they appear. Ballistic figures come from a point mass model using the ballistic coefficient the maker publishes, so treat them as a starting point and confirm them on paper at a measured distance. Confirm your firearm is unloaded with the action open before you mount, level, torque or bore sight anything. Verify a zero only on a supervised range or a safe, legal backstop, know what lies beyond your target, and follow the law where you hunt and shoot, including rules on land access and permitted cartridges.