Leupold 49996 Standard 1-Piece Base: Elevating Precision for Savage 110-116 Long Action Rifles

For any serious marksman, hunter, or competitive shooter utilizing a Savage 110-116 Long Action (LA) Right Hand (RH) rifle, the foundation of optimal accuracy begins with the scope mounting system. A critical component in this setup is the rifle scope base, and the Leupold 49996 Standard 1-Piece Base in its sleek black gloss finish stands out as an exceptional choice. Engineered with precision and designed for unparalleled stability, this base is more than just a piece of metal; it's a commitment to enhancing your shooting experience and ensuring your optic performs exactly as intended, shot after shot.

This comprehensive guide is designed for rifle owners seeking to upgrade their mounting solution, achieve greater accuracy, and invest in a durable, reliable foundation for their rifle scope. If you've ever asked, "What's the best scope base for my Savage 110 long action?" or "How can I improve the stability of my rifle scope?", then understanding the benefits of the Leupold 49996 is paramount. It addresses common challenges faced by shooters, such as maintaining zero, enduring harsh recoil, and ensuring long-term scope integrity.

What is a Scope Base and Why is it Essential?

A rifle scope base serves as the intermediary between your firearm's receiver and your scope rings, which in turn hold your optical sight. It provides a secure, level platform upon which your scope rests. Without a robust and precisely machined base, even the most expensive and technologically advanced rifle scope cannot perform to its full potential. A poor-quality or ill-fitting base can lead to:

• Loss of Zero: Your point of impact shifts unexpectedly.
• Scope Damage: Excessive stress on the scope tube due to uneven mounting.
• Inconsistent Accuracy: Groupings spread out, making precision shooting impossible.
• Frustration: The inability to trust your equipment when it matters most.

The Leupold 49996 is specifically engineered to mitigate these issues, offering a rock-solid connection that instills confidence in every shot.

Who is the Leupold 49996 Standard Base For?

This particular Leupold scope base is meticulously crafted for a specific user base and firearm:

• Savage 110-116 Long Action (LA) Rifle Owners: This base is custom-fit for the popular Savage 110, 111, 112, 114, and 116 series rifles configured with a long action receiver. It ensures a perfect fit, which is crucial for mounting integrity.
• Right Hand (RH) Shooters: Designed for right-handed actions, ensuring the bolt handle clears the base without interference, a common concern for proper cycling.
• Hunters: Whether pursuing big game across vast landscapes or tracking varmints, hunters need a reliable setup that can withstand the rigors of the outdoors and maintain accuracy when a critical shot presents itself.
• Target Shooters & Enthusiasts: For those spending hours at the range refining their skills, a stable base translates directly into tighter groups and consistent performance, allowing for accurate data collection and load development.
• Competitive Shooters: In the high-stakes world of competitive shooting, every milliradian matters. The Leupold 49996 provides the unwavering stability required to meet the demands of precision competitions.
• Anyone Seeking an Upgrade: If your existing scope base is showing signs of wear, or if you're experiencing inconsistent accuracy, upgrading to a Leupold Standard 1-Piece Base can be a significant step towards improved performance.

This base solves the problem of finding a reliable, durable, and perfectly compatible mounting solution for a popular long-action rifle, ensuring your valuable optic is securely anchored for optimal performance.

Deep Dive into the Leupold 49996's Core Features

The Leupold 49996 Standard 1-Piece Base incorporates several design elements that contribute to its superior performance and durability:

• 1-Piece Construction: Unlike two-piece bases that mount separately on the front and rear of the receiver, the 1-piece design offers inherent advantages in rigidity and alignment.
  • Enhanced Rigidity: A single, continuous piece of metal provides a much stiffer platform, reducing flex and potential points of failure under recoil or impact. This minimizes any minute shifts that could affect zero.
  • Improved Alignment: Manufacturing a single piece to exact tolerances inherently leads to better alignment between the front and rear mounting points, which is crucial for preventing scope tube stress and ensuring proper optical tracking. This can save time and frustration during scope mounting and zeroing.
  • Simplified Installation: Often, a 1-piece base can be simpler to install as it eliminates the need to perfectly align two separate components.
• Leupold Standard Base Design: Leupold's Standard (STD) base system is renowned for its time-proven strength and versatility.
  • Windage Adjustable Rear Ring: A defining feature of the Standard system is its windage-adjustable rear ring. This allows for fine-tuning of your scope's horizontal alignment without relying solely on the scope's internal adjustments. This can be particularly useful when mounting scopes with limited internal windage travel or when dealing with rifles that have slight receiver eccentricities. It enables the shooter to mechanically zero the scope closer to optical center, reserving the scope's internal adjustments for fine-tuning and environmental factors.
  • Secure Dovetail Connection: The front ring of the Leupold Standard system attaches via a precise dovetail interface, providing a powerful, recoil-absorbing mechanical lock.
  • Steel Construction: Crafted from high-grade steel, this base is built to withstand extreme forces, including the heavy recoil of magnum cartridges, ensuring long-term durability and reliability in diverse conditions.
• Savage 110-116 Long Action Right Hand Specific Fit: Precision engineering ensures a perfect, wobble-free fit on the specified Savage models. This eliminates play and provides a direct, stable interface between the rifle and the mounting system. The "flat rear receiver" designation confirms its compatibility with the specific profile of these Savage models, which is crucial for proper seating.
• Black Gloss Finish: More than just aesthetics, the black gloss finish offers a layer of protection against corrosion and wear. It complements most rifle finishes and provides a classic, professional look. The high-quality finish is resistant to chipping and scratching, maintaining its appearance even with heavy field use.

These features combine to create a mounting system that not only holds your scope securely but actively contributes to the overall accuracy and reliability of your rifle.

Installation and Setup Considerations

While professional installation is always recommended for critical firearm components, installing the Leupold 49996 Standard Base is a straightforward process for the mechanically inclined shooter. Here's a general overview of the steps and what to consider:

1. Preparation: Ensure your rifle is unloaded and the chamber is clear. Gather necessary tools: a torque wrench (essential for proper screw tension), appropriate screwdriver bits (often T15 Torx or flathead), degreaser, and Loctite (non-permanent thread locker like 242 Blue).
2. Clean Receiver: Thoroughly clean the mounting holes and receiver top surface of your Savage rifle. Remove any oil, grease, or old thread locker residue to ensure a secure metal-to-metal contact.
3. Position the Base: Align the Leupold 49996 one-piece base on the receiver, ensuring the front and rear sections align with the respective mounting holes.
4. Secure with Screws: Apply a small amount of non-permanent thread locker (e.g., Loctite 242 Blue) to the base screws. Hand-tighten all screws initially to ensure they are seated properly and the base is flat.
5. Torque to Spec: Using a torque wrench, tighten the base screws to the manufacturer's recommended specifications (Leupold typically provides these in their instructions or on their website). Proper torque is critical: too loose, and the base can shift; too tight, and you risk stripping screws or damaging the receiver.
6. Mount Rings: Once the base is securely installed, you can proceed to mount your Leupold Standard scope rings (sold separately), ensuring proper eye relief and scope leveling before final tightening. Remember to use the windage-adjustable rear ring to mechanically center your scope before using internal adjustments.
7. Bore Sighting & Zeroing: After mounting, perform a preliminary bore sight to get your first shots on paper, followed by live-fire zeroing at your desired distance.

By following these steps and using the right tools, you can ensure your Leupold 49996 base provides the ultimate foundation for your scope.

Why Choose Leupold for Your Savage Rifle?

Leupold & Stevens, Inc. is an iconic American brand with a legacy spanning over a century, renowned for producing high-quality optics and mounting systems. When you choose a Leupold 49996 base, you're not just buying a component; you're investing in:

• Unwavering Quality: Leupold products are manufactured in Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.A., adhering to stringent quality control standards. This commitment to excellence ensures every base is precision-machined for a perfect fit and reliable performance.
• Durability and Longevity: Built from robust materials like steel, Leupold bases are designed to endure the harshest conditions, from extreme temperatures to heavy recoil, ensuring your investment lasts a lifetime.
• Trusted Performance: Generations of shooters, hunters, and military personnel have relied on Leupold for their critical missions. This widespread trust is a testament to the brand's consistent delivery of dependable products.
• Seamless Integration: The Leupold Standard system is designed to work cohesively, meaning this base is intended to pair perfectly with Leupold Standard Rings, creating a fully integrated and optimized mounting solution.
• Excellent Support: Leupold stands behind its products, offering comprehensive customer support and resources for installation and troubleshooting.

By choosing Leupold, you're aligning your precision Savage rifle with a brand that embodies optical excellence and robust engineering.

Enhancing Your Shooting Experience

The impact of a high-quality scope base like the Leupold 49996 cannot be overstated. It directly contributes to:

• Increased Accuracy: A stable, perfectly aligned scope base ensures that your scope holds its zero, allowing for consistent shot placement and tighter groups. This is fundamental for success in hunting, target shooting, and competition.
• Improved Reliability: Knowing your scope is securely mounted reduces the risk of shifting under recoil or during transport, providing peace of mind when it matters most.
• Extended Scope Life: By preventing torque or stress on the scope tube, a proper mounting system helps preserve the internal components and overall integrity of your valuable optic, leading to a longer lifespan.
• Confidence in the Field: When you know your equipment is dependable, your focus can remain entirely on the shot, leading to more ethical hunts and more successful range sessions.

Whether you're engaging targets at long range, tracking game in challenging terrain, or simply enjoying a day at the shooting range, the Leupold 49996 Standard 1-Piece Base provides the crucial stability your Savage 110-116 Long Action rifle needs to perform at its peak. It's an investment in precision, durability, and the sheer joy of knowing your gear won't let you down.

Common Questions About Scope Bases and the Leupold 49996

Here are some frequently asked questions that provide further clarity on the Leupold 49996 Standard 1-Piece Base:

Q: What exactly does "Long Action" mean for my Savage 110?
A: "Long Action" refers to the length of the rifle's receiver, designed to accommodate longer cartridges like .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester, 7mm Rem Mag, and .300 Win Mag. This base is specifically machined to fit these longer receivers, distinguishing it from bases designed for "Short Action" cartridges.

Q: Can I use this base with any scope rings?
A: No, the Leupold 49996 Standard Base is specifically designed to be used with Leupold Standard (STD) style scope rings. These rings feature a dovetail front and windage-adjustable rear component that interfaces perfectly with the base for a secure, aligned fit.

Q: What is the benefit of a "Flat Rear Receiver" fitment?
A: Many Savage rifles, particularly older models or specific variants within the 110-116 series, have a slightly different contour at the rear of the receiver compared to the front. The "Flat Rear Receiver" designation for the Leupold 49996 ensures that the base sits flush and perfectly stable on this specific receiver profile, preventing any rocking or instability.

Q: Is a 1-piece base always better than a 2-piece base?
A: While 1-piece bases generally offer greater rigidity and improved alignment, making them ideal for heavy recoil rifles or situations demanding utmost precision, 2-piece bases can be lighter, less obtrusive, and allow for easier access to the rifle's action. The "best" choice depends on your specific rifle, cartridge, and shooting application. For maximizing stability and preventing flex on a long action rifle, the 1-piece design of the Leupold 49996 is often preferred.

Q: How do I know if my Savage 110-116 is a "Right Hand" action?
A: A right-hand action means the bolt handle is located on the right side of the rifle when viewed from the rear, and the bolt is typically manipulated with the right hand. This base is designed to provide proper clearance for right-hand bolt operation.

Where to Find the Leupold 49996 Standard 1-Piece Base

When seeking to purchase the Leupold 49996 Standard 1-Piece Base, it is readily available at reputable firearm accessory retailers like DEGuns. Investing in this precision-engineered component from a trusted source ensures you receive an authentic product backed by excellent customer service and competitive pricing. Upgrade your Savage 110-116 Long Action rifle with the confidence that comes from a Leupold foundation, ready to support your most demanding shooting endeavors.

Feature	Specification	Benefit
Model Number	Leupold 49996	Easy identification and compatibility assurance
Construction	1-Piece Standard Base	Maximum rigidity and alignment
Material	High-Grade Steel	Superior durability and recoil resistance
Finish	Black Gloss	Corrosion protection and aesthetic appeal
Compatibility	Savage 110-116 Long Action (LA) Right Hand (RH)	Perfect, secure fit for specified rifles
Rear Receiver Fit	Flat	Ensures stable mounting on specific profiles
Mounting System	Leupold Standard (STD) with Windage Adjustment (rear)	Precise alignment and scope centering
UPC	030317499963	Global product identification
Origin	Made in USA	Assurance of quality and craftsmanship