In my long range shooting experience, I believe these are going to be the best two options for airgunners and I wanted to show everyone the difference between these two bases.
These bases can solve most, if not all, of issues with shooting low velocity projectiles (like airgunning) from close, to extremely long ranges. You'll also be able to use a much broader range of scopes to accomplish your needs. You'll also be able to keep your scopes closer to an optical center to get the best performance possible out of them.
Let's cut right to the chase.
The Coldshot base is from Heritage Arms and made for Extreme Long Range Shooting and built tough enough to be used on high power centerfire rifles.
The Ravin Jack Plate. Although very similar it's actually made to be used on high powered crossbows and is available from a few different sources, including Pyramid Air.
Both are built very similarly but the main difference is in the adjustment wheels.
The Coldshot has up to 300 MOA of adjustability and uses a very fine threaded adjustment wheel that has "clicks" simular to a scope turret. The fine threads of the Coldshot can make the adjustment range seem very "long winded" when shooting between various distances. For example, it takes about 7 revolutions to adjust to 200 MOA.
The Coldshot is made of aluminum with precision steel components but can develop a very small amount of back-lash after extended usage. Some bases, like the Ravin, have springs that will always push or pull ,up or down, on the scope rail to help get rid of back-lash.
The Coldshot base is relying on the precision of the steel components to hold a tight tolerance and keep the back-lash to a minimum.
The Coldshot utilizes a indicator pin that protrudes over the adjustment wheel to reference how much adjustment you make. The pin is attached to the scope rail, so the more you adjust, the further the indicator pin gets from the wheel. This means the you'll have to make an effort to look straight down on the pin to make sure it lines up correctly with the numbers on the adjustment wheel.
The Ravin Jack Plate is capable of 250 MOA of adjustability and built out of aluminum, steel, and a delron like material inside the adjustment wheel.
The Ravin uses a very course threaded, smooth, steel component to thread into a delron like "nut" inside the adjustment wheel. This makes for a smooth and much faster adjustment. For example, less than 2 revolutions to reach 200 MOA. The steel threads appear to be machined or polished very smooth as to not wear on the delron like center of the adjustment wheel and even if some wear does occur, there is a spring built in that is always pulling down on the scope rail to get rid any back-lash that could otherwise develop.
The Ravin uses indicator marks on the rear of the base and scope rail, both above and below the adjustment wheel.
The downside to the Ravin is that it was designed for crossbows and doesn't have indicator marks for MOA so you'll have to use a blank tape and make your own yardage marks or use scope turret stickers.
It's also worth noting that the Ravin has a three position selector switch on the side so that the adjustment wheel will "click" like a scope turret, have no clicks and be quiet and smooth, or lock the wheel in place.
Conclusion.
If I were to run only the bases by themselves..... I would have to lean towards the Coldshot. It's very solid, repeatable, and already has the MOA's marked on the adjustment wheel.
It's only downsides IMHO are that it takes a lot of revolutions to make the adjustments and I don't like the placement of the indicator pin.
If I run the bases with the Absolute MOA Digital Readout Kit....... I lean towards the Ravin Jack Plate. With the Absolute MOA, I don't rely on the adjustment wheels for measuring my MOA. I'm looking at the digital readout. So it's much faster and easier for me to make my adjustments between all ranges.
I also enjoy running the Ravin with the switch set on the smooth/quiet setting vs hearing all the clicks. Zip, zip, zip as you spin the adjustment wheel. Lol.
The Absolute MOA also makes the Coldshot easier and faster to use, just not nearly as fast as the Ravin and you'll have to hear the clicks.
These bases can solve most, if not all, of issues with shooting low velocity projectiles (like airgunning) from close, to extremely long ranges. You'll also be able to use a much broader range of scopes to accomplish your needs. You'll also be able to keep your scopes closer to an optical center to get the best performance possible out of them.
Let's cut right to the chase.
The Coldshot base is from Heritage Arms and made for Extreme Long Range Shooting and built tough enough to be used on high power centerfire rifles.
The Ravin Jack Plate. Although very similar it's actually made to be used on high powered crossbows and is available from a few different sources, including Pyramid Air.
Both are built very similarly but the main difference is in the adjustment wheels.
The Coldshot has up to 300 MOA of adjustability and uses a very fine threaded adjustment wheel that has "clicks" simular to a scope turret. The fine threads of the Coldshot can make the adjustment range seem very "long winded" when shooting between various distances. For example, it takes about 7 revolutions to adjust to 200 MOA.
The Coldshot is made of aluminum with precision steel components but can develop a very small amount of back-lash after extended usage. Some bases, like the Ravin, have springs that will always push or pull ,up or down, on the scope rail to help get rid of back-lash.
The Coldshot base is relying on the precision of the steel components to hold a tight tolerance and keep the back-lash to a minimum.
The Coldshot utilizes a indicator pin that protrudes over the adjustment wheel to reference how much adjustment you make. The pin is attached to the scope rail, so the more you adjust, the further the indicator pin gets from the wheel. This means the you'll have to make an effort to look straight down on the pin to make sure it lines up correctly with the numbers on the adjustment wheel.
The Ravin Jack Plate is capable of 250 MOA of adjustability and built out of aluminum, steel, and a delron like material inside the adjustment wheel.
The Ravin uses a very course threaded, smooth, steel component to thread into a delron like "nut" inside the adjustment wheel. This makes for a smooth and much faster adjustment. For example, less than 2 revolutions to reach 200 MOA. The steel threads appear to be machined or polished very smooth as to not wear on the delron like center of the adjustment wheel and even if some wear does occur, there is a spring built in that is always pulling down on the scope rail to get rid any back-lash that could otherwise develop.
The Ravin uses indicator marks on the rear of the base and scope rail, both above and below the adjustment wheel.
The downside to the Ravin is that it was designed for crossbows and doesn't have indicator marks for MOA so you'll have to use a blank tape and make your own yardage marks or use scope turret stickers.
It's also worth noting that the Ravin has a three position selector switch on the side so that the adjustment wheel will "click" like a scope turret, have no clicks and be quiet and smooth, or lock the wheel in place.
Conclusion.
If I were to run only the bases by themselves..... I would have to lean towards the Coldshot. It's very solid, repeatable, and already has the MOA's marked on the adjustment wheel.
It's only downsides IMHO are that it takes a lot of revolutions to make the adjustments and I don't like the placement of the indicator pin.
If I run the bases with the Absolute MOA Digital Readout Kit....... I lean towards the Ravin Jack Plate. With the Absolute MOA, I don't rely on the adjustment wheels for measuring my MOA. I'm looking at the digital readout. So it's much faster and easier for me to make my adjustments between all ranges.
I also enjoy running the Ravin with the switch set on the smooth/quiet setting vs hearing all the clicks. Zip, zip, zip as you spin the adjustment wheel. Lol.
The Absolute MOA also makes the Coldshot easier and faster to use, just not nearly as fast as the Ravin and you'll have to hear the clicks.
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