Tikka T3x scope mounting advice

[u/Canadian-Footy-Fan]

I bought a Tikka T3x Superlite in 223 and when I got it home I realized that my scope hardware doesn’t really work (used to use my scopes on air rifles and the dovetails were more narrow). Thus I need to get a good setup for mounting a scope on this rifle. Complicating things is that I am very left eye dominant (right eye is garbage) but I shoot right so I need a mount setup that will elevate my scope to accommodate that (I know I should just learn to shoot left but I am not going to do that).

The rails milled into the Tikka are 17mm but it seems like most mounts use a 20mm rail so I am thinking I should get a (cheap) picatinny rail and bolt it on as step 1. Then I either need
- a pair of tall/solid rings, or
- a riser that elevates the whole thing, and then rings or a one piece mount, or
- A tall one piece mount with built in rings.

As if that weren’t complicated enough, I have a UTG bug buster scope that I’d like to try on it - but it is short so the rings in a “normal” one piece mount tend to be spaced too far apart to fit. Thus I am wondering about an adjustable length mount.

Or should I scrap all of those ideas and just find a set of tall/raised rings that fit well on the native 17mm dovetail? And if so, any suggestions?

Oh, and I’d like to do all of this as affordably as possible…

I would welcome any advice.

[u/swift_gilford]

If you don't need the MOA cant for your scope. I'd go direct mount, and the Unknown Munitions ones would get my vote.

If you want the cant, pretty much any of the major trusted brands + rings will work here.

The bigger factor is going to come down to budget and your scope size (objective lens as well as tube diameter).