14.5 mm BRNO Dovetail

General description

Dovetail is a uniquely designed mounting platform on a rifle's receiver, which enables the installation of various scope mounts for different rifles. Regardless of the rifle type and dovetail width, this unique design can be grooved onto the rifle's receiver, barrel or slide. The most common and recognizable is the 11 mm dovetail design.

The 14.5 mm dovetail can be mostly found on Czech drop barrel rifles. For example Brno 500, 611, ZH, Super, Browning Erice and of course many others. The dovetail design on these rifles is grooved on the rear top end of the barrel, with a length of approximately 4 cm but can also be longer.

Physical properties and dimensions

The 14.5 mm determines the measurement of the upper mounting surface. Generally, a dovetail design offers the possibility of mount installation without screws going into the receiver. Scope mounts simply clamp on the dovetail, with sufficient force so there is no movement during recoil.

Additionally, all 14.5 mm dovetails are designed with a recoil cutout, which offers even better resistance against recoil. The recoil stop groove is canted on the left side of the dovetail. Dovetail slopes are at an angle of 60 degrees. For a clearer understanding, please see the attached image below.

14.5 mm Dovetail

An example of a 14.5 mm dovetail as used on Brno ZH 305

Figure 1: An example of a 14.5 mm dovetail as used on Brno ZH 305 (Source: https://intersurplus.com/collections/combination-guns/products/brno-zh305-12-22-hp-2)

14.5 mm Dovetail

Here are some rifles with a 14.5 mm dovetail:

Best Scope Mounts for 14.5 mm Dovetail

Scope mounts for the 14.5 mm dovetail will come with a recoil notch at the rear left end to match the cutout on the rifle’s mounting surface. There are various manufacturers available who offer different kinds of mounts suitable for 14.5 mm dovetail. Due to the short length of the surface, one-piece scope mounts should preferably be used on rifles featuring a 14.5 mm dovetail.

Fixed Scope Mounts for 14.5 mm Dovetail

Fixed one-piece scope mounts require tools for attaching and detaching from the rifle's mounting surface. One-piece, two-part mounts use a base onto which the two rings are attached whereas the monoblocs or one-piece one-part mounts are usually milled from a single piece of material, with the lower end of the rings merged with the base. Fixed mounts can also come in the form of two-piece scope rings that are installed separately, however, due to the relatively short length of the mounting surface on a 14.5 mm dovetail, one-piece scope mounts will prevail in this category.

If you are looking for a one-piece solution for your 14.5 mm dovetail you might consider this slip-on mount which is manufactured by the Czech company Kozap.

Detachable Repeatable Scope Mounts for 14.5 mm Dovetail

Scope mounts that offer repeatability can be found in this category. Because the mounts always apply the same force to the dovetail base when clamping onto it, the scope will maintain its zero even when it is removed and reinstalled. The terms quick release (QR) and quick detach (QD) are frequently used to refer to different types of detachable mounting.

Due to the specific design of a recoil notch, there are not that many detachable repeatable scope mounts suitable for 14.5 mm. However, if you are looking for a detachable mounting solution to fit on your rifle, you cannot go wrong with this Rusan roll-off mount. It is made of high-quality steel and comes with a ten-year warranty.

Picatinny Rails for 14.5 mm Dovetail

Since its creation in 1995, the Picatinny rail has become recognized as the industry standard for attaching optics. The Picatinny rail, which was based on the Weaver pattern, has the advantage of being used along its full length, as opposed to Weaver, which has predesignated mounting slots, restricting its usability and versatility. Its advantages include interchangeability and simplicity of use. Slots in Picatinny are evenly spaced, measuring precisely 5.23 mm apart and 3 mm deep. As a result, all weapons that employ the Picatinny standard have the same mounting.

If you wish to install a Picatinny rail on top of your 14.5 mm dovetail, this is the best affordable choice by the German manufacturer MAK. It is made of high-quality aluminum and comes with a thirty-year warranty.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu