Mounting a WMLRF at 3 or 9 o’clock with an offset provides clearance for tripod heads like the RRS Anvil-30, shooting bags, and allows the magwell to serve as a barricade stop. This setup also enables quick side-glance reading of ranging results and ballistic solutions with minimal head movement. When paired with a top-mounted red dot, the user can also perform rough, rapid ranging while orienting the scope on target.
An offset side-mounted WMLRF can also have a smaller laser offset compared to ones mounted on tall diving boards. With a parallel zero, the laser offset remains constant regardless of the distance and becomes negligible as the range increases, especially with small offsets. It is also easier to range through tight openings when the laser offset is smaller.
In many cases, the laser beam falls into a lower quadrant of the reticle. This enables using the reticle grid to bracket targets with laser divergence and distance taken into account. This can be especially helpful in situations where obtaining accurate ranging results is challenging.
In addition, a top-mounted red dot generally offers more consistent accuracy at longer distances than offset dots, as it is easier to hold a rifle straight up consistently than to cant at the same angle where it is zeroed. A top-mounted dot is also more conducive to passive aiming and orienting the scope and the WMLRF on target.
There are also potential downsides. The added bulk on the side increases snag hazards. The rail flex can potentially cause laser POI shifts. These shifts can be mitigated with semi monolithic uppers or rails featuring large barrel nuts (e.g., Geissele, SOLGW, and Noveske). We recommend dry fire practice to help identify POI shifts in various positions and develop workflows and techniques for consistent ranging accuracy..
Our M-LOK OFFSET ADAPTER, PN 02-005, has been updated with inputs from professional users. The REV02 of the offset adapter features a larger footprint, providing better support and additional clearance for WMLRFs with a larger form factor such as L3Harris PAL and Vortex Impact 4000. Also included with the package is a 0.2″ / 5mm spacer for creating additional clearance for scopes with a larger objective bell (e.g., larger than NX8 2.5-20x50mm) and for clip-ons.
