Machining or...what...for scope mounts

[Topgun]

Here's my situation:

I am attempting to use a VERY good old Balvar 8 scope on a Savage rifle.
The mounts are from my old Win M70 so they don't match the Savage receiver contour. The above illustration is exaggerated but illustrates the problem.

Now.....

Do you think the mounts could be machined by someone who is good enough to maintain the level of the mount while milling out the bottom of the mounts?
I think the mounts are an alloy.
Know anyone competent enough to do it?

or...

Do you think filling the voids with marine epoxy would do it? I have used marine epoxy to fill a crack in a car differential so it is TOUGH stuff. The repair lasted all the time I had the Mustang.

or...

What about SHIMMING the voids? What would you use?

AND

There is one more possibility. The rear mount may be too low and need to be raised. A spacer seems an easy thing if you think the epoxy would be appropriate for the filling.

If not, then the front mount would have to be taken down to get the scope to zero.

I'd just buy a new scope, but to match that Bausch & Lomb, it would take a grand.

Any ideas or suggestions or approval/disapproval of the above ideas I have come up with? (Especially the marine epoxy)

 

[Jim Watson]

Or you could try to find the correct B&L bases, they did make adjustable bases for Savage 110; if yours is not a late model, I understand they changed the receiver bridge shape when the Accutrigger came out.

Try Chris Hyde at www.vintagesporting.com
He advertises B&L mounts for a number of rifles, not including Savage, but including "other."
He also lists a Buehler Microdial adjustable mount for a Savage 110 for $75.

Not on the website but in Nov 5 Gun List, which is more current? I dunno, call or e-mail. If he hasn't got it he will look for it.

Or check with Gary Fellers. I couldn't find a website, but contact at:
Gary Fellers 3905 Anewby Way Fort Worth, Tx 76133 (817) 346-9633 {Used sights and scopes}

A new mount will be less expensive than having your old ones remachined RIGHT.

 

[Topgun]

That's the thing, Jim. It's a brand new Accutrigger one.

 

[Jim Watson]

I am about out of ideas.
About.
Ask Chris what bases he has that are the thickest, no matter the rifle. Have them machined to fit your reciever. That might get you out of the need for fillers and shims.

 

[Sodbuster]

I think Leupold sells blanks that can be milled to the correct shape. It still means paying someone to do that, but it'd be easier for them to mill something from a "square" starting point than from an already shaped mount. Kinda same idea that Jim just mentioned. I forget if they come in steel or an alloy. Maybe some other makers sell blanks also; or your local smithy may have them already. That's weird that no bases fit your Savage. Does that scope require some type of proprietary bases?

 

[Jim Watson]

I'm not Topgun, but yes, that scope has no internal adjustments and requires a mount that has both windage and elevation built in. Bausch & Lomb made their own, of course, and the Kuharsky was popular at the time. Buehler's Microdial and Leupold's Adjusto-Mount were available, too.

 

[musher]

Topgun, I'd worry a little about the stability of regular marine epoxy under higher temps if you fire the rifle repeatedly.

If you use a steel bushing to raise the rear mount to the proper level and use the high-temp epoxy as I mentioned in the other thread (here) then I think you would end up with something that will work

 

[longrifleman]

How exaggerated and what kind of alloy?

If the mounts are off a little them wrapping the barrell with emory cloth and using it as a mandrel to shape the base is possible but time consuming. I hope you don't have tennis elbow if you try this. Maintaining a flat surface from front to back is difficult if you have much material to remove so you might end up with new mounts anyway.

I have no experience with the epoxy but it might be worth using for small voids if you can get a good bearing surface , especially next to the mounting screws. Any slop there can sure cause sheared screws. No fun.