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I need to mount suhl claw scope mounts on a drilling. I have a good scope, with the scope-mounted components in place. I understand that precise machining and fitting is required. I imagine someone out there has mounts that have been removed and replaced with more modern versions. Can anyone help?
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toadboy65,
It is highly unlikely that you will be able to find bases that will match the rings on your scope. Also, to mount the bases to a drilling without existing bases involves cutting out the rib in two places and maybe moving the rear sight.The new bases would have to be soldered into place.After soldering into place, they would have to be "skim milled" to level the top of them, and if they are "take off" components rather than new, there might not be enough thickness left to mill them again. Also if the scope you have is fitted with soldered on half rings, they have been milled to fit the mounts they came from and are unlikely to fit the new ones.It will be difficult to find someone to remove them and reblue the scope tube.If they are mounted on a dovetail rail, they can be removed and the holes filled so as not to be too obvious. Then the scope could be mounted in new mounts. My advice is to contact one of the gunsmiths that advertise in the trade directory in WAIDMANNSHEIL. Some of these have experience with mounting scopes on drillings and other german guns.They have necessary components avaliable.Also don't discount "swing mounts", they also come back to zero and may be cheaper than claw mounts.
Mike -
the scope I have has rails, and came from a drilling, so the spacing should be workable. I have already removed the through-bolts from the rails, but can either put them back in place or move them and mill a rod to fill the hole. I have already rebuilt and restored the scope, which dates to 35, the same year the drilling was made. I would greatly prefer putting period and region correct mounts on the drilling, if I can possibly do so. I also have a very well equipped machine shop, so if I can get salvageable parts, I think I can mount them properly. I understand that mounting these kinds of bases can be a technical challenge, but I think it is not as impossible as people keep telling me. I have rebuilt and modified Suhl mounts before, but not on a drilling. I appreciate any help sourcing the parts that I can get.
toadComment
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toadboy,
To fit claw mounts(or swing mounts, for that matter) requires some of the parts to be milled level and to height.While not necessarily always,usually there may not be enough "meat" left in used parts to allow doing this a second time.Also if the "rings"and "bases" don't come from the same source, it is highly unlikely that the "claws" will fit the bases.If you insist on fitting them yourself, I highly recommend you buy new parts. They have to be bought individually as (except for the front ring, which comes with the plate) there is no "kit" to buy.There are a couple sources of these parts, including Recknagel, Ernst Apel Wurzburg(EAW), and maybe Bock is still in business. Both Recknagel and EAW have websites that include catalogs, so you can see what is avaliable.While I don't support any one of the gunsmiths in the Trade Directory over others, I have noted that New England Custom Guns, has some Recknagel(ERA) and maybe EAW parts, and can order others.For what it's worth, the idea of "swing mounts" can also be period correct and some can be fitup with "spacers" to adjust the height, instead of "milling/filing".While I'm no expert,I have been blessed with having the chance to watch the fitting of a lot of clawmounts and have fitup a couple of my own(albeit with a lot of help in a shop already setup to do the work), and will help as much as I can.
MikeComment
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