Question about fitting a scope

[stig]

So I've been moving my scopes around and now have the 3-9 x 50 Leupold sat on top of the HMR. Looked perfect with about 1mm clearance... until I tightened down the top half of the rings and unfortunately the scope just touches the barrel now. I really don't want to put higher mounts on as I have perfect cheek weld but if there isn't a work around i will have to do just that...

...so, my question is this. Being that there is virtually no recoil with an HMR and the likelihood of the rifle taking any serious knocks is low is it possible/advisable or just plain stupid to put a rubber spacer in the bottom half of the rings. I've tried this to see if it works (see photo) and on the face of it it seems to work well. But I'm sure the wiser of you might point out that this is inadvisable due to... putting incorrect pressure on the tube & could cause it to misshape, or it'll not hold zero, or...

Thoughts and advice greatly appreciated.

Stig

 

[scrun63]

I would put a spacer in myself. If the scope touches the barrel it could effect the harmonics of the barrel and consequently the accuracy of the rifle. But don't use rubber it will swell in the heat, contract in the cold and degrade over time, all effecting the spacing between the scope and rifle and varying the zeroing of the rifle. What you need to use is film negatives or the plastic packing tape.

Good luck - and i'm just waiting for the FEO to come over this avo re my HMR variation )

scrun

 

[Brithunter]

A shim of suitable material will work. Rubber as Scrun mentioned in not really suitable.

If it was me I would be changing the mounts for something better and those would be in the alloy scrap bin.

 

[jay 22]

i would just go up mount size. and get a cheek pad for the stock.

 

[stig]

If it was me I would be changing the mounts for something better and those would be in the alloy scrap bin.

What dovetail mounts would you recommend for a £350 rifle and £300 scope?

 

[roedeerred]

Simple answer as with all kit the best you can afford

 

[bewsher500]

what about sliding it forward a few mills?
you may have more sight picture to play with than you think, otherwise new mounts.
its not the recoil, it is the movement in the rings from transit, knocks, sideways pressure etc etc.

I have a box of mounts from various rifle in 30mm and 1"
is this a 9-11mm dovetail on the top?
PM me and I will see what I have. they dont need to be custom Apel to work, but bodging is just going to lead to trouble holding zero down the line IMO

 

[Brithunter]

What dovetail mounts would you recommend for a £350 rifle and £300 scope?

There are many makes out there from Leupold, Hilver ( Now Lynx/B-Square) Apel.

My own Brno model 2 had Hilver steel rings fitted when it had a different scope on it. Right now it has the dedicated Meopta Prepov 3x scope fitted. The Hilver rings are 4654N. On the BSA Supersport Five which uses P-H blocks I used Hilver #4533H when i tried out the Nikko Streling 4.5-14x50 scope. I also have some original Parker-Hale rings for the rimfires ( these are the earlier rounded profile and are of better quality IMHO than some of their later stuff).

Oh having tried the Millet rings on a BSA full bore I was not impressed so removed them and replaced them.

Whilst I do not personally like the vertically spilt rings there are those who do and rate them highly. Makers like Warne alos make rim fire rings:-

http://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/products.asp?cat=WARNE+.22+%2F+RIMFIRE+RINGS

And here is a page of steel rim fire rings:-


http://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/products.asp?cat=2+Piece+Steel


I have no connection with the Optics Warehouse apart from being a customer over the internet.

It seems I have mislaid one half of a 30mm set of those dreadful alloy rings similar to yours. They came on a used Falcon menace scope I brought to try mildots out with. I fitted the scope using them for a few days until i could replace them. I also have a one piece 1" mount that I believe to be a sportsmatch. Someone has filed off the very ends of the dovetails to fit something or other. It too came on a used scope, I forget which one now, it appears to be a sort of copy of the original Rhino one piece mount that came out for the air rifle shooters back in the late 1970's for the HW35, HW80 and Feinwerkbau spring powered air rifles.

Sorry if my comments offended your sensibilities but to me those mounts look they were designed by Triang or Meccano.

 

[stig]

Sorry if my comments offended your sensibilities but to me those mounts look they were designed by Triang or Meccano.

No offence taken. I got the rings for free with the rifle and didn't really have any thought to replacing them, not that £40 will break the bank, but £40 is £40 if I already have something that will do the job... I'll look into new rings but it's such a faff guessing which hight to get if anyone has any idea - CZ 452 varmint + Leupold VXi 3-9x50

Cheers

what about sliding it forward a few mills?

i will try that first...

PM me and I will see what I have

will do, thanks

 

[Brithunter]

With a 50mm objective your looking at highs methinks..... The Hilvers suitable for a CZ452 I have are mediums and the box says for objective bells of 32-44mm. The Hilver highs for the ZKM611 and Model 1 says up to 52mm Objective bell.

 

[stig]

and therein lies my issue, I'm really not that keen to hike the scope up quite high... Leupold mounts say “high” for a 50mm, but I yesterday discovered that with a Zeiss scope (3-12x50) you could almost get away with “low” (on my T3)... ended up putting on “mediums”... I guess what i’m saying is “trial and error” which is pricey by mail... unless someone has my exact set-up and can advise...

 

[stig]

I've been meaning to post this for ages - a quick THANK YOU to Buckup for the shim material he kindly sent to me for the price of a charitable donation - it worked a treat and I'm now popping bunnies with ease and have the perfect cheek weld I desired.

Another example of the generosity of SD members