Handi Rifle Scope Mounting

[cwtebay]

Well....did something silly. Took the scope and rings off of my NEF to give to someone who needed it. Didn't think about measuring rings or even recalling what they were!! I have low and medium rings on hand, low is definitely no. Medium ends up with the hammer scarring the scope. Would it be sacrilege to file off the hammer?

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[Mk42gunner]

If the scope lines up with your eye when the rifle is shouldered, I wouldn't hesitate to gently modify the hammer.

If you have to hunt for the full field of view, try different rings.

I don't have any idea why H&R/NEF used so many different hammer spurs over the years; some are comfortable, some aren't. The one on my Model 058 .410 is a nice low hammer that will clear anything, however it is a rebounding hammer i.e. non transfer bar type.

Robert

[725]

I've bobbed several H&R hammers. Mostly, nobody notices. Also, I've drilled in from the side of the hammer and screwed in a hammer spur. The friction mounted ones loosen up once in awhile and never at a convenient time.

[Texas by God]

I have a Uncle Mikes extension on my 44-40; I’m waiting on a Grovetech extension for my 7-30 Waters.
I’ve found that these work better than the Marlin type of extension. Even with the old Topper hammer, there is limited room under the scope tube ocular bell- so three of my Topper rifles wear fixed power scopes.

[Shawlerbrook]

Same thing here. Just mounted a scope on my 357 mag stub barrel project with high rings. The hammer clears the eyepiece but waiting on a Grovtech extension to make cocking not a gymnastic move.

[cwtebay]

Thank you for all of your insight!
Tall rings make it so I need to lift my cheek from the stock a significant amount - so that is out. I do have a hammer extension (don't recall what brand) that I want to install after I get the hammer spur under control.
I own 2, have owned quite a few over the years and I thought it was just my memory that was saying that the hammer spur height is variable. Is it a model to model variance? Year of manufacturing?

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[Texas by God]

This is the newest Topper action that I have; it is a transfer bar/ striker action. The extension works well under a 1” scope as well as this 3/4” tube J2.5.
The hammer spur is higher than my older rebounding hammer Toppers.


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[Gtek]

I lean hard with above advise, grind, spur and get on with enjoying life.

[pietro]

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IMO, grinding the hammer would be a last resort.

I would first see if the scope could be slid back enough in the rings so that the fired hammer would clear the forward slope of the ocular bell.

It looks like you would only need to slide the scope about 1/4" to the rear.

Failing that, I would try medium height offset rings to do the same thing.

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[Delkal]

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IMO, grinding the hammer would be a last resort.

I would first see if the scope could be slid back enough in the rings so that the fired hammer would clear the forward slope of the ocular bell.

It looks like you would only need to slide the scope about 1/4" to the rear.

Failing that, I would try medium height offset rings to do the same thing.

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Agreed. I just looked at my scoped handi rifle and my scope is much farther back. At least 2 inches overlap the wood stock. Everyone's hold / eyes are different but for me that is the natural place for my scope.

Close your eyes and quickly shoulder the rifle in a comfortable shooting position.. Then open your eyes and see if you see the full image in the scope and not a smaller image in a circle from the scope being too close or too far. Set your distance based on that.

[cwtebay]

It's a 22 Hornet destined for a young family member with a short length of pull. The scope is mounted where he can see with the shortened stock and an add on cheek pad. It's the same as the 22RF I got going for him. Offset mounts are not an option for young shooters IMO.
Last night I got the base bedded, the rings lapped, the scope mounted and reticle leveled and bore sighted her. Ran out of time after baseball practice. Will be filing this evening and hopefully drilling for the extension.
I can definitely see the point of filing being a last resort, but I think that the value of this rifle is in getting it into a young fella's paws rather than whatever the reduction in value will be.

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[Shawlerbrook]

If the only option is modifying the hammer you can always get a replacement so if you want to return to stock. My 357 has a Monte Carlo stock from the now dead barrel replacement program when I had a 50 cal mz barrel fit so high rings with the spur work great.