The 1885 gets a new Malcolm Scope!

[rbertalotto]

I decided to mount a period correct (or close to it) scope on my 1885.

The Winchester 1885 previously wore a 1970s vintage Burris.......
http://images32.fotki.com/v1045/photos/2/36012/9654765/DSC_2685-vi.jpg

When the scope arrived I realized that I did not have anything close to mount for it. Wayne McLerran, in his book, "Model 1885 Black Powder Cartridge Rifle" has a whole chapter on mounting a scope to these rifles. A recommendation is to buy a one piece scope mount made by Steve Earl who just happens to have his shop about 30 minutes from my house. A one piece mount is advised as you don't need to drill any new holes in the barrel, which could effect collector value down the road.

But upon looking at the rifle and the Malcolm rings, I figured I could whip a one piece mount up myself.

I grabbed a piece of stock out of the scrap bin and let my milling machine have its way with it.

Here's what we turned up with.....

http://images27.fotki.com/v992/photos/2/36012/9654765/DSC_2805-vi.jpg

http://images35.fotki.com/v1129/photos/2/36012/9654765/DSC_2803-vi.jpg

http://images108.fotki.com/v105/photos/2/36012/9654765/DSC_2804-vi.jpg

And the finished product......

http://images15.fotki.com/v245/photos/2/36012/9654765/DSC_2810-vi.jpg

Tomorrow we'll give it a bit of a workout.........Range report to follow!

[ph4570]

Looks like a good mount to me -- nice work.

[Black Prince]

Nice job Roy. Looks more like it ought to now that you put that Leatherwood on it. You are going to like that set-up. I used the Steve Earle rail for my Browning BPCR, and that same Leatherwood scope. I am happy with it. Looking forward to your range report. All the best.

[Artful]

Looks good but proof is in the shootin.

But you got some nice machine'n done there.

[rbertalotto]

Well, if you remember my saga on another post on this forum, I just couldn't get this Winchester 1885 BPCR to shoot worth a darn with smokeless powder. Not that it was shooting any great shakes with BP either. Twelve inch groups at 100 yards were about as good as I could get with seven different boolits and five different powders. Ugh!

So I mounted up a Malcolm scope and headed back to the range this afternoon. No wind and 100% perfect conditions.

I found the rifle likes Lyman 500G #457125 over 24g of 4759 powder.
It turned in this group at 100yds!

http://images108.fotki.com/v613/photos/2/36012/9654765/0525111918-vi.jpg

And then I tried the same powder load under a 535g Postell #457132 and it turned in this group:

http://images23.fotki.com/v869/photos/2/36012/9654765/0525111919-vi.jpg

And finally I tried 30g of IMR 4198 under a 425g GC Ranch Dog and I got this group:

http://images9.fotki.com/v120/photos/2/36012/9654765/0525111758-vi.jpg

So it turns out that those 12" groups I was getting this past weekend were all due to a defective scope......

I was becoming concerned that I had bought a lemon!

I'm one happy camper right now!

Oh, and BTW, That Malcolm scope is fantastic! Extremely good optics. Plenty of light gathering for what I'm going to be using it for.
It never lost zero. No issues with the mounts what so ever. For $275 it simply can't be beat if you want to mount a period type scope on you rifle. Highly recommended so far.........

[Black Prince]

Now that is nice. You have a fine combination there and it shoots too. Good on you.

[Doc Highwall]

rbertalotto, some of the vertical in your groups can be from where you rest the forend or barrel. I bet if you tried resting it in a different place that you could get it to go away.

[rbertalotto]

Doc, Thanks for the hint. I bet you are correct........currently I have the barrel resting on a sand filled leather pad that is approx 6" long. Should the barrel on these rifles be resting on something smaller? And I SHOULD be resting the barrel and not the forend....correct?

Also, when installing my scope base last night, I had need to remove the forend. I find there is a forend hanger that should allow the barrel to completely free floated. Yet the forend was such a tight fit to the octagon part of the barrel, that I had to tap it with a rubber mallet to get it to come off. I understand this barrel is huge in cross section, but shouldn't the barrel be free floating with no contact to the forend?

I might just remove it and shoot the gun again to see if it makes a difference.

Any other comments are much appreciated. I'm a extremely well versed benchrest shooter and long range varmint shooter, but this type of shooting and gear are all new to me. That's what makes it so much fun!

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Roy,

How about some contact info for steve earl for those of us who want to mount a Malcolm also.

Thanks,

Sam :D

[Doc Highwall]

rbertalotto, there is no best place as to where to rest the gun. Some will shoot best resting near the muzzle and some will shoot best resting on the forend. You have to test this for each gun in a methodical way. A gun that shoots great resting the barrel 4" back from the muzzle with one load might shoot better off the forend with another because of barrel time.

A load that has little horizontal dispersion but more vertical with the bullet you want to shoot and at the velocity you want, would be something to start with.

[Doc Highwall]

Muddy Creek Sam, Texas Mac has the scope mount on his web site along with scope and mount information. Check it out he has done a great job as usual.

[rbertalotto]

www.steveearleproducts.com

[Irascible]

Is the Earl mount like the one you made? That is is it bolted to both the barrel and receiver? I had always heard that this was a bad idea?

[rbertalotto]

If you go to my web site you will see an article I wrote quite a while ago about the Ruger #1 and trying to get them to shoot accurately. One issue has always been the one piece scope mount, screwed to the barrel, but touching the receiver. This area between the rear of the mount and the receiver needs to be relieved. They can not touch.

And the Ruger #1 one piece mount also needs the front screw holes elongated so the mount can expand and contract and not move the barrel and POI.

But, on this Winchester the barrel is about twice the diameter and weight of the Ruger #1. And it's firing pedestrian bullet speeds that don't heat the barrel up anyway near what happens in a Ruger #1.

Time will tell, but I think it will be fine...........proof will be in the targets!

[texasmac]

For those of you considering the Steve Earle scope rail, here's a link to my article and photos. http://www.texas-mac.com/Short_Malcolm_Style_Scope_Mounting_Rail_for_Browni ng_or_Winchester_BPCRs.html
I don't believe Steve has the rail listed on his web site, but it is available if you contact him.

Wayne