Need help finding the correct scope base!

[A1 Gunner]

Hello all,

I'm a new member and need some help finding the right scope base for my old Winchester model 74 (mfg in 1947). This forum seems to have a lot of smart members who are much more knowledgeable on this subject than I am.

I inherited this rifle from my father a few months ago and have been wanting to put a scope back on it. The base that came with the rifle was taken off and lost during a recent move. I took the base off many years ago when I was still a youngin' and can't remember if it was one or two pieces. I have a vague memory of it being one long piece but I'm not certain.

The screw sizes also throw me off a bit. The rear most screw allows the calipers to open up to .142". The front two holes only open up to .137".

If someone knows of any 3 hole bases that fit these measurements and roughly the curvature of the receiver, please let me know. I will be extremely grateful!

P.S. I plan on refinishing the barrel and receiver this summer so don't mind the rust :-P

http://i64.tinypic.com/2ai3rko.jpg

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Hi--and welcome to a new member. I did a cursory search of some of my books and catalogs and don't see any new mounts offered for your rifle--but I'm sure you did the same before posting the question.

Of course, the ideal solution would be to locate the old base. You can be assured that a month or two after you resolve your problem with a new mount arrangement it will surface.

The hole spacing would seem to confirm your recollection that it was a one-piece mount, as most of them have one hole in the rear and two in the front. So there are several ways in which you might proceed. You might find a currently manufactured mount that will work. You could phone some of the manufacturers of scope mounts and explain your hole spacing to them and see if they have anything that matches up. So often people with problems overlook the fact that manufacturers want to sell you their product and have customer service people that are paid to help. It's possible that you may be able to solve your problem that way. It's even possible that one of them might have a mount specifically made for your rifle that is "new old stock" left over from when they were good sellers. You can also call around to some of the parts houses like Bob's Gun Shop in Royal, Ark. A great source for phone numbers is found in the annual Gun Digest which has a directory of manufacturers, but other gun related businesses as well. This is a great resource so few seem to be aware of--it's like a gun trade phone book. "Go right to the source and ask the horse"--I don't know why people are shy about talking with the folks that make the products, but many are, and phone calls are inexpensive now days.

You seem to have a good handle on measuring, so I'd bet you're kind of handy with tools as well. If I was still in the gunsmithing business and you brought the problem to me, here's how I'd proceed and perhaps it will work for you. First, I'd determine what size screws go into the existing holes. Usually not too hard as they tend to be one of two of several standard sizes like 6-48, 8-40, etc. I've got a couple of boxes of screws used for scope mounting, so it would be easy to screw a couple in and out of each hole, trial and error, until I found the right size for each hole. Next I'd cut the head off the screws (sacrificed for this job, but saved for future use in similar situations) and grind a point where the head was. They make pin vises to hold such small items for various operations, and they save fingers from injury. Then, using your uninjured fingers, screw the headless, pointed screw into the holes so that the points just protrude above the hole. Clean the holes well before doing so with a Q-tip and something like lacquer thinner and then squirt a little lube in there because we want to be sure they'll come back out again. Now you want to take a length of blank scope base material, item numbers 080-031-841WB or 080-032-101WB from Brownells, whichever one is closest to your barrel radius, and cut it to the desired length. Set it on top of the barrel in the exact location where you want the mount to be and give the top of it a couple of taps with a non-marring hammer (rubber or plastic head). Remove the piece of mounting material, turn it over and assure that the points of the screws indicated the location of the holes on the piece of mounting stock. Remove the pointed screws. Take a center punch and punch the marks that were indicated by the screws (not too hard as the stuff is aluminum) and drill appropriate sized holes through the material to accept the new screws. Using a drill press for this operation is just about a must, as the holes must be straight up and down through the stock and that's difficult to do with a hand held drill. Nice, sharp, even new drill bits are desirable. Now, turn the material over and drill counter sink holes for the heads of the new screws. Temporarily mount the new base on the barrel and determine where you want the rings to be located. You will have to make slots in the rails of the material for the scope rings' locking bars/screws horizontally across the new mount, and this is another job that has to be precision. I'd use a small machinist's square and butt the short leg against the side of the mount and let the longer leg with the measurements on it lay across the mount and mark the locations where it crosses with a machinist's scribe. Two lines about the width apart of the thickness of the ring's cross bar. Now you'll need to cut out the slots and there are several ways to go about it, but a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel works well for cutting the lines indicating the width of the slots, and other Dremel tool heads can be used to hog out the material between the sides of the slots. Try your rings on the mount and make certain that everything is just right, then take the new mount back off the barrel and spray the slots and ends (or the whole thing if you desire) with Brownells Aluma Hyde II. Let the paint dry, remount everything, and you're "good to go".

I really haven't a clue as to what the thing is in the bottom of the rear hole, or what appears to be in the middle hole. Disregard it.

Good luck.

DG

[Mk42gunner]

The only thing I can add to DG's writeup is to level the rifle and base before marking it for the holes.

I have never had a Model 74 out of the stock, but it looks to be a round receiver. The safety may be close enough to level to use it for a point of reference, if not you may have to remove one of the iron sights and use the base of the dovetail.

Robert

[pietro]

.

Welcome to the forum !

You're measuring the hole spacing differently from the way manufacturers & gunsmiths usually measure.

The hole spacing should be measured "center-to-center", but acceptable alternatives are "forward edge-to-forward edge" or "rear edge-to-rear edge".

The same scope mount base may never be ID'd.

It's much easier to take the rifle to a well-stocked gunshop or sporting goods store, and try holding the various 1-piece bases atop the receiver to find one with a concave underside that matches the receiver's convex contour - then drill one or more holes in the base to match the pattern drilled into your rifle's receiver (If a matching hole pattern isn't found).

I suppose you could make a pattern on an index card, that shows both the hole pattern/spacing & the receiver top contour, if you didn't want to tote the rifle around.


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[A1 Gunner]

Thank you all for the replies! Looks like I came to the right place. Pietro, thank you for letting me know how to properly measure these holes. I don't have any decent gun shops around me with knowledgeable people to help fit a base so I'm going to have to go down a different route.

I am equipped to make my own mount, as DG has suggested, and think it would be a fun project. I tried calling a few places and had no luck. They mostly suggested I would have to make a custom one as well. I'm going to order some parts tonight and I'll update this thread as I go along.

Thanks for the detailed write up DG, I'll follow it exactly and get this problem solved

[leadman]

I would measure the diameter of the barrel in the area the base set on it. Then see if you can find a gun with a similar barrel size. I use Contender bases, Weaver 92a, for mounting to a barrel on an 1891 Arg. Mauser. The Encore mount is similar but designed for a larger diameter barrel.
Post the barrel diameter and you will probably get some responses from member with barrels of guns in their collection with similar sized barrels.

[John Taylor]

When all ells fails just buy a blank and drill holes where needed. Also need a way to cut a concave on the bottom to match the surface it mates to. Anyone with a mill should be able to do the job.
http://smile.amazon.com/Sports-12-Inch-0-31-Inch-Uncut-Small/dp/B006LQ9UNU/ref=sr_1_10?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1458655404&sr=1-10&keywords=picatinny+rail