I am looking at a Mauser actioned rifle that has been fitted with claw mount bases. There is no scope or claw mount rings with the gun. Before I climb into this bag of snakes, I would like to know how difficult and costly it is to obtain rings for a claw mount system.

Also, are claw mount systems universal, or does one have to be careful about mating up the right sized rings with the corresponding sized base?

Are there any other pitfalls I should be aware of?

You can get them at new england custom gund

http://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/index.html?clawmounts.html~maindeal

My understanding is that all claw mounts are custom fit big dollar affairs.

Wooly-

I've been trying to sort this out myself - I've been somewhat mystified by the claw mounts for a long time.

The older stuff like my 1934 drilling appears to be fairly custom. On newer stuff there are a least 2 sources that appear to be somewhat more standardized.

The first source is EAW - I think they make a maasive selection of rings and mounts and are VERY expensive in any event. I thin this is what NECF carries.

The second and perahsp more traditional is the Suhler Einhakmontage "claw mount". I'm trying to run down a source on them myself.

I'll post some links later - time for supper here in Alaska!

The first thing you have to realize about a claw mount, is that the front ring has to be ON the objective bell in some form. Otherwise, there will not be enough room to tip the scope forward - the movement needed to remove or remount the scope.

These days, that normally means the front ring is positioned around the objective bell itself. In days past, certain (European) scopes came with a rail at the bottom of the objective bell. I don't know of any scopes currently being manufactured in this configuration.

I don't know what you might be able to source in the US - we once had a member here who produced his own claw mounts. But anything you source from Europe in this area is bound to be EXPENSIVE. As a rule of thumb, a claw mount (rings, bases - no scope) will probably come to about 1K$ in Europe, and then comes the price for the scope and the labour. If somebody feels like commenting that would be about double the price of an acceptable rifle in the US, he would be absolutely right...

- mike

Wooly,

Claw Mount rings are pretty spendy but set-up & mounted correctly a very worthwhile and gratifying mounting system for sure; especially on a rifle that already has half the work already done - the base fixtures.

I'd love to have all those orginal rings & prisms for these rifles and the original scopes as well - sadly they're; well, gone somewhere.

The only supplier I've worked with is EAW here in the Fatherland, I'm sure there are others but couldn't say offhand. EAW only SELLS & DELIVERS to the Gunsmithing Trade. They will though, work and consult with individual Clients in an attempt to get the right Bits & Pieces organized for shipment to one of their Authorized Dealers.

Their website is worth taking a look at as is NECG's:

http://www.eaw.de/eaw/index_uk.php

In a nutshell, today the parts are standardized but there may be many older rifles & combo guns floating around with proprietry bases attached to them, requiring specialized fittings. The rings/prisms have be be matched in height to the mounts and for the selected scope. The key is the DISTANCE between the exisitng fittings, the length of the proposed scope which may dictate the height required, and will certainly affect "overhang" or the distance a specific scope can be mounted in the front fixture. The height is something that can normally be accomodated. Additionally, there may be some benefit to a scope with a prism (rail) as when using rings the scope's turret housing has to taken into consideration and the prism may afford some flexibility. Also the forward fixture's position is crtitical as the rear of the scope has to be lifted up and levered forward to release the "Claw" and also clear the rib/barrel/mount. If there isn't enough space or overhang on the objective bell the Claw mount will not release.

Where the mounts for your Mauser are positioned, i.e., on the rear action bridge and on the barrel (?) ought to be an indication of what sized scope will fit.

Thanks for all the excellent feedback. That's what this Board is all about.

The rifle itself is about $1K. It seems in good condition but with signs of surface wear, and as I mentioned the scope and rings are missing. I suspect I good easily drop another grand into it cleaning it up and rebluing, and now it seems I could easily spend another grand getting the scope mounting system in place. Then, of course, I have to buy a scope. My thousand dollar rifle could easily turn into a $3,000 to $4,000 rifle.

It would be a beauty though.

Unless you buy a very expensive scope $1k for the rings and scope sounds pretty high. I'm currently eyeballing a Voehe 7mm mag rifle in a local shop with a mid- late 80's vintage K.Kahles variable scope in claw mounts on the rack at $895 asking for the whole rig. I picked up an older Zeiss 6x42 with rail but no mounts at a local show a couple of weeks ago for $100. If the mounts can be removed off your rifle - esp. if you are going to re-finish it anyway- you may be better off going with new bases and rings to match rather than mounts made to fit your bases. In the case of my drilling with the mounts soldered in the rib I don't have much option.

Note there are three ways to get the claw mounts on the scope: 1) Many older ones with half rings are soldered or epoxied to the scope body - not much flexiability here. Don't know how common this is anymore; I assume you have to completely disassemble the scope before you solder the rings to it. 2) For scope with rails - and they are still being made and appear to be popular in Europe - the claw mount clamp to the bottom of the rail. Check out www.frankonia.de for their selection of scopes or Zielfernrohre with a rail or schiene. This appears to be the best option as the mounts are relatively simple but requires a scope with a rail 3) You can get the rings that clamp around the scope objective bell and the body. This looks kinda of awkward to me but does allow max flexiability and the use of any standard scope. EAW appears to make this type of rings as well as the rail mounts. I don't know if they make any blank moutns for fitting to your bases - this would be agreat option.

Beside EAW Suhler makes the claw mounts but they appear to be very expensive. On the Voehe rifle in my '86 catalog the Suhler mounts are 300 -400 DM more than the EAW mounts with the same scope.

If you send me the dimension on your base I'll compare it to mine and see if any of the scope I have will fit.

claw mount systems have many advantages but require thought and planning. the eye relief of the desired scope must be chescked to see where the bases need to be to accomodate the eye relief. when bases are already mounted that dictates a lot.

in general it is simplest to replace the front base with a new base and a ring that is pre-fitted to it. that is how they are supplied today. all rear rings are individually fitted and a new ring can be fit to the old base unless the base is of obsolete size.

the three pieces - a front base & ring plus a rear ring cost about $275 when fitting on the tube. more when fit on the front objective as the ring is much larger. a complete set of 4 pieces which includes the rear base is about $350 - again for the center tube mounting.

it is possible to reverse the bases and have the locking base at front - this permits lower scope mounting as the objective lens is lifted UP to remove the scope.

i don't type well or fast but if anyone wants help in doing a claw base set up call me - we have competitive prices. tom ondrus 814 859 0008

i also have a bushel basket ( really ) full of period scopes - many with rail mounts.

most used but some brand new.

tom ondrus 814 859 0008