Anyone making any custom "square bridge" looking bases currently?

See Terry's photos below for something like I'm talking about.

I had a set custom made by Jim Dubell of Delta Gun Shop......






These bridges are made to accept Talley bases, but he has other options too.

Top photo were made by Michael Scherz of Gila River gun Works, I hear he has a website now. I have a set of his bases on a Win M70 and I really like them, very classy. Standard stuff like Win and Rem he can just make them up for you, Mausers and Springfields you will have to send the reciever to him for fitting.
Found the website:

www.gilariverguns.com

Who made the color case hardened rings?

quote:

Originally posted by GunCat:
Who made the color case hardened rings?

Talley made the rings and Turnbull probably CC them.


Anyone else have any bases or makers to reccomend?

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
Top photo were made by Michael Scherz of Gila River gun Works, I hear he has a website now. I have a set of his bases on a Win M70 and I really like them, very classy. Standard stuff like Win and Rem he can just make them up for you, Mausers and Springfields you will have to send the reciever to him for fitting.
Found the website:

www.gilariverguns.com

I spoke to Michael about 6-weeks ago and have been trying to get in touch with him since then.

Does anyone know if he's doing okay?

My concern is that he may have fallen ill?

Okay, I have always wondered silently about this, so today will be the day I finally ask the question.

Many times on this board I have read where people said that "scope bases look like square bridges." What exactly does that mean? I have looked at every pic posted and exactly zero have looked even remotely like a square bridge to me. I can spot them as a screw-on base from across a very, very, VERY large room.

WHy would the bases shown here be said to look like a square bridge, yet a Leupold or Conetrol does not? TO my eye, the Leupolds look just as much like a screw-on base as does the pics shown above.

I do square bridge actions myself, and none of them have ever looked even remotely like a screw-on base. Mine are always styled after original Oberndorf Mausers.

Now there are some claw bases that look like square bridges, and when a master like Steve Heilman installs them, it is hard as hell to tell that they are not a square bridge. And I am talking about holding them in my grubby little hands, not across the room!

But I have never seen anything else that even remotely looked like a square bridge, especially the pics posted here.

And pelase, I am in no, way, shape, or form, trying to start any kind of pissing match here. I am just asking a question that I have had for a few years. If you want to be negative or start a pissing match on this topic, please start your own thread and do it. I don't want to wade through BS flying back and forth in the hopes of find an answer by someone actually trying to help.

Just curious.

Thanks!

Marc,

I think most folks use the term "square bridge" to define a "look" that is something other than round. I don't have any current photo's to depict the difference between a "true" square bridge Mauser receiver and those thought to be, but there is a definite night and day difference.

I agree, those examples shown above, while a hell of a lot nicer looking and more classy than a set of 2 piece Weavers, do not make the receivers look any closer like a true square bridge receiver. Okay, maybe a little closer.

Marc - You are correct. These do not look like square bridges.

They are probably better described as "saddled" bases that extend further down and farther around the circumference of the front ring of the receiver than typical factory bases do. Also, they are wider at the base to provide either a more obtuse angle or – better yet – a radiused transition between the action and the finished top of the bases.

Done correctly, they blend the contour of the receiver rings and the bases into a more pleasing and less abrupt transition, and they don’t look like is a small, square piece of steel that is just sitting on top of the round receiver rings.

Perhaps "Saddled" is a better term.

I've heard these referred to as "sculpted" scope mounts. No matter what the nomenclature, they definitely add a finished look to a custom rifle.

Duane is building a rifle for my worthless brother-in-law and he sent these photos to me this morning. I don't know all the steps involved, but the first photo shows the rear base being shaped while on the action and the second photo shows the (mostly) finished bases. These bases are cut for Talley rings.

These are European style saddles that were soldered to a Brno 22. Just about anything can then be used, from Weaver to SEM.

This particular installation was a lot of work, because we preserved the stripper clip slot.

this a solid one-piece steel double square bridge on a Mauser 98, others "looks like" or are welded.Cheers!!!

Kurt-

I also like to preserve the charging hump. I mill a square shoulder on the back side of the slot and fit the rear bridge up against it, welding the top rear edge of the hump. I then dress the weld down to a nice radius. I looked at about 3.927 bazillion pics of original Oberndorf Mauser sporter actions and figured out what I liked best.

Marc,

I'm glad to hear that someone is preserving the charging slot the way the originals were. We would have welded on the Brno, but it wasn't worth the risk of ruining a rare action. Maybe one day I'll have one built on a Milsurp using welding.

Kurt,

I have an Oberndorf commercial action that I am doing the way you talked about - welding on the Claw Mounts bases. I squared off the back side of the charger hump, closely fit the base to the brdige, and beveled the edges to allow the welder bead to fill in. I keep getting sidetracked with other crap, but eventually I will get it out to one of our fine AR smiths to TIG on.

I can't decide if I should also have a front SB TIGed on - the action has been annealed and will be re-heat treated, so it really wouldn't be any problem. It doesn't quite fit historically though with a thumb slotted action.

Very nice work on yours.

TG