I was looking through my rifles the other day and noticed I still have a few of the Redfield Style Scope Bases holding Scopes on the rifles.

At first I was shocked cause I thought I'd gotten rid of all of them, but apparently I somehow either "justified" leaving them on some rifles that don't have much Free Recoil, or forgot they were there. I don't like the Design because they allow the Rear Rings to "Pull Through" the Lateral Adjustment Screws on heavy recoil rifles which have HUGE Scopes on them.

Has anyone tried "Pinning" the Rear Ring? By that I mean using a Transfer Punch to mark two spots directly ahead of the Ring on the Base. Then Drilling the Base and installing a couple of small Pins which the Ring would set against.

I can see where 1-pin would be an advantage so the Ring is not held at a slight angle, but a set of Burris Signature Rings would eliminate that as being a problem.

So, does anyone have any tips on what you all have done to address this Design Flaw?

never pinned them, but I have TIGed the rings to the bases. Was reworking a very well used rifle and the rings would not tighten up on the bases. The rifle was strictly a tool and the owner just wanted it to function correctly and be reliable. I figured the weld was about as bullet proof as it could be.

Hot Core,
I don't like the design either. This is how I would fix it. You might have to drill several so make a drill jig. I would build a drill jig to drill a .180 hole down through the bottom of the rear ring in the dead center. Make sure your scope is centered, mount and set the windage in the base with a few shots.

Then pull the top half of the rings off and remove the scope. Then remove the base with the bottom of the rear ring attached and match drill through the base with a .180 drill. Then very carefully match ream the ring and base with a reamer for a 3/16 dowel pin. Mark the the ring so you can reassemble. Take it apart and deburr and clean up the cutting oil etc. Press a 3/16
dowel pin into the ring and base then reassemble. You will no longer have or need the windage but you will not break the dowel pin before the base screws shear.

This situation comes up in my shop on a regular basis. People insist on mounting a very large heavy scope on a magnum rifle of heavy recoil. Then use a Leupold/Redfield windage adjustable type base and rings. The scope slips in the front ring and tears through the windage screws in the rear.

If the customer insists on keeping the huge scope I recomend changing to double dovetail design mounts and rings. Sometimes they balk at the expense. If so I do exactly what has been discussed. Drill and ream the rear ring and base for a 3/16" dowell right down the center of the ring and base after carefully borescoping the windage adjustments. It probably works well as I have never had one come back.

Thank you for the excellent responses.

I'd not considered welding, but obviously it would work.

And the single Pin down the middle has great merit. Not seen and would be rock solid.

Now I need to see if I can get to both of the Base Screws on them with the Rings in place.

Thanks again.

My brother had his Mk V Weatherby "accurized" several years ago. One thing that was done was drilling through the lower half of the rear ring and into the base. The base was tapped and a countersunk screw was put through the ring and into the base, before reinstalling the scope.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Has anyone tried "Pinning" the Rear Ring? By that I mean using a Transfer Punch to mark two spots directly ahead of the Ring on the Base. Then Drilling the Base and installing a couple of small Pins which the Ring would set against.

I don't know if this is what you are considering, but on the first DGR rifle I owned (.416 Rem), I had a set of standard (Redfield type) bases and rings. A hex screw had been inserted into the rear base in front of the ring, such that its cylindrical head acted as a recoil lug. The scope pleasingly "snapped" into place behind the screw when turned into battery. I don't know how they figured out exactly where to locate the screw, but the system seemed to be simple and work well.

- mike

Hey mho, Somewhere in the past I've seen one, or perhaps a picture of one, done just as you mentioned.

Depending on where the Base screws are in relation to the Ring, I may have to do that or something similar. Having the Ring pinned and the pin being hidden sure would be nice though.

But as "Craftsman" mentioned, I might just go on and get a better designed Base and be done with it.

Right now, what I have mounted is working fine, but I do tend to swap scopes around from time to time. Lots of excellent ideas from everyone.

Thanks again.

I've used three methods to cure the problem.

1. Swapped to dual dovetails.

2. Changed to conetrol sculpted mounts/rings.

3. Used the front base and ring. Took a conetrol blank and sculpted it to match the front base. Cut the dovetail bottom off a standard front ring and drilled it out to the approximate diameter of the conetrol stud and
used a steel rod to fabricate a stud and silver brazed it into the ring below the ring
hole. Voila, a rear ring with a bottom stud to fit a conetrol mount. The thing is adjustable just like the conetrol! But it looks like dual dovetails with two adjustment screws on the rear mount!

I'd post a picture, but I don't know how?

Thanks Don. Your words made it easy to picture just as you described it.

JB Weld.

Well, I decided to go on and order some new Dual Dovetails as well as some Weaver Style Bases. Got to digging through the "On-Hand" extra Rings and have some Dual Dovetail Rings and some Burris Signature Z-Rings new ready to go.

But, since I decided to go this route, I took a few hours today and "Pinned" two other sets. I went with the Single Pin down through the Rear Ring and on through the Base as you all suggested. They actually came out better than I'd expected. Haven't shot them yet to see how close I was to the original Setting. That should be a Hoot!

Thanks again for the suggestions.