I have this nice little 358 Norma. (20") It has never had a scope mounted. I normaly use it for upclose hog hunting. While I can still see well enough for a hog at 100yds I would like to shoot it more maybe even my next elk trip. And the eyes aren't what they used to be. So I was just going to take the rear sight off.

Then I got to looking at it. There is a nice gape under the rear sight. It looks to me like I could simply cut the top rear of a 1 piece base down and slide it under the site. Then I could leave the rear sight in place and have it just in case. Think this would work? Is there an easier way?

I was thinking a lower power 1.5-5 or compact 2-7 scope. I think a larger scope would overpower the lines. Darn that 2.5X8 I just mounted on my wifes rifle would have worked as well. What do they say about hindsight. Thoughts?

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I was thinking a lower power 1.5-5 or compact 2-7 scope.

Leupold makes a 3-9 Variable compact that is super light and would fit that rifle like a charm.

Personally under the eyesight conditions you describe and elk hunting that might see shots to 250 yards the 3-9 power makes a lot of sense to me. The 2-7 you mentioned is another good choice.
BTW....beautiful classic there..

What you suggest might work fairly well.

As I'm sure you know (but a few others may not), most receiver sights have a smallish diameter, fairly long, set-screw in the horizontal "bridge" part of the sight. The use of that screw is to make the sight bridge and aperature removable and replaceable without losing one's zero.

To use it, sight the rifle in with the receiver sight, then screw the set screw down until it touches the top of the rear receiver ring firmly. Anytime you want to remove the iron sight, just loosen the tension screw on the side of the sight body, and lift the "bridge" or "slide" completely out of the sight base and off the rifle. Put it in a little leather pouch or something similar, and put that in a deep coat pocket.

Mount your scope on the rifle in any of the many return-to-zero scope mounts available and sight it in with the iron sight slide (bridge)still off the rifle. Then you can use your scope until either the weather or the brush makes the receiver sight the desired option.

To use the iron sight again just remove the scope, drop the slide or bridge back into its base, push down until the set screw touches the rear receiver ring again, and tighten the screw that ho

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Put it in a little leather pouch or something similar, and put that in a deep coat pocket.

Alberta,
Hep I had planned to just us the return to zero screw and remove the rear sight and then use a quick release of some kind. However, I'm getting to that age when I forget my last name half the time. and look for my reading glasses at least 4 times a day. LOL So If I could keep the rear sight in place one less thing to lose. So I thought If I ground the rear of the base down the sight could stay then use just the dovetail front mounts and only remove the left side rear screw.

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Originally posted by ramrod340:

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Put it in a little leather pouch or something similar, and put that in a deep coat pocket.

Alberta,
Hep I had planned to just us the return to zero screw and remove the rear sight and then use a quick release of some kind. However, I'm getting to that age when I forget my last name half the time. and look for my reading glasses at least 4 times a day. LOL So If I could keep the rear sight in place one less thing to lose. So I thought If I ground the rear of the base down the sight could stay then use just the dovetail front mounts and only remove the left side rear screw.

Well, if you have a friend who is a machinist, I think what you suggested in your original post could be made to work just fine. You might only have to mill a horizontal slot across the rear base to get the aperature sight bridge low enougn, depending on how long the rear sight base is longitudinally, but I, like you, figger something could be made to work rather handsomely. If you get it done and it works out to your sarisfaction, why don't you post some more pics here and let us see just what it took?

Bon temps,

That williams sight is alum. and can also be notched..

trim down the back of the base, but NOT under the "windage" screws, till it slides easily under, countersink it, and put it on. you'll probably need medium or medium high (will the bolt clear) rings..

I would use a weaver FIXED power scope. 2 or 4
jeffe

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(will the bolt clear)

Jeffe,

That was an excellent question. LOL One I had just ASSUMED was yes. Anyway took the bolt out and stuck it in a MKX with a scope mounted as low as possible. Works fine.

I'll take the rear sight off and actually measure But just lining the base up with the holes it looks like the only area to be lowered is behind the windage screws.

Aleupold 2-7 or 2-4 would be really sweet on that gun.

I would suggest using a set of Talley or Warne Premier bases. They are usually lower profile than many other types of bases. They are also a lot narrower than most (1/2" for Talley and 3/8" for Warne Premier) That way if you did have to do any romoving of material off of the base or the sight it would be far less. They would also give your rifle a cleaner look than the 1 piece base.

Would be interested to hear what kind of velocity your 20" .358 Norma has with 250 grain bullets.

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Would be interested to hear what kind of velocity your 20" .358 Norma has with 250 grain bullets

When I first bought the rifle I happened on a close out of Norma Factory Ammo. They are the 250gr Woodleigh. Bought the ammo from Grafs cheaper than buying brass. My chrony gives the velocity at 2705. With the peep I get about a 2-2.5" 3 shot group at 100.

M1. I will have to look closer. I had ASSUMED I would need the 1 piece. I need to get some measurements of the action and sight as well as the bases you mentioned. I agree 2 piece would look a lot cleaner.

Use to love off hand shooting with iron sights. The old eyes don't facilitate that much any more. I have entered the world of scout( scope forward) off hand shooting and like it a lot.1 1/2 to 2 1/2 power pistol scopes serve the need nicely nicely. roger

You'll need the 1 piece... as there's no 2 piece with a short enough rear to fit.. and ALL twopiece setups are higher, as they are based off the weaver 11/12 setup...

what I mean is, while the 2 piece MIGHT have a slightly shorter footprint (say 5/8 vs 3/4) you'll have to move'hack/mod MORE on the rear sight, as the 1 piece footprint is mostly "footing" not mostly base.

clear as mud, i bet
jeffe

Stutzen rifles look really good with big 3-12x50 germanic scopes. Have a look at mine it doesn't look overwealmed.

Ok, I admit that I am somewhat jaded. I have lived in Europe for a while, and even when I lived in the states all my stutzen rifles had big scopes on them.

I think they look wierd without them.

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You'll need the 1 piece... as there's no 2 piece with a short enough rear to fit.. and ALL twopiece setups are higher, as they are based off the weaver 11/12 setup...

You know it is scary that after 30+ years I never noticed the one piece base was always thinner than the 2.

From my measurements I could use either a 1 or 2 piece. Yes I would need to take the 2 piece down more. I need .2" to slide under the sight with room to adjust. This is thicker than the front of a 1 piece. More important the back edged of the flat on top of the rear base is a minimum of .03" in front of the rear sight. So all metal could be removed behind the flat. I'll need .7" between the top of the rear of the action and the bottom of the scope for clearance.

So any quick release base with the mounting area for the scope at or in front of the location of a standard Leupold 2 piece would work. Since the need to remove the scope would only be in the case of failure a normal mount would work as well.

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Originally posted by ramrod340:
I have this nice little 358 Norma. (20")

If you resurrect this and hunt without ear protection it'll not just be eyes you'll be needing help with!

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If you resurrect this and hunt without ear protection it'll not just be eyes you'll be needing help with!

While it isn't as bad as a brake you do hear it when it goes off. I agree 100%. I've lost enough hearing from shooting and powertools. I try and have something in or on my ears before I fire anything any more.