scope base problems

Kevin Stenberg

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
My H&R Handi has never shot as well as i would have liked. Tonight i decided to remount the scope.
I got the scope, rings, and base off. When remounting the base. The prior owner had stripped the threads bad enough that the base would not be tightened enough to hold the base firm
Am i going to have to have a gunsmith re-drill an tap for a larger screw. Or can any machineshop do what is needed. I also realize the base has to be drilled for the new size screws.
The base is a weaver. Am i going to have to go through weaver to get proper fitting screws.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
you most likely have 8-48 screws now and can just get them opened to 6-42 by anyone that can drill/tap straight.
the holes in the bases may or may not need opened and if the head of the new screws fit the opening nothing else is needed.
if they are larger [or a different angle] then the opening for the head needs to be changed to match.
pretty simple for anyone with machine skills and some tooling.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Can you get one screw snug? If so the epoxy could also work. Just make sure base and barrel are grease free. Use a small amount. Be sure to get screw snug as possible.

Drill and tap larger isn't a big deal either. A drill press could be used if setup was right.
Do NOT drill into the bore!
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Going from 6-48 to 8-48 is a standard procedure for magnum rifles, but the holes in the base will need to be enlarged as was said, and that isn't as simple as it sounds because they must be kept absolutely true to center. I don't think there's enough shoulder if you just turn down the heads.

I just repaired a stripped front sight screw hole the other day by cleaning it with a bottom tap, installing a screw by itself, and peening metal back around the screw with a small, flat point tapered punch. Only about 1/3 of the threads were pulled due to a short screw, which I replaced with a longer one.
 
Eutectic

Eutectic

Active Member
I think you fellows are talking about enlarging a bad 6-48 hole to an 8-40........ This is a common thing and I've done it on real hard 'kickers' just for strength.

Pete
 
Ben

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Pete,

Yes you're correct.
You're right , you can't open a # 8 screw hole with a # 6 screw.

Ben
 
Last edited:
J

JSH

Active Member
The epoxy may or may not work. The tip open rigs can rattle the scopes loose from opening and closing briskly. Buddy had an Encore. He got into the bad habit of flipping his wrist to snap it shut! You would think a 40 somthing year old guy would have some smarts........
He closed it as a normal person would last fall. I heard the scope rattle. I took a look at it and sure enough it was loose. It had been loose long enough that the base holes were buggered up, weaver style. The head was gone from one of the screws also.

One other things lots of folks do. Assume the screws that come with said base are of correct length. Any more I check each and every base screw to make sure they are not bottomed out. One would be suprised. Some times ther is junk in the bottom of the screw hole, usually loctite excess. Other times the screw needs dressed a bit.

Then one of my local haunts ordered a rifle for a guy. They went to put the base on and there were no holes, not even a blind hole. We joked it probably shot so good sights were not needed.
Jeff
 
Kevin Stenberg

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
Thanks for ever ones help. I think the epoxy is the route I am going to try. I think it was Stone Crusher had a thread with pictures on how he mounted scout scopes on his lever rifles, with just epoxy.
 
Rick H

Rick H

Well-Known Member
Make sure your screws are not bottoming out.....too long. That will stop the base from tightening down as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.