Author Topic: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount  (Read 788 times)

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Offline tennesseejeff

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How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« on: February 12, 2008, 10:52:33 AM »
Hi Folks,
Like so many others, I'm trying to fit a scope mount to my Pardner 20 Ga. smooth bore. Got a price for drilling and tapping from several area gunsmiths. One was 30.00 per hole, the other was 35.00 per hole and he said I needed 3 holes. First of all, I was thinking that only two would be required. That would be expensive, but if that's what it takes to get a really nice set up, well ok. But three holes at that price and I'm in  "I can screw it up myself" territory.
So would I need three holes or will two work?

Looking at other alternatives, I know that several folks have glued on rifle sights. Is there a particular brand or model of sight that works well for this?

Thanks,
Jeff

Offline MSP Ret

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2008, 12:44:01 PM »
There are 3 holes in the scope rail and I suggest you use all three of them, a shotgun has a lot of recoil and the screws are small. $30 -$35 per hole seems very high to me. I suggest you shop around. Unless you have done it before or you area a machinist with the proper equipment do not try to drill and tap a shotgun barrel yourself, even a 20 gauge, there is not much room for error and you don't want to drill through the barrel and into the chamber. I am pretty sure someone here will have a suggestion of where you can get it done cheaper that that. You might get away with using the proper adhesive to "glue" some light weight open sights onto a shotgun barrel but it will not work, just adhesive alone, for mounting a scope (rail), the scope would shear right off during recoil with the added mass....<><....:)
"Giving up your gun to someone else on demand is called surrender. It means that you have given up your ability to protect yourself to a power that is greater than you." - David Yeagley

Offline tennesseejeff

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2008, 01:34:03 PM »
Thank you sir. I will keep looking for a better price, but in the meantime I might investigate mounting some rifle sights. I could buy a tracker barrel for the price of getting the holes, but I wanted to stick with the smooth bore.
Thanks again,
Jeff

Offline Busta

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2008, 02:46:17 PM »
$90 to $105 dollars to drill and tap three holes is a little steep IMO. It has been close to twenty years since I had anything D&T'd though, so I may be out of touch with the going rate. I am hoping that H&R/NEF may either offer a D&T'd smooth bore barrel w/screw in chokes for turkey hunting in the near future. The new Ultra Light Slug Hunters in both 12ga and 20 ga are D&T'd for scope bases, why can't they offer it on other 12 ga and 20 ga barrels?

You can get three D&T'd holes from H&R/NEF for about that same price, and they will throw in a rifled barrel for free. ;D

It would sure be nice if they would offer the D&T service for at least the 20 ga barrels, but somehow they must have determined that it is OK for them to D&T the 12 ga ULSH.

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Offline tennesseejeff

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2008, 04:33:52 PM »
Well, never having used the services of a gunsmith before, I wasn't too sure about the price. I realize that I'm also paying for experience and the ability to do the job right (I hope), but when getting three holes drilled and tapped costs almost as much as a barrel with the scope rail already in place, it makes you stop and think.

I really don't want to pay sabot slug prices to shoot at 50 yards or so. I took the gun to the range last Saturday and the results were just promising enough with Remington Sluggers and Brenneke Rottweils that I thought if I could get a sight system on it, it might make a pretty good difference.

What to do, what to do. I emailed SSK Industries tonight because I thought I remembered a post somewhere that indicated that they might do the job fairly reasonably. I'll let you know what they say.

Offline Busta

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2008, 05:49:25 PM »
 ;D

I just noticed that my abbreviations on  D & T'd when typed together without spaces are automatically filled in to read drilled and tapped, that is why the 'd is at the end of those. ;D
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Offline MSP Ret

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2008, 01:19:09 AM »
Since those gunsmiths are so extraordinarily high how about trying a machine shop in your area? It is not really a difficult job. Perhaps a large chain sporting goods store if there is one somewhere near you (we don't have them near me) might have a gunsmith on the staff you would do it. Perhaps a Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop, or something like that? Also ask around at any local Rod & Gun or shooting clubs or ranges, someone is bound to know of a more reasonable gunsmith or someone who can do the job....<><....:)
"Giving up your gun to someone else on demand is called surrender. It means that you have given up your ability to protect yourself to a power that is greater than you." - David Yeagley

Offline tennesseejeff

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2008, 03:02:28 AM »
Yeah, I had wondered about a machine shop. I also live really close to a Bass Pro Shop. I'll check them out. I guess if I used a machine shop I would have to provide specs. Anyone know how deep those holes need to be? Or do the screws come with the H&R rail when you order it?

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2008, 08:30:22 AM »
The screws come with the rail when you order it, give the screws to the shop and tell them you want them to drill and tap the top of the chamber area and you want the holes drilled so they DO NOT go all the way through the barrel and tell them to thread the holes all the way to the bottom of the hole with a (flat) bottoming tap. Also tell them the screws should not bottom out before they pull the rail firmly and completely tight against the barrel, if they (the screws) do they (the machine shop) should file or machine a bit off the bottom of the screws.....<><....:)
"Giving up your gun to someone else on demand is called surrender. It means that you have given up your ability to protect yourself to a power that is greater than you." - David Yeagley

Offline tennesseejeff

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2008, 10:39:44 AM »
Thank you! That's what I needed to know.

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2008, 11:05:39 AM »
I believe if you use the standard screws that come with the scope rail and they are left pretty close to the length they come you will be just fine with no epoxy between the scope rail and the barrel. I had a 12 gauge barrel done and there was not a lot of screw penetration so we also used a bit of epoxy on a degreased rail and barrel, being careful not to get any on or in the screws or screw holes. We also went up a size on the screws and modified the rail to accept the larger screws but that should not be a concern doing a 20 gauge barrel. Many here have had them drilled and tapped and mounted a scope rail and scope on them. Good Luck....<><....:)
"Giving up your gun to someone else on demand is called surrender. It means that you have given up your ability to protect yourself to a power that is greater than you." - David Yeagley

Offline trotterlg

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2008, 04:46:50 PM »
Odd you ask, I am just driling and tapping a 20 gauge barrel for a scope mount.  It is for use with a stubbing project, but it has more than enough thickness to easily drill and tap it.  $30.00 per hole is bad, the guy should be ashamed of himself.  Only problem you may have at a machine shop is that the screws are 6-48 NS (National Special) and not a common tap size out of the gun world.  Even being very careful the job will take less than an hour.  I get the rail level on the barrel and then tack it on with super glue, then put on a drill press and use a drill that just fits the holes in the rail, drill a starting point in each hole.  Take a little hammer and tap off the rail and then drill the holes for the threads, I think .120 inch is the tap drill size for 6-48 screws.  The rest is dead easy, just have a bottom tap and you are set.  Larry
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Offline tennesseejeff

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2008, 03:47:48 AM »
Thanks Larry. Brownell's has a 6-48 bottom tap for 13.50 I think. I could pick one up I suppose. Just out of curiosity, what is a stubbing project?
Thanks,
Jeff

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Offline trotterlg

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #14 on: February 14, 2008, 02:57:56 PM »
Stubbing is used for lack of a better term for the process of cutting off a barrel just in front of the barrel lug, boring it out, and installing a different barrel.  It is a cheap and dirty way to make a custom barrel to fit a Handi rifle.  Shotgun barrels are used mostly because they are cheap and also they have a big hole in them which cuts down on the amount of work to cut a big hole through them.  It works very well, but because the breach end of the new barrel needs to be about .800 or smaller it kind of limits the chamber to something no larger than a .223 is.  Larry
A gun is just like a parachute, if you ever really need one, nothing else will do.

Offline tennesseejeff

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Re: How many holes in a H&R Scope Mount
« Reply #15 on: February 14, 2008, 04:31:32 PM »
Thanks for the link Tim. Don't know how I got that price. Larry, stubbing sounds like quite a job.