It hasn't been shelved, just slowed up. I've searched the net far and wide and haven't found scope mounts that are suitable for MY purposes. I've looked at the Malcom mounts and spoken with them, and others that sell them. All have told me they had doubts about it working for me, since it's specifically designed for the flat barrel on the Sharps and similar. Sooooooooo, back to the drawing board.
Well tonight. I finally put down on paper (figuratively and literally) my plans that have been forming in my head for the past few weeks.
I did some measuring of the barrel and the scope rings, and actually started to build something. I had (have) some goal for all this, one, to make it fit in the existing holes cut/drilled in the 38-55 barrel. Two, it has to be fairly easy to remove, and three, it has to be fully adjustable for elevation from the rear for ranges to at least 600yds.
In order to make the rear work, it had to mount to the three pre-drilled and tapped holes. At first I was going to make the floor of the rear mount drilled to match the receiver holes, but I wanted a bit more elevation on the scope to clear the hammer without a hammer spur, hopefully. I settled on using a scope base I had and modifying it to suit my need. I started with a Weaver #82 scope base. It was about 6" long, pre-drilled for the Handi. In order to make it work I milled (as in hacksaw and hand file) the top of the base flat its full width and cut to about 3". This was then filed smooth and burrs removed.
Sorry for the poor light, flash isn't working. The above pic is what the base was like full length (milled already), and bottom after milled and cut.
I'll post pics in an article on my web site with a full explanation. Too long to tie up GB's site with! I then designed, on card paper, the adjustable rear mount itself. This allows me the freedom of correcting errors. It has a base that is about 3" long, that will sit over the modified scope base and attach through two heavy duty screws. I'll drill and tap the scope base for these heavy screws.
In the rear are two flaps, that will be folded straight up from the sides of the base about 2 1/2". In these flaps, will be a vertical slot, somewhere between 1/8" and 1/4" (haven't decided for sure)wide and about 2 - 2 1/2" long. This will be the elevation slots. I'll have a machine screw in one side to tighten down once elevation is set, and out the other side will be the threaded rod that will allow me to adjust the elevation.
The bottom pic is a sample of how it will look mounted. Far from done, but getting closer.
In reality it will look very much like the design of the malcom, but custom tailored for the handi. Once the design was laid out on the cardboard, it was cut out and set in place on the rifle. Things are starting to look up.
I am still pondering ideas for the front mount that will set in the dovetail in the front of the barrel. My IDEAL setup will allow for adjustable windage up front via use of an adjusting screw. If I can I'll look at the malcom front mount and see if it will work for me. It needs to allow the scope to pivot up and down and hopefully have windage adjustment as well. the scope zero will be accomplished by moving the dovetail left to right, and the screw adjustment will be for wind compensation.
Of course, If all I can get is windage adjustment via the dovetail, then so be it. I'll use Kentucky windage in that case.
