Some preliminary pics of the Dixie

[handirifle]

These are still early, as I haven't ironed out the height yet.  I need to lower the whole rig by about 1/2".  The rear mount also is sans the side lock nut and the elevation adjuster (cause I haven't made it yet ).  The front is still a work in progress as well.   This is all on my 38-55 Target model.

The rear is mounted on the base I re-designed, in the post some time back, and uses the existing scope base holes in the receiver.  The front is dovetailed into the barrel, using the front sight dovetail from the factory.







I think it's all too tal to start, so I will lower it some.  Once the height adjustments have been made, I'll work on getting all parts to be coated flat black.  Not sure if I'll try paint or powder coating.

Sorry the pics are crappy, and I apologize for my crappy machining skills, for all you who are more talented (meaning ANY talent) and better equiped.

[handirifle]

I see a lot of lookers but no comments.  Feedback please.  Criticisms welcome, I want this to turn out excellent not just so-so, and feedback shows me improvements I may not have thought of.

[bluebayou]

How does it pivot at the front when you change the rear elevation?

The first construction attempt is bound to look a little crude.  My SKS mount that I made was really kludgey to start, and now just looks too plain for lack of better word.

It sure looks strong enough. 

My other concern looking at it would be:  how will you make the cheekweld?  Have you mocked up a lace on pad or anything?

That was a good idea about using the front dovetail. 

[quickdtoo]

Ummm, looks interesting, hope it works for ya. There was one of those scopes that was made in Japan for sale for $100 in the black powder classifieds here, I almost bought it, but thinking about making usable mounts changed my mind.

Tim

[tallyho]

handirifle,
As far as I'm concerned, what you are doing is just plain amazing. Whether you consider yourself a "talented" machinist or not, you are at least willing to attempt a project like this - and make it available to the rest of us. Many folks are not even prepared to do that!

Not only do you get to learn from your project, you offer a learning opportunity to anyone following this thread. Good on Ya! 

Take me for instance... if I was to even attempt such a thing I'd probably start out using blocks of wood and duct-tape for the mounts!    I'd at least sand the blocks to match the radius of the barrel, and the radius of the scope, then would tape the heck out of them in the appropriate places.

I expect I'd get the crescent eyebrow scar after a couple of shots, and maybe that would encourage me to become little more concerned with scope movement after losing some blood, and I'd probably add a screw clamp or two over the duct-tape to make everything more rigid ...  As for scope adjustment, I haven't a clue how I'd even attempt that! Most likely just bash on it with a mallet or something, then clamp it tighter!

But bottom line, after fiddling, tinkering, and messing with everything I could  think of, and none of it made it work better, why I'd probably claim that the whole rig was just too dang complicated, not to mention heavy, and impractical and I'd sell everything and take up bowling or something. Yuck! 

Anyway, keep doin' what you're doin' - it is definitely an interesting project.

Kerry

[handirifle]

Thanks for the comments.

bluebayou,
This is one of my oddest set-ups.  The front mount is made up of an aluminum bolck base (the next version may be steel, I already have an idea for it) , that is dovetailed into the barrel, with another, perpendicular dovetail used to mount a standard 7/8" rimfire scope ring onto.   I ran ideas through my mind like you wouldn't believe.  Many of them are better than this one, but I didn't have the tools to make it happen.  Since the scope is 3/4" and the rings are for 7/8", I filled the gap with a strip of leather.  The leather provides a moderate amount of resistance to scope movement, but mostly, it allows enough side to side and vertical movement to not damage the scope.  It takes a good bit of effort to slide the scope through the leather, and that's before the ring is tightened fully.  The true test will be how it holds up to recoil, but I do not expect any issues to arise.  The rear ring is one of the original supplied, but highly modifyied, by me, and it holds the scope very tightly.  I expect the rear to keep it all together.


I may yet remove the modifyied scope base under the rear mount to lower it about 1/2", and make or change the front lower as well.  This may help with the cheek weld issue, but I'm thinking very seriously of using a std handi monte carlo style stock.

Quick,
Once I figured out how I wanted to do it, it hasn't been too hard to make them.  I posted pics earlier on making the rear mount pattern on paper and transfered it to the steel.  Once I did this it was a matter of laborious cutting, grinding and filing.  Then heating and bending it to shape.

At present time, there is no windage adjustment except for moving the front mount in the dovetail, that just to get it zeroed in.  I've got a few ideas on making a front windage base, but nothing concrete as yet.

The current set-up has the posibility of windage in the rear, but only if I keep the altered scope base.  I might just settle for old Kentucky windage.

[quickdtoo]

I think you're doing great, better than I think I would have done so far. I kept thinking what would happen if I started it, I'd get frustrated trying to make my own mounts and just end up buying the expensive mounts to git r done!!

Tim

[handirifle]

That thought has crossed my mind, but I made myself see this through.  What I usually end up doing, is getting frustrated and selling it all off.  Lately, I get to work on it one or two days a week, and an hour or so each session.  to many other to-do's get in the way.

[Mac11700]

That thought has crossed my mind, but I made myself see this through.  What I usually end up doing, is getting frustrated and selling it all off.  Lately, I get to work on it one or two days a week, and an hour or so each session.  to many other to-do's get in the way.

We all have this problem sooner or later...

keep at it...it's looking pretty good so far...Let us know how it shoots too...

Mac

[ncsurveyor]

time to tinker is at a premium.

It took me a long time to make that drop action stock I posted about.

The part that gets me is that when you have the next one on deck, and the current one is sooooo close to being finished.  But you can't bring yourself to start the next one without finishing (or selling) the current one.

I like to see another amateur engineer get things done. Its inspiring.


If I win the lottery, I'll buy you that mill you wanted 

[handirifle]

If I win the lottery, I'll buy you that mill you wanted 

Good Luck!

[trotterlg]

Why don't you just bore a proper sized hole in aluminum blocks, cut a slot for clamping and use those in place of the rings?  The front would be one piece then and the rear would have one less piece.   Larry

[handirifle]

darn good idea Larry, when I find a piece of aluminum the right size I will look into that very hard.  very good idea.  The front would take a bit of work, but might be worth the effort for the clean look.

See , I knew it would pay to talk to you fellers.

Keep it coming.

[trotterlg]

How about just cutting a Dove tail on the bottom of a high Burris Signature rear windage adjustable ring?  This is getting easier all the time.  Larry

[handirifle]

Larry, the would most likely work for the front, but since the rear actually clamps to the scope, like normal setups are, the 1" dia would be a hindurance.  I do need the rear to be a solid connection to keep it from shifting under recoil, assuming it will not under the current steup anyway.  I could still use the leather in the front one though.

Now IF I had some two piece rings that served as shims for the rear , maybe some soft copper.  Hmmm, now you got me thinking (that's usually either dangerous or expen sive, sometimes both) that maybe I could cut a slice off a piece of copper tubing and make it into shims, assuming the thickness part works out.

Does anyone have a set of burris high rings to do some measuring on?  Wondering how high they are from top to bottom, how wide at the base, and the OD of the rings.

Also, how tall the base itself is.  To use one for the rear, it will also have to hold the scope, and allow enough meat still at the base to run the bolt through (not shown in pic) to lock the vertical adjustment to the external base.

Thinking more, the bar stock I have is 3/4" square, I might be able to "machine" two halves together for the rear using some of my "high tech" tools here.  I see a LOT of work in my future.  Tat will be an update for later. 

Funy thing is, at one point I had actually thought of the two half thing, even had a good 3/4" drill bit purchased ($20 for ONE BIT ) and took it back for this idea.  Mainly cause it was less work and I already had the provided ring.  But the gears are turning again.

[handirifle]

OK I thought!

First, the inside opening on the mount (rear) is just over 1".  The 3/4" halves are too thick and the screw mounts on the Burris rings, I think will make them too wide for the rear.  A set of Talley rings are what I was thinking of when I made my first reply.  That is the design style I'd need.  But they are too pricey for this experiment.

[zermatt7]

Handi,

Cool concept !!!

Green Mountain Barrels is selling a  T/C Hawken Barrel set up with the same type of scope...For only $600 ! (sans the gun )

If you have'nt already you might want to take a look at how its set  up for some ideas...I'm not sure if its elevation adjustable or not...?

 Eric
zermatt7

[handirifle]

I looked, nice setup.  Price is pretty fair for what you get, still a lot of money.  It IS elevation adjustable, most likely windage too.