adding scope base to untapped gun

[zackyholdem]

i would like to add a scope base to my tracker II 12ga and i was wondering if anyone had previously added bases to untapped guns successfully.

i've read posts that mention silver solder are there any other ways to do it successfully? and has anyone had success with these methods? also do you have to have a steel base to use silver solder or can an aluminium one be used?

i also noticed that h&r has a thin walled version of their ultra slug hunter 12 ga that has a based attached that is not drilled and tapped? any idea how they attached the base?

thanks in advance, Zack

[carbineman]

i would like to add a scope base to my tracker II 12ga and i was wondering if anyone had previously added bases to untapped guns successfully.Yes I have drilled & tapped the 20 ga. TrackerII. Some gunsmiths won't drill & tap the 12 ga. Tracker II though. They claim the metal afforded in that area is too thin to do so safely.

i've read posts that mention silver solder are there any other ways to do it successfully? and has anyone had success with these methods? also do you have to have a steel base to use silver solder or can an aluminium one be used? Can't answer that one, but I'm sure someone who has done that will be along to answer that question

i also noticed that h&r has a thin walled version of their ultra slug hunter 12 ga that has a based attached that is not drilled and tapped? any idea how they attached the base?No idea how they did that but they are called ULSH (Ultra Light Slug Hunter) and they have the new ultragon rifling. I have never seen one but some forum members have them.

thanks in advance, Zack

[spikehorn]

I bought a 12ga Tracker II barrel here on GBO from MSPret if I remember correctly he told me a gun smith did the D&T and since the the holes were shallow recommended it never be taken off the gun again so it was also epoxied on.

[MSP Ret]

Spikehorn is correct. Some 12's can be safely drilled and tapped but it is tedious and time consuming work. I say some because my gunsmith used to do it but stopped because of the difficulty and time involved, also not all barrels sent to him could be done simpl;y because of thier thickness. The newer 12 gauge barrels are thicker over the chamber area and he would mic each barrel/chamber thickness individually to see if he could do it. He was sent some older thinner 12 gauge barrels that could not be done at all. The job entails drilling the hole for the scope rail screws without going through the barrel, typically a size larger than the originals, using a flat bottom drill and then tapping (and using a bottoming tap on those holes as well). The scope rail with be altered to accept the new screws and the scope rail would be epoxied and screwed on, he told me never to remove the scope rail, that because of the precise work and fewer than normal depth of threads it was not something to be removed and replaced. I had 2, one my gunsmith did and another gunsmith the the second which I decided I did not need (both the same) and I sold to Spikehorn. I am shooting mostly 20's for deer now but keep my 12 with a scope in case I need a BIG gun....<><....