There have been a few posts lately about scope mounts for our SKS’s, here are some photos of the Choate mount from SKSMAN I put on a couple weeks ago.
It really wasn’t too difficult to do with my drill press.
I essentially did what curtton has in his SKS Basics thread sticky, “Scoping the SKS”.
Finding a tap off the shelf for the 8-40 thread bolts that come with the Choate mount proved impossible, so I simply ordered three #28J drill bits (#891-128-140) and two 8-40 taper taps (#395-840-001) from Brownells for a few dollars each. The drill bits cut through that receiver like nothing. I was very careful tapping the holes though, quarter turn, back out tap, clean, quarter turn, backout, etc. I used ATF for a cutting lube.
The instructions for the mount said to install it 1.5” from the end of the receiver. I installed it 1 3/8” from the end and positioned the bottom of the diamond cutouts on the mount flush to the top of the receiver. This is about as far back and as low as the mount can be installed. Any farther back and you may not be able to remove the receiver cover and bolt from the rifle for cleaning. I also wanted to install the mount as far back as possible for using stripper clips.
I drilled and tapped the forward hole first and used one of the bolts to install the mount, made sure it sat level, transfer punched the back hole and drilled and tapped it. Then did the two middle holes. This ensured all the holes were lined up correctly.
A notch has to be cut in the stock to accommodate the mount, so before lock tighting the bolts I used a sharpie pen to trace the outline of the mount on the receiver and then removed it. Installed the stock and traced the top of the wood on the receiver and marked the front and back notch locations on the wood. Removed the receiver from the stock and measured the distance between the two horizontal sharpie lines on the receiver to determine the depth that the notch needed to be cut.
I cut an outline for the notch in the wood with a box cutter and a metal flat edge. I kept a bit inside the lines and took my time trimming and fitting the stock with the scope mount installed until there was a paper thickness of clearance between the wood and the mount. I stained the notch cutout and put a coat of shellac over it.
Took the rifle out in the woods and banged away, all is right with the world.
Cheers
It really wasn’t too difficult to do with my drill press.
I essentially did what curtton has in his SKS Basics thread sticky, “Scoping the SKS”.
Finding a tap off the shelf for the 8-40 thread bolts that come with the Choate mount proved impossible, so I simply ordered three #28J drill bits (#891-128-140) and two 8-40 taper taps (#395-840-001) from Brownells for a few dollars each. The drill bits cut through that receiver like nothing. I was very careful tapping the holes though, quarter turn, back out tap, clean, quarter turn, backout, etc. I used ATF for a cutting lube.
The instructions for the mount said to install it 1.5” from the end of the receiver. I installed it 1 3/8” from the end and positioned the bottom of the diamond cutouts on the mount flush to the top of the receiver. This is about as far back and as low as the mount can be installed. Any farther back and you may not be able to remove the receiver cover and bolt from the rifle for cleaning. I also wanted to install the mount as far back as possible for using stripper clips.
I drilled and tapped the forward hole first and used one of the bolts to install the mount, made sure it sat level, transfer punched the back hole and drilled and tapped it. Then did the two middle holes. This ensured all the holes were lined up correctly.
A notch has to be cut in the stock to accommodate the mount, so before lock tighting the bolts I used a sharpie pen to trace the outline of the mount on the receiver and then removed it. Installed the stock and traced the top of the wood on the receiver and marked the front and back notch locations on the wood. Removed the receiver from the stock and measured the distance between the two horizontal sharpie lines on the receiver to determine the depth that the notch needed to be cut.
I cut an outline for the notch in the wood with a box cutter and a metal flat edge. I kept a bit inside the lines and took my time trimming and fitting the stock with the scope mount installed until there was a paper thickness of clearance between the wood and the mount. I stained the notch cutout and put a coat of shellac over it.
Took the rifle out in the woods and banged away, all is right with the world.
Cheers
