The M14/M1A CASM® "RD"
- Thread starter cadgo
- Start date
im not disputing your knowledge of the rifle, im saying the snarky little jabs at M14.CA are not necessary.
again, go ahead and deny you do it, but im not the only one whos noticed.
again, go ahead and deny you do it, but im not the only one whos noticed.
If the instructions for the CASM GEN II mount are followed correctly, 1/8 of a turn is sufficient to tension the mount.
Here are the main advantages I see when I use the CASM mount over the 1960's Brookfield-inspired scope mounts. I don't have a lot of this information on my web site.
- All of the large fasteners of the CASM mounts are "double-locked" with its own set screw. This is a good thing, not a bad thing. It is the only truly double-locked mount on the market. Use loctite and triple lock it. It's included in the box but you don't need it. There are also extra screws in the box. I will point out that Sadlak also uses set screws to prevent the Stripper Clip Guide Screw from loosening so it is not uncommon to employ this method. Sadlak actually uses two set screws to the Stripper Clip Guide Key to positively lock the key into the dovetail slot.
- The CASM offers slightly better balance because the rail is further back in
the sight pocket.
- The CASM offers better eye releif because the rail is further back in
the sight pocket.
- It is lightweight.
- The rail is longer than most M14 mounts.
- The CASM scope mount was designed in 2011 and is fully adjustable for rake. No other scope mount does that for the M14 and certainly not any 1960's inspired brookfield clone.
- The CASM mount will not suffer from cartridge case jams, ever.
- The CASM scope mount will not damage your brass, ever.
- The CASM scope mount is simple to install and sets up faster than most mounts.
- Out of 860+ scope mounts installed so far, only 1 CASM required minor adjustment to the rear pad because the Shorty M14 sight pocket was grossly out of specification. Easy fix but the customer was unwilling to complete the easy fix. No problem. I sent him a new mount anyway.
- Of the 860+ scope mounts installed so far, only 2 CASM mounts required a simple aluminum shiim to index the mount on a grossly out of specification receiver sight pocket. Easy fix.
- You will never have to replace an ejector or cut ejector springs with a CASM scope mount.
- The backup sight works well at practical distances.
- It will hold zero.
- It is reliable.
- It is priced $80 less than an ARMS18. If you are mil. or leo, it is priced $120 less than an ARMS18.
Yeah, I give it away for free to these guys and have since I helped manufacuture it in 2011. Thank-you for your support.
Your instructions say 1/8th to 1/4 turn after contact, which is what I did ( although note 3 in the instructions says "no more than one half turn"). The problem was not with the front vertical adjustment screw but with the rear. As per the instructions I tightened it as much as I could comfortably with a hand allen wrench but this seems to have raised the rear of the mount too high so that any adjustment of the front screw past contact warped the whole mount.
Regardless, the warping disappeared when I eased back the rear vertical adjustment screw. Unfortunately the set screws (which I only put it hand tight) have still mashed the threads of the vertical front adjustment screw which have in turn begun to strip the threads in the mount. I haven't removed other mounting screws to check them for fear of doing more damage.
The Hopco mount and the M14.ca "RD" mount are two entirely different mounting solutions. The CASM "RD" mount will mount any picatinny rail-ready red dot optic and provide a BUS (good for Eotech, for example). The Hopco mounts will seat any non-picatinny railed red dot optic directly to the Hopco mount and there are a lot of different options from which to choose, which is always nice. More flavors at the ice-cream counter is a good thing and they don't serve vanilla.
The one mount that I would compare to the Hopco offerings is our CASM "MRD" mount which uses the smallest and lightest red dot in the world: the JPOINT. We chose the JPOINT because it is the smallest and the lightest and if you look closely, you'll see that the JPOINT fits between the rear sight ears of the M14 rifle. That means, it is the lowest and lightest and the only hood-protected red dot optic available for the M14 that fits in the rear sight pocket in this fashion. These differences are significant but sometimes they are hard to notice.
By the way, with the MRD hood on my M14, my rifle balances nicely while upside down. This allows me to clean my rifle in a way I couldn't before. It's a minor but welcome convenience. That is all.
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1/8 of a turn will not bend the mount. If you keep turning it, you will bend it. It is noted as much in the Engineering and Design Considerations which ships with every CASM scope mount.
Other scope mounts have similar instructions. For example, if you over-torque a Brookfield-inspired side mount bolt on scope mount, you risk damaging receiver threads at the side and at the dovetail slot and even cracking the receiver (I doubt any one has ever done that but company mentions it as a warning to customers as we also mention the fact that you can bend a CASM scope mount if you over torque it out of specification).
For example, here are the instructions from the Sadlak mount located here:
http:// www . sadlak.com/si_scopemount_install.html
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR SADLAK M14/M1A SCOPE MOUNT
12. FINAL TIGHTEN SCREWS: Using an inch-lbs torque wrench, final tighten the screws to the following specifications in the order listed:
1) Hex Screw(3): 65-70 inch-lbs,
2) Two set screws in the Clip Guide Key(4): 30-40 inch-lbs
Warning: Use caution when tightening setscrews.
DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN. Receiver may crack if
excessive force is used.
3) Clip Guide Screw(5): 30-40 inch lbs
Again, your included instructions state 1/8th to 1/4 turn, and then in "Note 3" on the first page state no "tighter than 1/2 turn after initial contact".
I followed the former as I thought it better to be conservative. The rear of the mount had been raised high enough that the front of the mount was already pressed against the receiver such that any lifting of the front of the mount caused it to warp.
This doesn't bother me as it was an easy fix to ease off the rear adjustment screw. The implication that I must not be following the included (contradictory) instructions is, however, a little annoying.
I followed the former as I thought it better to be conservative. The rear of the mount had been raised high enough that the front of the mount was already pressed against the receiver such that any lifting of the front of the mount caused it to warp.
This doesn't bother me as it was an easy fix to ease off the rear adjustment screw. The implication that I must not be following the included (contradictory) instructions is, however, a little annoying.
It is definitely 1/8th of a turn. Thanks Gabe. Noted.
No implication to your install intended. Glad to hear you're set up.
Not to be a #### or a troll but none of that addresses the stripping of threads going on inside the MOUNTS threads. I'd post pics of the damage but I know it will be viewed as a personal issue with M14.ca products and I'll probably be accused of causing the damage somehow on purpose just to flame M14.ca.
That stripping of the MOUNTS threads is a critical design flaw and a result of this advanced "double locking" feature.
Sorry Frank, again, it's not personal, it's a real life issue and one I personally can't live with. To each his own however.
That stripping of the MOUNTS threads is a critical design flaw and a result of this advanced "double locking" feature.
Sorry Frank, again, it's not personal, it's a real life issue and one I personally can't live with. To each his own however.
If I understand correctly, your saying the main hardware's threads are basically galled/damaged by the set screws being torqued into them? Which in turn damages the female threads in the mount upon removal? Just curious/trying to understand exaclty the issue, I have a rifle on the way and the seller included a CASM.
It's a valid question. If you over-torque set screws on a CASM mount, you will have problems. If you over-torque set screws on any Brookfield-inspired mount, you will have problems.
As mentioned in my last posting, a good example is Sadlak warning their customers that you can crack the receiver of your M14 if you over-torque their mount bolts. This is directly from their instructions. Similarly, if you over-torque the CASM mount, you will damage the mount.
With a 1/4 turn on the set screw upon contact, I have never had a problem removing a CASM scope mount. Double-locking and even triple locking is truly unitising the M14 CASM to your receiver. That's what you want: a hard-locked mount that won't move.
I know you prefer the ARMS18, it is a good scope mount, but the CASM is more advanced, easier to set up, costs less and even weighs less, even in our CASM "S" steel version, offers better balance and eye releif and was designed and built in Canada in 2011! I'll take a break now.
Thanx for the reply Frank. In my customer(s) case and with my casm mount, the main side bolts that go through the sight ears had significant marring from the two set screws that enter from the rear. These two main bolts both removed precious threading from inside the mount itself with significant shavings present upon removal.
I do suppose it is an issue with many mounts using lock screws against the thread of a mounting screw. Hard one to get around but would there be any other way to solve the issue? Some guys like to shoot standard irons and put the optics mount on in certain applications. Anyhow, I'll stop posting, my comments here have covered my concerns and I am impressed with your prompt and detailed replies in this thread.
I like your ice cream analogy and aggree with it completely.
I do suppose it is an issue with many mounts using lock screws against the thread of a mounting screw. Hard one to get around but would there be any other way to solve the issue? Some guys like to shoot standard irons and put the optics mount on in certain applications. Anyhow, I'll stop posting, my comments here have covered my concerns and I am impressed with your prompt and detailed replies in this thread.
I like your ice cream analogy and aggree with it completely.
Well, I can't fairly comment on what took place during your installation, but I can say that I have never even so much as marred the "finish" on my CASM scope mount during installation.
I would point out to those reading that the mount threading is 5/16x18TPI and it is more than sufficiently robust and purposely oversized to avoid damage by hand tightening.
I wish I could say that had been my experience, I must be stronger than I thought
. Either way I'll leave my comments at that until I get a chance to put a scope on this thing and test it out properly.e: also another note about the included instructions - they say you will need allen wrenches at 5/16" and 5/32". They should say 5/32" and 3/32".
A 5/16" wrench wouldn't even fit between the rails
I am looking at buying this mount for my new Shorty. I rebuild High speed packaging equipment and see set screws to lock bolt all the time. The one thing i will probaly do is change the locking set screw for brass or nylon tipped ones . Then I should not have to worry about them damaging the bolt. otherwise i think the design of this mount is soundand it is Canadian made which for myself is always a good thing,
