Mauser claw type rings needed - with pics!

Sharkson

Sharkson

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I have a 60 year old Mauser 8x57, recently "rennovated", but I want new glass as the exisiting scope is 40 years old and not waterproof, etc.

***What I need is new German claw rings that will fit the mount. I am told this sort of thing is available in Europe. Does anyone have a lead on where to find such rings??

Here it is with the scope:

Mauserclawmountsworigscope_Nov_06.jpg



And here without, showing the mount details:

Mauserclawmountsbare_Nov_06.jpg


I've missed deer season this year, but I want to be ready next year! Thanks.
 
Try EAW or NECG (New England Custom Guns) .... I presume you won the lottery recently? Congratulations!
 
Thanks for the suggestions everybody.

AP said:
Try EAW or NECG (New England Custom Guns) .... I presume you won the lottery recently? Congratulations!
Click to expand...

What is EAW?

Yes, but the lottery win was at birth. This was my father's hunting rifle he put together as a younger man back in the early 60's. I am not sure if the mounts/scope work was done in Toronto (lots of gunsmiths in those days) or if he had it done in Germany and shipped over. I suspect the former.

The rifle has had very little use since my Dad's death in 1980, and I just started hunting this year. It seemed sacriligious (and unnecessary) to buy something brand new, so I had the barrel floated, the trigger changed to a 2 1/2 lb Timney with a new safety from the original military 2 stage, and the stock shortened by an inch (I'm shorter than my father).

My research tells me that this scope mounting method is the Rolls Royce of methods! I just need some claw type rings for a modern scope. The rings shown above are part of the scope itself!
 
EAW is Ernst Apel Gmbh... a German firm that makes various mounts including claw mounts...do a search for their site.

they have some claw mount rings/bases that connect to railed scopes and some (as your current mounts are) that are soldered to the scope tube.

If you want to use the soldered mounts you will need a steel tubed scope. You will also have to find someone prepared to dismantle the scope prior to soldering the mounts on and to reassemble later - any rubber seals will not survive the heat otherwise. You will also want to have the tube refinished/reblued after the soldering because the bluing will need to be removed for the silver solder to adhere.

You will want to find an expert at this because if the scope is not properly aligned (eg if it is canted) or not set for proper eye relief...it is somewhat difficult and expensive to redo as you can imagine. And an otherwise pricey scope can be royally trashed by someone who does not know how to properly reassemble it.

This will be costly project....but it can be done. If you want a set-up like you now have - expect to pay about double what the firearm is currently worth eg the claw rings and a reasonable steel scope if you go that way will cost conservatively $1500 (parts only) - allowing $400-500 for the rings and a $1000 for the scope. Note -- if you can find a suitable steel scope that has the same dimensions as your current scope (and similar eye relief) you might be able to salvage your current rings. Labour will set you back another $700-1000 to have it done properly if you are having the rings soldered to the scope. I am not sure who in Canada would attempt this work....if you go with a rail mount scope and don't solder the rings to the scope it may be a lot easier (eg cheaper) to install.


BTW ... who is the scope manufacturer
 
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Perhaps you should explore getting the existing scope rebuilt and improved
Click to expand...

depends on the manufacturer...as I found out. I have a excellent claw mounted scope on a Mannlicher Schoenauer (a Kahles 4x) that has some spots on the objective lens coating - doesn't hurt the image but offends my sense of aesthetics ....anyway the factory will not recoat or replace the lense. They say they cannot recoat and that there are no replacements parts available..period! Hard to argue with an Austrian.
 
AP said:
EAW is Ernst Apel Gmbh... a German firm that makes various mounts including claw mounts...do a search for their site.

they have some claw mount rings/bases that connect to railed scopes and some (as your current mounts are) that are soldered to the scope tube.

If you want to use the soldered mounts you will need a steel tubed scope. You will also have to find someone prepared to dismantle the scope prior to soldering the mounts on and to reassemble later - any rubber seals will not survive the heat otherwise. You will also want to have the tube refinished/reblued after the soldering because the bluing will need to be removed for the silver solder to adhere.

You will want to find an expert at this because if the scope is not properly aligned (eg if it is canted) or not set for proper eye relief...it is somewhat difficult and expensive to redo as you can imagine. And an otherwise pricey scope can be royally trashed by someone who does not know how to properly reassemble it.

This will be costly project....but it can be done. If you want a set-up like you now have - expect to pay about double what the firearm is currently worth eg the claw rings and a reasonable steel scope if you go that way will cost conservatively $1500 (parts only) - allowing $400-500 for the rings and a $1000 for the scope. Note -- if you can find a suitable steel scope that has the same dimensions as your current scope (and similar eye relief) you might be able to salvage your current rings. Labour will set you back another $700-1000 to have it done properly if you are having the rings soldered to the scope. I am not sure who in Canada would attempt this work....if you go with a rail mount scope and don't solder the rings to the scope it may be a lot easier (eg cheaper) to install.


BTW ... who is the scope manufacturer
Click to expand...

Will have to go look :redface: ; it is European though. Likely not a company still in business.

AP, thanks for the detailed advice. I was hoping though to get claw rings that would mount a modern scope without soldering. Also, while I love the classic look of the current rig (and the scope is still pretty much zeroed at 100m, though I can not adjust it - it is seized internally), I am not willing to spend that kind of money to get the "soldered look".

So, with the links you have provided, I will look for the appropriate claw rings.

One more question: how standardized were the claw mounts that were put on Mausers, i.e. would the claw dimensions be fairly standard in the industry?

Thanks again.
 
Sharkson: Why not contact someone like Bill Leeper and ask him if he thinks it's possible to combine your existing mounts with something like Leupold dual dovetails with the dovetails milled off and then TIG weld or silver solder the result to the dehorned original bases, polish and reblue. My understanding of those type Euro mounts is that there is a lot of hand fitting involved to get them right. You would also be able to choose 1" rings which would put you in position to use more common scopes if you prefer.
 
I was hoping though to get claw rings that would mount a modern scope without soldering
Click to expand...
...well it looks like EAW sells claw mounts that have clamping arrangement to accomodate scopes with a rail - they wouldn't require soldering. This is illustrated on their site. I think Zeiss, Kahles and others still offer scopes with rails...this could be one approach.

Not sure if EAW offer claw mounts that also incorporate 1 inch rings ... you might check. If that is the case ... height is a factor. You will note that your scope is set quite a bit to the rear...Many European hunters will shoot with their head quite erect...and don't "crawl the stock" ... this allows/requires the scope to be mounted high and further to the rear. If you find yourself in a similar setup you may need a straight tube scope....anyway... one step at a time. Good luck.
 
Stocker/AP:

More great advice, thanks.

I was hoping for a claw/ring combo so that I can keep the functionality of the current setup, i.e. removing the scope for transport. And I know the mounts are square and hold zero!

Much appreciated.
 
I believe there is a gentleman out west named Harvey Trask that does work on old Weaver scopes. He may be able to help with your existing scope or put you onto someone that can.
 
jiminthecorner said:
There are claw mounts on E BAY as we speak.Just go to ebay hunting and click in claw mounts. They are relatively easy to get if persistant enough!! JITC
Click to expand...

Checking it out. Thanks Jim. <<<Unfortunately, nothing like what I need.

I have also sent an email to Martini & Hagn. I'm sure they can help, but at a considerable cost!
 
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Update

I exchanged emails with Ralf Martini at Martini and Hagn. Very helpful gentleman, and yes, it will be an expensive job!

Nothing commercial available in claws/rear lock-up. This would be a lot of work and manual fitting, as Stocker said.

I have to think about it b/c I'm looking at between $1,500 and $2,000 depending on the new scope I want.

Or, I could have the old scope refurbished if that is even possible.

Can anybody recommend someone who does that kind of work?

Thanks.
 
Claw Mounts

Looks like the trigger has been changed to an adjustable with side safety so a few more modifications should not upset the purist at heart. The old scope/claw mounts are very nostalgic and not the best. I'd take the claw mounts off and put an updated Leupold or Redfields. The front base can be filled in with a dovetail spacer to accommodate this system. You can then put just about any modern scope on the rifle and enjoy it. If you need some off line help with this pls email me at rgg_7@hotmail.com.
 
Personaly I'd go hunting with this scope. I have non-sealed scopes
wich work great! If I absolutly had to change scope I'd try to have
someone makes me scope rings from the actual claw mounts, not an
easy task but something a carefull precision aimed gunsmith/machinist
could do...

Good luck,

Jocelyn.
 
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