Scope bases

bob347

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I was at the local gun show on the weekend and bought a rifle. It is a Whitworth bolt action 30-06 with what I believe is a P17 reciever. Not sure if it was an original Enfield milled down or a replica reciever. It seems to be all original from this company and factory drilled for bases. There was a #11 rear and a # 35 front weaver on it but seems to be a little difference in heights. The thread is all 6-48 .A couple questions:

Does any of the members have knowledge on this rifle and have you used different bases or should I just shim the front low one? there is about .050" difference . Both seem to have the proper curve of the reciever.
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The front base is supposed to be lower than the rear base in relationship to the bore... that is so a scope can be sighted in for elevation... the scope has to 'point slightly downwards'.

Try it before maybe fixing something that is not broken.
 
The front base is supposed to be lower than the rear base in relationship to the bore... that is so a scope can be sighted in for elevation... the scope has to 'point slightly downwards'.

Try it before maybe fixing something that is not broken.

Well I have to listen to someone with a lot more knowledge than me. This is a first non modern factory rifle for me but wanted to make a dedicated bear rifle that I can bump around and bruise a little. I dont think it was shot much from the looks of it and bore is excellant. I will take your sugestion and give it a try with a pair of rings before anything else happens. Thanks Bob
 
I believe that the top surfaces of the bases should form a plane, so that both are same left to right, and as posted above, does not usually hurt that front base slightly lower than rear base relative to the centre of bore line. But I think that "plane" part is important, so that the holes in the rings are close to concentric - can not just have front base lower, but pointed at different place than the rear one - will mark up or bend your scope tube when tightening the ring caps. Some amount of mis-alignment can be corrected by lapping the scope rings - depends how fussy you might be, I guess. Many, I think, were just torqued down - no measuring or checking - and likely have worked "just fine" for decades - lenses in scope misaligned because scope tube slightly bent; do not see the marks, unless scope is removed.
 
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Tough to say as the Pattern 14 Enfield/ Model 1917 had to have the rear ears cut down to permit scope mounting. Reciver radius and elevations for scope bases tend to be all over the place. Good strong action though. I'm with you on the scope marking/ tube bending of front and rear bases . Personally I would shoot for same elevation of front and rear bases. There is enough elevation on modern scopes to overcome that IMO.
 
Personally I would shoot for same elevation of front and rear bases. There is enough elevation on modern scopes to overcome that IMO.

I have seen a lot of sighting in problems due to "flat" bases on military conversions ... scopes out of elevation adjustment at 100 yards...

Glass bedding scope bases so they are on the same plane can be done (and should be done)
 
I have seen a lot of sighting in problems due to "flat" bases on military conversions ... scopes out of elevation adjustment at 100 yards...

Glass bedding scope bases so they are on the same plane can be done (and should be done)

This is really good advice.

Take it.
 
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