time to make my leatherwood malcolm "usable"

[Claven2]

I just ordered the newer Unertl style clickless (BPCR competition legal) mounts modified for the malcolm scope bodies from Buffalo Arms.

this should VASTLY imrpove the POS mounts that came with this otherwise nice scope (nitrogen filled, long eye relief, etc.)

I'll advise once I get it

Also got a Lee shaver spirit level Lyman 17A type globe sight. Should be a nice addition as well.

I thought about going with the more period-correct looking MVA Shuetzen mounts, but I couldn't tell if they would work with the Leatherwood clamp-on sliding pope rib. A call to MVA was only answered with "uh... I dunno?". Probably the buffalo arms Unertl rib (which I also ordered because it's not interchangeable with the leatherwood sliding rib that I also have) would have worked with the MVA mounts, but I wasn't willing to gamble $450 on it for aesthetics...

 

[ben hunchak]

That's the good thing about Buffalo Arms, they would have taken anything back and gladly refunded in my experience. I'm sure you'll like the new set-up!!

 

[Claven2]

I've had the Leatherwood with the original mounts for a few years now and they are well used. The problem is not with breakage or anything like that, it's just that they are not well designed and the tolerances are not that good.

When I got hte original mounts, they had rough cast lines everywhere and were only machined on critical surfaces - they looked awful. I ended up filing off the casting lines and flashing, going over them to 400 grit, and rebluing them so they didn't look so bad.

they were (I think) made in China and it shows. Although the scope is remarkably well made, the lock rings o nthe adjustment knobs were too thin so they only 1.5 threads of engagement and the tolerances are very loose. this means no matter how tight you get them, there is not enough friction on the threadform to keep them from loosening under recoil. I use them on a .45-70 BPCR rolling block and every shot I need to re-check them for tightness. Every 2-3 rounds, they are loose.

Also, the screws provided that secure the rings to the base were a loose fit and would loosen up unless loctite was used.

Time for a change and the unertl unit will, I beleive, perform admirably.

 

[Claven2]

Well the new mounts arrived today via FEDEX. The customs charge sucked ($78), but I had the mounts within 24 hours of ordering them (!).

The mounts are VERY well made. The only potential concern I have is that unlike the Leatherwood sliding lock ring, the DZ Arms version does not have a T-bar on the end to limit travel under recoil. In theory the scope could recoil far enough to come off the rib - I won't know until I shoot it. Also, the rib had a lot of milling marks on it, so I hit it with some emery paper before installing and it's much smoother now.

The Unertly rings are AMAZINGLY well made. Maybe better than original Unertls.

I also got around to installing a Red River Beech sight on the barrel to fill the dovetail - lol.

 

[ckid]

Very, very nice!! Looking forward to the range report....