Picatinny Rail

[JonP666 11]

I have been using a Challenger NV unit on my BSA Hornet for some time but was not happy with the mounting of the scope, as I was hoping to be able to have the scope move forward when using NV, then back for daylight use.

 

I did try to use a 13mm to Picatinnny adapter but it proved unsuccessful (see bottom picture), so I toyed with the idea of mounting a Picatinny rail directly onto the top of the action.

 

So here it is, a 10" Picatinny scope rail with a dovetail cut into the base.

 

I had it made up by a local engineering firm using a good quality stock rail sourced from China. They programmed the dimensions into their machine and using a 60 degree 10mm cutter did the business.

 

The rail is secured by 4 drilled and tapped holes with grub screws (3 x 0.5mm) spaced to miss holes etc. into the top of the rail, with steel shims underneath to prevent damage to the gun and keep things true (thin feeler gauges). The overhang rests on the barrel with a shim providing extra support.

 

The whole thing is now far more pleasing on the eye and works really well.

 

 

Much better than the original offering !!!

 

 

 

Anyway, it is bang on with only a very minimal loss of zero.

 

With medium mounts it enables me to use the scope mounted forward when NV with the Challenger, then back to normal during the day.

 

Result !

 

 

Regards

 

JonP

Edited September 18, 2013 by JonP666

[moxy 617]

How much is minimal loss of zero? And can it be remedied?

 

Nice work

[JonP666 11]

When I said minimal, I am talking on millimetres over air rifle ranges.

 

I am a firm believer that any change to a scope mounting system - however well engineered or expensive, will not hold a perfect zero if removed then reattached.

 

(I have nothing against the likes of Blazer - been there, done that. But for my larger calibres I prefer a fixed mounting system. Shooting out at long ranges, any minute difference is 'magnified' resulting in a different POI - it may only be centimetres at 600 metres, but a change never the less.)

 

Having said that, provided that there is 'repeatability' in the mounting procedure (which is proven on the zero range) you should be confident of placing a shot within a gnats clock of where you intended.

 

And on the evidence of what I have done to date, the setup is working very well.

 

However, even when ratting, I always pop a couple of shots with the air rifle before I start hunting - firstly to confirm my zero, but also the settle the regulator.

 

 

Regards

 

JonP

Edited September 18, 2013 by JonP666