Offset scope base

[Ranger140892]

This might help someone that has eye/shoulder issues.

My 81 y/o mom is right handed, has macular degeneration in her right eye, and cannot shoot off her left shoulder because of her pacemaker. I tried a couple of different offset picatinny mounts, but all the ones I've seen are made for "accessories" and weren't rugged enough for a scope, especially her heavy Nightforce's and Schmidt Bender's. So I made this base for a model 70 I built for her. Since she laid claim to my L579 also, I'll make a base for it too. I just finished and tested it yesterday, and it worked much better than I anticipated.

I started with a set of steel picatinny rings, and milled off the scope radii. Then I TIG welded a 3/16" steel plate to the rings. I drilled out several 1/2" lightening holes, and drilled and tapped six 8x40 holes down the left side. Then I machined a picatinny rail from a blank, and attached it to the base. All the machining was done with the base attached to a model 70 receiver, in order to keep everything square in the milling machine. I made this base so that she could use it on any of her rifles that have picatinny bases.

I've already hatched a plan for a better one, but she'll be able to finish out deer season with this mount. The next one will be TIG welded directly to the base on the rifle, which will lower it a bit.

 

[lord frith]

Wow. Very nice accommodation. You, sir, have given us a wonderful example of love and devotion we should have for our parents and grandparents.
Thank you, and really nice mount.
Stephen

 

[Ranger140892]

Thanks Stephen. If you knew my Mom, you'd know I only built it out of fear. Just kidding. I love her, but she's a mess!

That's actually a rifle I built for myself. But when she saw it, she got all squiggly and excited. So guess who owns it now.

 

[Ranger140892]

Update on the offset base:
Mom saw my L579 in 308 Win, and had to have one just like it. So I dug out another of my L579 receivers, ordered another McMillan stock, and a Brux barrel, then built her another offset scope base. For this base, I used Sako Optilock bases, and TIG'd the offset portion to them. She wanted my scope too, but I had to draw the line somewhere. I gave it to her, but she agreed to order me an exact replacement. She wanted to use the rifle now, so I'll have to wait til after "idiot season" to get the barrel marked, and metal finished.