• Hey All! Lately there has been more and more scammers on the forum board. They register and replies to members requests for guns and/or parts or other things. The reply contains a gmail or hotmail address or similar ”anonymous” email addresses which they want you to reply to. DO NOT ANSWER ANY STRANGE MESSAGES! They often state something like this: ”Hello! Saw your post about purchasing a stock for a Safari. KnuckleheadBob has one. Email him at: [email protected]” If you receive any strange messages: Check the status of whoever message you. If they have no posts and signed up the same day or very recently, stay away. Same goes for other members they might refer to. Check them too and if they are long standing members, PM them and ask if the message is legit. Most likely it’s not. Then use the report function in each message or post so I can kick them out! Beware of anything that might seem fishy! And again, for all of you who registered your personal name as username, please contact me so I can change it to a more anonymous username. You’d be surprised of how much one can find out about a person from just a username on a forum such ad our! All the best! And be safe! Jim

Mount Recommendations for L61R with Undersized Front Dovetail? Swaro 3-10x42 1" Scope...

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

sakoseeker

Active Member
Joined
May 23, 2010
Messages
26
Location
USA, Republic of Tejas
Hello all, I've been on a two week quest to come to a mount solution for my Garcia era L61R. Apparently the front dovetail is slightly undersized either from the factory or from the polishing work done in prep for a re-blue job the previous owner had performed years ago.
My goal is to want to mount a Swarovski 3-10x42 as low as possible and I am having trouble finding mounts. Does anyone know who makes a mount that meets the following criteria?

I am looking for a two piece mount that...

-uses a design with screws/bolts for a tight dovetail->mount fit. Do not want a 'dovetail tension only' fit as that means that the mounts will not be under enough tension until they are wayy too far forward on the dovetail. I want the mount to sit perfect vertical alignment with the dovetail.
-is windage adjustable like a Burris or Buehler. I don't what to be forced to use scope adjustments to compensate for mechanical alignment issues that I may have.
-has a reversible front mount so I don't run out of scope tube length across the span of the long action. Do not want to use an extension ring or have anything other than scope tube above the breech. No overhangs allowed...
-is compatible with fixed rings that are sleek

-has a matte blued finish (gloss okay)

Brands tested/researched:
Conetrol: The looks are exactly what I like but it is tension fit only. Mount is too loose on the undersized front receiver dovetail and slides way too far forward to snug up. Tried 5 samples and all slid about 1/8" too far forward on the receiver dovetail w/o any compression. I don't think peening the underside mount dovetails is a very elegant solution so I am walking away from these. Seems too rigged...
Buelher: I think these are tension only front mounts...rear is windage adjustable...they are quite low...
Burris 2-Piece Trumount Standard Scope Base
: Screw tensioned but front base does not look reversible to I might be stuck w/an extension of some kind. Signature rings have sleeves that can compensate for windage/elevation needs if needed which is nice.
Leupold: QR base only for Sako. Not sure if this has screws to tighten the base or if it is a tension fit only. No windage adjustment
Talley: Tension fit only (I think) so the front would slide way too forward on the mount just like the Conetrol.
Sako Optilock: Screw tensioned but I don't see any 'Sako Long' sizes in-stock anywhere. The moveable dovetail on the mount seems to concentrate force on only a small area. No windage adjustment.
Sako Original: Screw tensioned fit
, windage adjustable. I still prefer the looks, low height, and availability of the others.
Am I overlooking any other two piece mounts? If not, I will have to just weigh one against the other. Thanks!
 
Get some Millett Angle Loc rings with the Sako adapter bases and mount claws. The adapter bases have a little lip that holds them against recoil. The Angle Loc mounts are windage adjustable, as well as able to clamp firmly on your front dovetail which was apparently reduced in dimension during the polishing for reblue. You'll want to trade the rings that come with the Sako set for some "low" Millett rings. The low rings will still clear your 42mm scope objective bell sufficiently assuming your barrel is not of extra heavy contour. The Milletts are not adjustable fore-and-aft, but their positioning works for any "normal" scope I have mounted in them. I have several long action Sakos using these mounts and am quite happy with them.

Incidentally, some Millett-produced Angle Loc rings were sold in blue packages labeled as factory Sako rings. Sako apparently had enough confidence in them to endorse them with the Sako brand.

As a bonus, the Millett is probably the least expensive mount availalbe for the Sako.

By the way, the original Sako ringmounts in "medium" height would also fill the bill for you. They are fully windage adjustable and their tensioning system allows them to clamp firmly on a slightly reduced dovetail. If you put them on right, they won't be going anywhere. You can place the front ring anywhere from the rear of the dovetail to the very front. The position of the rear ring is fixed at the rearmost point by a little recoil lug that fits a corresponding receptical at the rear of the dovetail. However, if a scope needs to be placed further forward you can simply grind this little lug off and place the rear ring where you want it. Once properly torqued into place, these Sako rings won't be moving.

By, by the way; the Burris or Redfield bases can be very simply modified to stop shorter on the dovetails. If you will judiciously peen the bottom rails of the bases with a light hammer this action will cause the bases to clamp further rearward. This is sometimes necessary due to variations in the dimensions of the bases (I doubt there is any measurable variation in the Sako receiver dovetails, although being the result of human endeavor it is certainly possible). The peening will permanently reduce the inside dimensions of the bases, so do the peening carefully and try the fit on the gun regularly as you proceed in order not to peen them too much. Important note: Some Redfield and Burris bases come with a set screw. Do not rely on this screw for any purpose. Some people attempt to place the bases further rearward by using this set screw to hold them in postition. It won't do it. All it will do is scar the top of the dovetail. The Burris/Redfield bases depend entirely in the powerful wedging action of the tapered dovetail to keep them tight (and make them tighter with the recoil of each shot fired. If you use Burris/Redfield bases equipped with set screws, take the screws out and toss them in your bone pile. They have no business on a Sako. (The manufacturers finally realized this and started making the bases without set screws after answering so many complaints about their bases not staying in place.)
 
Sakoseeker
I too went on such a quest, though my problem was misalignment of rear dovetail to action centerline.
The Finnbear A III Dlx 300 Win mag I purchased came w/ medium leupold ringmounts, @ height from dovetail to bottom of tube of .360", allowing approx. .100" clearance from objective bell to barrel, but the rear ring had approx. 1/8" offset in 3", and the front was to far forward on the dovetail to get my suitable eye relief.
I opted for ATK (weaver/redfield) bases of current production without set screws, p.n. 48962/47349 respectively (burris still shows setscrews in their similar bases, as Stonecreek mentions) . Their height from dovetail top to mt'g surface is .290", and for my scope B 3x9/40, obj bell O.D. of 1.790" (46 mm), mounted in L super low's @ .050" mt'g surface to bottom of tube, gives me .060" clearance to barrel, and with windage screws, can compensate for misalignment. The new production windage base uses a #10-32 screw, and is more robust than the vintage redfield bases w/ 8-32 screws.
M USA ring height comparison chart is a good source to compare, having some reference dimensions to start with, and I looked for your mentioned scope, listed there as having a 48mm O.D. bell, would in all probability require low height rings of .150", depending on barrel contour and fore/aft positioning for eye relief.
These bases are not reversible, though the ring dovetail hole in the front base is toward the rear (narrow)portion of the dovetail, which puts the ring approx. over the locking lugs in the receiver. I'm trying to upload some photos to illustrate, dont know if it'll work. Good luck, cowmech
 
Here's pics of my A III w/ L579 22-250, and the vintage Redfield bases I searched out for it, so as not to use an extension ring on the front...It came w/ the front ring mounted @ the turret piece, on the bases now on the A III. These old bases are .190" thick so I had to go to high rings @ .400" (base to tube) cowmech

Admin's, hope I did this correctly?, If not apologies in advance.
 

Attachments

  • [SakoCollectors.com] Mount Recommendations for L61R with Undersized Front Dovetail? Swaro 3-10x42 1" Scope...
    sakos%2C%20water%20box%2077%20N55%20010.webp
    8.8 KB · Views: 23
  • [SakoCollectors.com] Mount Recommendations for L61R with Undersized Front Dovetail? Swaro 3-10x42 1" Scope...
    sakos%2C%20water%20box%2077%20N55%20001.webp
    9.7 KB · Views: 20
Thanks for the info. I have some vintage medium Sako rings and some current Optilock's w/xtra low rings inbound to test fit right now. If I am lucky, alignment will be okay which negates the need for windage control and opens up a few more mounting options.
If the Sako rings/mounts don't work out, the Millet Angel Loc's look like a good option (esp if they have a recoil lug of some kind). The Redfields appear to be wedge fit like the Conetrol's so I am afraid they will be too far forward on my undersized front dovetail unless there is some type of screw tensioner to keep them fixed.
Appreciate the help!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top