1895 Mauser scope mounts

[mapsjanhere]

One of my first purchases in college was a sporterized Chilean 1895 Mauser in 7x57 Mauser. Numbers matching but bolt, so I got a field gauge, headspace is good, shoots great. The gun has spent the last 20 years in the safe until I decided to convert it into a wife's deer rifle. The scope mount was a bit lose from safe wear, so I took the base off. And found this

Holes not in line, one "fixed" by drilling it out to 8x, and the rear mount was shimmed to get it over the rim on the stripper clip slot.
The question, how do you attack such a mess without bringing it to a gun smith? I have decent metal working equipment and can drill and shape my own bases if needed, but I was hoping someone had a bright idea how to get a Leupold one piece or similar on this (the hole pattern seems to match).

 

[Scorch]

Couple of options:
1- Find a screw that fits the bungled hole, solder it in place with Hi-Force 44 solder. Grind flush, drill the hole in the correct location, tap.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=709/Product/HI_FORCE_44_trade__SOLDER

2- Drill and tap for a size 12 screw, red LocTite the screw in place, grind flush, drill and tap the hole in the correct location.

 

[mapsjanhere]

Thanks Scorch, filling the hole is one of the issues, my biggest so is finding a base that fits. There are bases for the 96 "unaltered" model that seem to have a cut-out to fit over the clip slot rim, but I haven't seen any for the 95. I might just risk the $25 and order a set and see how it fits.

 

[Scorch]

The 96 base should work, the front ring is the same size and the action is the same length.

 

[James K]

How did the old mount fit? Why was it loose?

Are there good threads in all the holes? If so, either use the old front base or alter a new mount as necessary to fit. You can get a rear base that will not require grinding off the clip guide, but removing it is an option.

There are all kinds of possibilities and I am sure many will be posted, but IMHO trying to fill the holes either with screws or with weld and then redrill could result in more of a mess than you have now.

Jim

 

[mapsjanhere]

I think I can save the threads, but the old base was mounted wrong. It was shimmed with lead strips, which is why it worked itself lose. I ordered the 96 base and will see how it fits, maybe I can get away with a slightly off-center front base if I ream the rings.