Aftermarket accessories for scope mounts that are Picatinny compatible...

[Gunnut17]

...That would neither lower value of or irreparably damage the wood furniture on historical milsurp rifles like the SMLE, Krag Carbine, Mausers and Mosin-Nagants from until the invention of the STG-44 and the AK-47 in the last years of WWII ending and leaving its mark on human history?

I've said it here and will say it again, a dream for me is a historically significant Lee-Enfield rifle of my own in the future, when antique firearms are fiscally responsible of me to invest in (I'm 18 as of this week.) in the future, if I can find a way to mount optics and such on it.

And, honestly, there are few pre-AK aftermarket parts I can think of that don't require a gun have factory or aftermarket work done to make it picatinny rail compatible as the first AK's and AKM's were by way of left-side mounted picatinny rail receiver covers that kept the charging handles easy to access while making disassembly or jam clearing in the field harder, nigh impossible, under stress, or, at the case may be, threat of death or injury to gunfire.

So, in short, anyone know of non-permanent ways to tap a rifle as historically significant and potentially value as a milsurp or "antique" bolt rifle circa WWI and WWII?

 

[dakota.potts]

Your options vary wildly depending on the type of gun you're talking about.

If you have to drill and tap any historical firearm, you will likely ruin any collector status associated with it.

Mounts which are not somehow affixed to the gun (drill and tap, rear sight base replacement etc.) tend to have an issue of wandering zero because they're not held in place by firm, semi-permanent methods.

So it really depends on picking a gun and looking at the options. My advice is just to learn to shoot them with iron sights. There are plenty of inexpensive modern rifles if you want to adapt one to using a scope.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...I'm 18 as of this week..." Happy birthday. I sort of remember being 18. snicker.
No bolt action rifle circa W.W. I or II is considered to be an antique. Antiques are from 1898 or before. (Your side of the border has something called a Curio and Relics FFL. Look into that. The guys on that forum will help you. North Corral, two forms above this one.)
Most W.W. I/II vintage battle rifles were not designed to take a scope other than the 'sniper' variants(and if you think the standard battle rifles are pricey, look out.). A 1903A4 Springfield, for example, runs around $3500 and up for a real one. Even the fakes are pricey though. Better you buy a fake than wreck a collector piece by scoping it.
Most of the aftermarket "No gunsmithing" scope mounts don't work well and usually, but not always require removing the rear sight. At least on any Lee-Enfield(Only the No. I Mk whatever is an SMLE too.) they do.
Scoping an AK is a gigantic waste of money. They were never made for any kind of accuracy. And scoping does not increase the thing's accuracy A scope only allows you to see the target better. If the rifle doesn't shoot well with iron sights, a scope will not help.
And like Dakota says, scoping a collector piece will drop its value by at least half.
Go to the CMP's site(thecmp.org) too. They run matches and sell safe rifles for less than retail. I think there are loaner M1 Rifles. Go to some matches. Most shooters will bend over backwards to help a new guy. Suggest you do not mention scoping anything though.