mounts and rings for a Sabatti double?

[matt85]

my Sabatti appears to be drilled and tapped so i just need to find a suitable mount and some light weight rings. id like to run a low power scope on the rifle to assist with less then ideal situations. the rifle is chambered in 450-400 NE 3". my thoughts for a scope are something like a 1-4x or a 1.5-5x perhaps even something with a red dot like leupolds VX-R series.

i don't know anything about putting a scope on a double rifle. the little bit i do know is you should keep everything as light as possible so as not to mess with regulation.

can you please recommend a setup for my rifle?

thank you
-Matt

 

[Red Leg]

I don't do as well with open sights as I once did (whole age thing blows). An option for the 450, which is considered a fairly close range round, is either an Aimpoint Red Dot or Trijicon Reflex. Both can be had with different MOA dots, are accurate out to 150 yards depending on the dot, but are really quick inside 100. Both are small and very light weight. I use the aimpoint on my 500/416 Blaser.

 

[matt85]

an aimpoint isn't a bad idea.

but the original question needs to be answered before I choose a optic. what mount can I use on the rifle? where can I get said mount?

thanks
-matt

 

[Red Leg]

Both aim point and the trijicon reflex don't use "normal" bases. Both have designs which are very adaptive to most ribs.

and these guys sell them http://www.opticsplanet.com/trijicon-rmr-mounts-mounting-base-for-reflex-sights.html. The detachable is the way to go. Not sure about what Sabatti does to drill and tap, but the Trijicon requires a very simple groove in the rib which you can see in Ivan's clip. A competent smith can easily do that.

 

[AkMike]

The Sabatti came with an 11 mm rail IIRC. 11 mm air gun mounts seem to work well for them.

Other than that it's time to drill and mount something else.

 

[matt85]

i like aimpoint micro's, if im able to mount a small rail on top of the rifle it would be easy to put one on. the problem with doing this is it does take away a lot of the classic look of my double.

-matt

 

[AkMike]

IMO function over comes looks.

Besides if you use a QR set of rings it will retain the classic looks.

 

[Velo Dog]

Matt85,

If you must scope your double, then you are making the right decision to avoid larger scope, both for harmonics/regulation/accuracy issues but also because the .400 has enough recoil that; The larger and heavier your scope is, the more it will want to separate itself from your large bore rifle during recoil.

Claw mounts are the best of the best but, they are crazy expensive.

The original/older model Talley brand lever rings and bases are reportedly quite easy for any competent Gunsmith to install atop a solid rib, by drilling and tapping 4 holes into said rib to match the bases' pattern/spacing of holes - that's it.

However, I have heard that some Gunsmith's prefer to drill out said Talley bases, to accept larger diameter screws and help resist recoil.

I have only scoped one double rifle and it worked like a sled dog for me so, I should be more enthusiastic about scoped double rifles.

In fact, with the scope in place, I have made two of the most satisfying shots of my life (but I think I could have made them both with express sights).

It was a Merkel SxS .375 H&H with a Leupold 2.5x "compact" model (fixed power scope) in claw mounts.

That being said, my one negative comment is that the rifle did not handle as well with the scope on it and so today, I would not scope a SxS double rifle.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Red Leg]

I believe the Trijicon Reflex mount only needs a small groove milled into the side of the rib. That means you have no base at all when the sight is removed. My 500/416 has the red dot but it uses the standard Blaser detachable mount which again leaves no base on the rib when removed. Claws are indeed a fabulous traditional way to scope a double. I have them on a drilling, a cape gun, and a couple of 9.3x74R double rifles and they work as advertised. The only person I know who does them is JJ Perodeau http://www.champlinarms.com/Default.aspx?tabid=37 at Champlin Arms. JJ has made rings for a couple that had bases installed before WW II, and the complete set for a couple that never had them. However, they will run about a fourth the cost of that rifle.

 

[matt85]

the claw mounts are just too expensive!

to be honest I don't like holographic type sights, its not that they don't work they are just incredibly ugly! I cant picture my nice looking double with a weird looking TV screen on top of it.

my currently thoughts are to buy a blank pictany or weaver style rail and have it drilled to match the holes already on the rifle. then I can mount an aimpoint micro on the rail. I have used aimpoints before and im a fan, they also don't look too bad either. my only gripe about this plan is putting a rail on a double rifle feels wrong... perhaps if I put a really small piece of rail so you cant see it under the micro...

im still open to ideas.

thanks
-matt

 

[enysse]

Holographic may not be pretty, BUT I THINK THEY ARE HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL.

 

[AkMike]

Holographic may not be pretty, BUT I THINK THEY ARE HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL.

 

[matt85]

i didn't say they didn't function, i just said a aimpoint can do the same thing without being as ugly.

-matt

 

[James.Grage]

http://www.leupold.com/mounting-systems/

http://warnescopemounts.com/

matt

have you checked these

 

[CAustin]

Matt how well is your Sabatti regulated. Just wondering how well it shoots without an additional scope? I almost bought one myself earlier this year!

 

[enysse]

CAustin, Matt returned the gun, he had problems with it.

 

[CAustin]

Oh I didn't realize how old this thread was. Thanks Enysse
The Sabatti I almost bought at Cabelas had the crown of the barrel on one side filed so much that it looked like an egg instead of a round hole. Had I not looked on the internet I would have bought that thing.