doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Q's Re: Lyman 48 sights and G&H side mounts

Having had a variety of gunsmithing operations carried out by Griffin & Howe, I have never doubted that the money was well spent.

Several years ago, I treated a sporterized military Mauser with no market value, but great sentimental value as when I purchased it as a grad student in the mid 1960's it was the best I could afford, to a G&H rust blue. It was treated as if it were a British best. The guard screws, for example, were fitted with custom made shims so that their slots were perfectly aligned with the center line of the bore when tightened. Given this type of attention to detail, Griffin & Howe prices are extremely reasonable.

The Griffin & Howe side mount is a classic in and of itself. Combined with a removable Lyman 48 or similar receiver sight, it's about as good as it gets. Even better if the Lyman 48 is stored in a steel trap butt plate.

G&H doesn't fit too many mounts these days but they still have the jigs from decades ago and they do it right. They machine and polish over the screws and pins and reblue the entire receiver and mount base to match. It isn't worth doing to a Savage 110 that is already d&t for a top mount. But if you are attaching a scope to a valuable rifle and want to do it in classic style, do it at G&H. I am in NYC so it is convenient for me to drive to them in NJ and for years I have had any work on a G&H rifle, even the most trifling, done there.

PhysDoc,

I appreciate the sentiment. Neither I nor any non-professional I know has access to the machines needed. Nor do I have any ability to do the work at the standard I would be looking for. My gunsmithing ability is limited to mounting a few scopes and tightening loose screws.

Thanks for the thoughts.


- stu

stu,
If I needed the G&H mount I would buy it directly from USA but would have it installed locally -see my location- by my Ferlach trained gunsmith. (Main reason is shipping a rifle from Europe to USA and back is complicated and quite costly). Recently he made me claw mounts for a prewar Merkel for $600 - less than 1/2 of what Frankonia charges. I can recommend him highly and comparing to NJ he is almost your neighbour.
With kind regards,
Jani

monetegrin

I thank you for your input. My metalwork is being done in the States on this project, so that being said G&H will probably get the nod if I decide the side mount is what I want.

However I have other projects here where I definitely would like another gunsmith option. If you care to post his contact details or email them to me I'd be very appreciative.

cheers,
- stu
spinfish@gmail.com

This my Savage 99RS from 1941. I suspect the mount was done at G&H since the heads are machined over and almost invisible. Wears a 26mm Kollmorgan 2.75X and a Redfield 80 that is under the buttplate for storage. I have heard of two others that had G&H mounts and both of those had the side panels stippled too, wonder if it was something G&H added because Savage didn't do it at the factory.

Definitely a G&H scope installation. I like the extra low position of the Bear Cub. IMO looks would be improved if G&H cut lower line of base to parallel bottom line of receiver. If, which is doubtful, I ever have a new G&H setup on a 99 I will have them do it that way.

I agree Mark, every time I look at the gun I think I'm going to be shooting high!

The mount is so low I couldn't fit a Kollmorgan 4X in there.

stu,
You are welcome.
My Ferlach-trained gunsmith is:
Robert Kumin
Vrbno 4a
3230 Sentjur
Slovenia
(0)51-615-092.
As Robert was going to school in Ferlach for 3 or 4 years, and worked in Carl Walther factory in Ulm for a few years, he is fluent in German.
With kind regards,
Jani

I bought a Lyman 48 WJS sight to see how it would go and had it sent to the gunsmith. Yesterday he kindly sent me the following pictures and this comment.


“The sight will work out pretty good with minimal modification. The only thing that needs to be changed is the thickness of the knurled release knob to clear the bolt handle…piece of cake.

This picture shows the area I will cut down. In this photo the lock knob is not screwed down solid and locked yet. When it is locked down in the ready-to-use position there is only about .030” interference.”








It looks like I may have a workable solution for now. The action came from the factory drilled and tapped for normal scope mounts. I will probably have a single square bridge welded to the rear and the Lyman mount base contoured to mate it. The front receiver ring holes will be filled with plugs and the receiver ring stippled to hide the work. AR has photos of a Dakota action Duane Wiebe did this way and the plugs are invisible.

I'm still exploring options at present but it looks like I'm getting close to a decision.


cheers,
- stu