Botched M44 Scope mount job

[11b]

Hey guys just a quick question, a while back i came home from r&r from afghanistan. While home i got a russian m44 and had a gunsmith drill it for an ati scope mount. 2nd time at the range the mount came right off. it looks like the front screw hole either not deep enough or stripped. i have since taken it off but i would like to know if its possible to fill the holes in my receiver? i really didnt want to have an ati scope mount but the gunsmith assured me he had installed several before.

[6mmintl]

If in bay area I can look at it for you and redrill and tap deeper, there is no reason why a properly D & T mount should move or come off unless receiver is heavily polished/out of shape. in which case he should have bedded it also.

[11b]

yeah it just seems like the front screw keeps spinning. at this point i would rather just have the holes filled if i could and put a jmeck mount on it.

[phrogg111]

Was the gunsmith licensed?

Because they're supposed to take care of their own mistakes.

[11b]

yeah they ran a gun store (i just dont want say which one) i was only home for two weeks before going back to afganistan and by the time i get back to sacramento it will be like a year and 1/2 since it happened .

[gunboat]

Well then notify him of the problem by phone, letter, or email -- Explain the problem and your circumstances. Let him know you expect the job to be made right when you return --
If he is not co-operative just mention his name here --

[SJgunguy24]

You could fill the hole by welding but what would that do to the integrity of the receiver?
You could always try a heli coil and see if that will help.

[11b]

Yeah i might give it a shot, kinda of feel like its more my fault because i didnt contact him when it happened but being stationed in germany and then being home from deployment being in the states for two weeks is like being in disney land, been here three years next month.. think i have been back twice

[kcstott]

The problem is those POS ATI mounts use the incorrect screws. They didn't bother to use actual gun screws of a very fine pitch. They use plain old cap screws i believe in the 6-32 or 8-32 variety. The course thread screw don't resist loosing due to vibration and shock like a ultra fine thread can.

I had a guy show up in my shop with one of those kits and I threw the screws in the trash and used screws out of my supply. 8-40 and set the screws properly. I believe i had to recounter bore the holes among other things. My pride in craftsmanship will not let me send a rifle out like that.
He has yet to call back and complain that his stuff fell off.

These companies that build these dirt cheep kits are only out to make a buck. It would not have taken much to use the proper screws. They supplied a tap in the kit too so I really don't know what the problem is. Supply the right tools and materials for the job and your product won't get labeled as junk

[Manolito]

KCSTOTT would an alternative be to clean up the threads and install a filler flush mount screw that come in most new guns before mounting a scope?

[kcstott]

Yeah I skimmed over the part of him not wanting the mount on there.

Brownell's sells positive stop filler screws but I doubt the holes are tapped correctly.



The scope base should not have fallen off.

The hole should be re taped to a correct size and proper filler screws used.

Yeah look a the bright side if this knucklehead had done the work on a Mauser he would have most likely drilled in to the recoil lug seat and screw up the rifle forever.

On a Mosin this is impossible to do.

[wash]

If you just want the holes filled and it's a beater rifle, get some slightly long set screws, bottom them in the threads and cut/file off the excess.

A little locktite might be a good idea if you want this permanent.

If one of your holes is stripped out, maybe try to find a metric thread that can grip whatever is left. If that doesn't work, you need to drill and tap it the next size up and then set screw it.

Rather than spend more money on a fix, you might look for another Mosin and sell the one you've got.

[TheYellowDart]

I have the ATI scope mount and had the same problem. It's the screws, they're junk.

You can fix it yourself for $5 (or less) or patch it and get the J-mec mount for another $80. If it were me I'd just fix it. IMHO putting the J-mec on there is investing too much money into a cheapie rifle, especially since you've already paid for the ATI mount and the gunsmithing labor.

The holes are already drilled and centered. just re-tap it with the next size up. You can buy a tap set from Lowes for $5 and screw's for 10 cents. That's what I did, and mine is solid.

Few notes;
1. The next size screw was just a tad larger in diameter than the holes in the mount. I drilled out one of the holes on the mount before I realized that I could just tap the mount in addition to the receiver. Anyhow, now my screws thread into my mount AND the receiver... more threading = more surface area = more friction = less backing out. (At least that's my theory, seems to make sense right?)

2. The head on the screws I picked up from Lowes had a larger diameter than the original screws and didn't fit. I saw online that someone just drilled out a larger hole in the mount to accommodate the larger screws, but I though why f-up a $30 mount when I can just modify the 10 cent screws? So I just filed down the outer diameter of the screw heads until they fit into the mount. In fact the results look fairly professional
(I chucked the screw into a hand drill and spun it against a bastard file until it was the correct diameter. To protect the threads I chucked a hex nut in the drill and then screwed the screw into the washer, tightened it up with a lock nut and my mini lathe was g2g.)

3. Use loctite and it might be worthing thinking about bedding the mount to the receiver. The mount was built to fit a large variety of Mosins and subsequently has a decent amount of space in there. Some JB weld will fix it right up.


If you're in the Irvine area I'd be glad to help out. I've got the tap and screws etc.

[cantcme]

Brass stacker mount. Check it out.

[kcstott]

I have the ATI scope mount and had the same problem. It's the screws, they're junk.

You can fix it yourself for $5 (or less) or patch it and get the J-mec mount for another $80. If it were me I'd just fix it. IMHO putting the J-mec on there is investing too much money into a cheapie rifle, especially since you've already paid for the ATI mount and the gunsmithing labor.

The holes are already drilled and centered. just re-tap it with the next size up. You can buy a tap set from Lowes for $5 and screw's for 10 cents. That's what I did, and mine is solid.

Few notes;
1. The next size screw was just a tad larger in diameter than the holes in the mount. I drilled out one of the holes on the mount before I realized that I could just tap the mount in addition to the receiver. Anyhow, now my screws thread into my mount AND the receiver... more threading = more surface area = more friction = less backing out. (At least that's my theory, seems to make sense right?)

2. The head on the screws I picked up from Lowes had a larger diameter than the original screws and didn't fit. I saw online that someone just drilled out a larger hole in the mount to accommodate the larger screws, but I though why f-up a $30 mount when I can just modify the 10 cent screws? So I just filed down the outer diameter of the screw heads until they fit into the mount. In fact the results look fairly professional
(I chucked the screw into a hand drill and spun it against a bastard file until it was the correct diameter. To protect the threads I chucked a hex nut in the drill and then screwed the screw into the washer, tightened it up with a lock nut and my mini lathe was g2g.)

3. Use loctite and it might be worthing thinking about bedding the mount to the receiver. The mount was built to fit a large variety of Mosins and subsequently has a decent amount of space in there. Some JB weld will fix it right up.


If you're in the Irvine area I'd be glad to help out. I've got the tap and screws etc.

Good points on a cheep rifle. But you should not need loctite at all.

Like i said get the proper fine pitch screws and set them if you don't know what that means it's a simple operation of using a pin punch and lightly tapping the screw then tighten it some more. It insures as near 100% engagement as possible. I do this on ever scope base I mount and I can get half to one full turn after it feels tight. Buy a tap from Brownell's they are cheep like $6 and get a pack of screws from them as well Like $4 a dozen.

Even on these POS Mosin which should all be ground up to make US made FAL trigger parts, springs for AK's or bolts to hold toilets down. I still believe in doing the job right. And doing right does not require a huge investment of tools.
A pack of screws and a tap.

And for all of you out there thinking I'm a Mosin Hater well lets put it like this the glock should be recycled into Mosin barrels. So what does that tell you?