Scope question

[gcp]

Guys, I am new to the Mark II world so I’m still eagerly reading your posts and learning. So far I’ve only installed the Volquartsen sear and the results of this simple change are next to amazing, thank you for your suggestion!

Now I am toying with the idea of installing a red dot type scope. My Mark II is a SS 5 & ½ bull barrel but it’s not drilled and would also like to be able to use the stock sights without having to remove the scope so, which Weaver rail do you recommend me purchasing?

I found a great deal ($20 new) on a BSA Red Dot Sight 50mm Tube 1x 5 MOA. Is it worth purchasing or would you recommend an alternative? Never used a red dot so I am totally ignorant on the subject….and probably wouldn’t use one but my 50 year old eyes are getting tired and unreliable. BTW my pistol shooting range is 10 yards to 65 yards.

Thanks,
gcp

[gcp]

Actually guys I made a mistake above, the BSA red dot scope is a 30mm not 50mm. Anyway, I bought it today along with some Kroil (great stuff) from Midway but I held back on the mount. I'd like to study what comes with the scope and then possibly make my own to accommodate my see-through needs.

boomer47 and bullsey any helpful suggestions?

BTW what's the difference between a Field of View at 100 Yards of 88 feet vs 68 feet?

Thanks,
gcp

[Bullseye]

Well you'll like the BSA RD-30 for a first red dot scope. It's inexpensive and does the job rather nicely for target aiming.

You are kind of wanting the best of both worlds with having a scope mounted and being able to see-through the mount for manual aiming, not many pistol mounts can accomplish that task. Your BSA can fit on any weaver style mount and has the rings/attachment points built in to the scope. I have seen a couple of people make "see-through" mounting ring risers, but the downrange field of view is so restricted that if you aren't already aiming at the object, finding it is difficult through the peep-hole and iron sights.

Since your gun isn't already drilled and tapped for a scope mount that is one thing that you'll want done to your pistol. The good news is this is not a very expensive procedure from a reputable gunsmith. $10 - $15 Per hole is about standard for this job, depending on your location. You don't want someone who's not experienced doing this job because a sight that is not mounted correctly, or unlevel, is extremely distracting.

Rimfire Sports and Custom has Ruger mounts for under $20 and free shipping too. http://www.rimfiresports.com/merchant.m ... y_Code=VC2

The good thing about this mount is it can be used mounted on the receiver with the iron sights. Here's a picture of one on a Ruger.


This B-Square mount can be used with the scope and Mark II sights, also doesn't require gunsmithing to fit, but it can mar the finish on your pistol when installed. Another down side is the price $44, but when you consider the cost of drilling and tapping the receiver, isn't really all that bad.


Having a field of view at 68' instead of 88' at 100 yards isn't really all that noticable of a difference. If one is aiming at a target and not attempting to aquire one from a background the wider FOV can be distracting. You didn't say what kind of shooting you're intrested in doing with your Mark II so it is difficult to make too many recommendations for different sighting systems.

Hope these suggestions help.

R,
Bullseye

[gcp]

Bullseye, I thank you for your valuable information. The shooting I do, for the most part, is on my property. I've set up a couple of ranges (paper targets); the first is 25 yards and the second is 65 yards away. So, mine is simple paper target shooting to keep my pistol skills somewhat functional See, at this stage of my life I don't have the time nor do I have the eyes to compete so, I've resigned to enjoying my shooting all on my own. No complains mind you because it's wonderful to have the facility to shoot any time I like....if only the property didn't require so much work

What are worth while red dot scopes BTW?

Thanks again,
gcp

[gcp]

Guys, I have one more question, is the Volquartsen Ruger Mark II V-Comp worth installing?

Thanks,
gcp

[Bullseye]

I don't see a compensator on a .22 as a useful addition. It may add to the "cool looking" factor but doesn't have much effect on dampening recoil. The compensator adds some weight on the outer edge of the barrel and that extra weight adds to the preception of less felt recoil or muzzle flip, but in actutality has little impact. They are also a real pain to clean. There's a discussion on this topic already at http://www.guntalk-online.com/forum/vie ... ?p=144#144

Hope this helps.

R,
Bullseye

[Bullseye]

What are worth while red dot scopes BTW?

The answer to that question can vary as much as the infamous, "Which is the best gun ever produced?" Tastes vary on red dot sights. I have several and they all have some aspects that are better than others. Mostly the diference is cost. Sure, there are some that claim to have better dot concentricity, and probably do, but at pistol ranges that's of little consequence to target shooting. Since you're shooting informally in the back yard at a stationary target, You've got a fine scope for plinking into a target. I have one of those myself. The BSA RD-30 works just fine for plinking. It is inexpensive and does the job.

As a shooter's eyes mature, focusing on near objects becomes more difficult as the lens hardens and ages inside the eye. I just recently added bi-focals to my optical equipment. My optometrist was marveling how I could have gone so long without them, I'm 50 now. He attibuted this to my intense ability to manually focus my eyes, but I knew that shooting was the real source of being able to focus my eyes in close.

The red dot levels the playing field for those of us who have the desire to compete but not the ocular ability. You won't see very many people now days on the competitive shooting line with iron sights alone on their Bullseye pistols.

Shooting the dot takes patience. That little red ruby bugger will wiggle all over the place, and the harder one tries to steady it, the more it jumps about. Just relax, settle down, and that little ball will stop and sit like a hungry dog waiting for a treat. I found that out one day, long ago, as I fiercely tried to learn to shoot the dot. I finally said, "screw this," and the dot just froze on the target. That revelation led to my mastering the use of the red dot scope.

Look at the target, this is the opposite of what you do with iron sights. Relax while aiming, when the dot settles, break the shot. Where ever that dot was just prior to it jumping in recoil, is exactly where the shot hole will be in the target. Your mind will freeze that image the instant the dot jumps, and it makes calling the shot placement much easier.

The dot is also a useful trigger control training tool, because it can tell if your jerking the trigger by the direction it travels after the shot has broken. It can also help you realize how your hold is steadying over time. The narrower the arc of movement, the steadier your hold is getting and the smaller your shot groups will be.

Practice using the dot, and you too will grow fond of that little red ball.

Hope this helps.

R,
Bullseye

[gcp]

Fantastic info, thank you very much bullseye!

BTW if you told me “screw this” I’d freeze also...in anticipation

[gcp]

My scope is here and so far I like it but I am still waiting on the scope rail. Should have it all concluded for next weekend's shoot.

My shooting eye, the right, makes the dot appear very jaggedy but switching my stance to the left eye will probably work much better for me since the dot is much crisper and the left believe it or not is still 20/20.

I’ll report back….

[Bullseye]

My shooting eye, the right, makes the dot appear very jaggedy but switching my stance to the left eye will probably work much better for me since the dot is much crisper and the left believe it or not is still 20/20.

I’ll report back….

But which is your dominant eye? Many right-handed people will have the right eye dominant but almost 30% of them think they're right eye dominant and are actually left eye dominant. You want to use your dominant eye for aiming, errors or headaches can result if attempting to use the non-dominant eye for long periods of time.

You can see which of your eyes are dominant by doing this little test. Focus out at a distance at a definite object. Make it small, like a mail box or something similar in size. Look out with both eyes open at the object. Place your hands extended out in front of you, palms outward, and cross your thumbs to create a little viewing tunnel. You should see the object clearly. Make the viewing tunnel just big enough to see the object and little else with both eyes open. Without moving your hands, alternately close one eye and then the other, the eye that you can still see the object is your dominant eye. Also, with both eyes open, retract your palms back towards your face without losing sight of the image, until they reach your doninant eye. You've found it! Is it the one you thought it was?

If your dominant eye is the one that has trouble focusing, then perhaps it's time to go back to the optometrist. You can have 20/20 vision and still see distortion with an eye condition called an astigmatism. This is a misshaping of the cornea and it causes distorted vision in different regions of the field of view. The good news is, this is fully correctable by a skilled optometrist.

Hope this helps.

R,
Bullseye

[gcp]

Bulleye, I found out yesterday that my gunsmith will not be able to tackle drilling/tapping my SS MK II till August (due to ongoing projects). Of course I am not willing to wait that long so I've taken the gun apart and studied how I can do this project myself. I used a portable vice to align the receiver onto it and using the front and rear sights I drew with a magic marker a pretty straight line from front to back. I have a drill press at home that I can clamp this fixture onto but a) what type drill bit should I purchase, b) how deep do I go, c) how do I guaranty that my tapping will be straight without a guide?

Any and all words of experience will be greatly appreciated! BTW I am still waiting on the scope mount to get here, said they mailed it yesterday.

[toyfj40]

a) what type drill bit should I purchase,
b) how deep do I go,
c) how do I guaranty that my tapping will be straight without a guide?

I've given it some thought... but decided the Weigand-Rail-Mount
is a pretty good deal...

mounting-holes must be perfectly aligned with the Bore-hole,
not the outside-surface of the barrel, to in-turn, allow a
scope to be aligned with the bullet-path.

Practice about a 100-times on scrap-pipe, until you've made
each mistake 4-5 times and know how to avoid each of them.

two or three GunSmithing books may help, too.

many smiths will use a fresh/new Drill&Tap for EACH hole
#32 drill and 6x48 tap -or- #28 drill and 8x40 ($7-8/set)
then you need a screw-assortment, for various depth/length screws.
MidWayUSA: #239476, 352438, 532668, 450063

(B-Square makes one, too. MidWay:149632)
Forster makes a jig to hold/align barrels:
http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/mount_fixture.htm

-or-
A quality-Drill-Press with a smooth-running Quill-bearing
and an adequate Cross-Vise with barrel-clamps

B-Square has a "True Tapper" to use in a Drill-Press:
http://secure.armorholdings.com/b-squar ... ialty.html

good luck.

[gcp]

Guys, I received the scope mount today but I made a cosmetic mistake in my selection. I ordered the matte silver and really don't like the way it looks on the SS bull barrel. So, I'll send it back and wait for the black to arrive.

In the mean time, has anyone used epoxy to fix the mount onto the pistol? Just an alternative rather than having to drill….

[toyfj40]

has anyone used epoxy…

I hope I didn't scare you away from a learning process...
It's just not something you learn to do the first time.

My dad taught me to use his OxyAcetylene cutting torch to cut plate steel,
eventually, I could make a fairly long cut by turning OFF the Acetylene
and just using the Oxygen-flow... a bit tricky, just takes some practice.
He told me how to weld a fuel-tank without removing the fuel,
as they had to do on some fighters during WW-II, to get them back
in the air for that nights missions...
He wouldn't let me try it on his pick-up, though...

A smart man learns from his mistakes.
A wise man learns from other people's mistakes.

[gcp]

No you did not scare me off, I am simply investigating alternate solutions that may prove less intrusive to my pistol

Thanks for all your help!