Another option for Unertl M40A1 clone mount coming soon

Posted in August. Still vaporware?

RedBull6 said:

Posted in August. Still vaporware?

Click to expand...

At my work we work routinely with a company who makes cast metal parts. I have an original USMC Unertl mount and even have drawings of the original mount I found in the National Archives. I talked to them and show them the drawing and they said they could build the model off the original specs and then also use mine as a representative piece. They think they could make a cast version of this mount.

The only thing I'm not sure if it would go over well being cast from a mold? What do you guys think? Is it worth exploring?

cplnorton: aluminum or steel? would the lower rings be cast one piece with the base? strength of castings can be tricky. If designed as a rough casting requiring final machining, some radi may be difficult to achieve the crisp lines of seperate parts assembled. The idea of casting is a good one.....having the original drawings and an "as built" example is a good place to start. BTW: do the original drawings have the manufacturing detail or only the parts detail?

It would be cast steel. When I was talking to them about this they would cast the base with the lower rings all as one piece. They could do a cast of the upper rings, but I know those seem to be more complicated. I even wondered if you could just use existing vintage Redfield ring caps. I think they are basically the same, and I have orignals of both I could double check to make sure they would work. I know I see those rings at gunshows for cheap. But if you could reuse the redfield ring caps that would save on some of the more complicated machining.

The drawings I have are a machinist set of drawings with the measurements and cuts on how to make one. When I showed them to the rep and he thought they could build a really accurate mold with the measurements. Especially with an original in person to double check.

I just didn't know how a cast one would be received. I'm sure the end user will have to do some work to it. Even the originals had to be hand fit, and I imagine any that will be made will require work. But from what little they said the price point on this would probably be far more reasonable than anything I have seen so far.

I will see if I can find out more.