Rifle Scopes Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

[longshotbml]

So here's the story. I've got a Maunz match M1A. Maunz built match guns in the 80's trying to be LRB before LRB got started. Anyway the gun is a hammer and I shot across the course for many years. Now my service gun is an AR and the M1A was collecting dust. I found a used McMIllan A-5 and thought to give new life to the warrior. To mount the optics I bought a Sadlak Airborne Mount and A.R.M.S. rings. Mounted per specifications using and found that to be on paper at 100 yards I needed maximunm elevation and windage on my Leupold Mark 4 3.5-10. I know the Leupold doesn't have the most adjustment on the market but the scope should not be maxed. So I measured the reciever foun it to be slightly out of spec. and sent the moununt to Sadlak for a custom fit. Got the mount back a couple of days ago and mounted everything up this morning. The impact is the same; max elevation and max left windage to be on. So where do I go from here? Scrap the project? Windage adjustable rings and only shoot at 100? Can custom rings be made? Any ideas?

 

[CS95]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

http://www.sadlak.com/si_scopemount_install.html

This page on there site addresses some areas of concern you may want to look at.

"NOTE: Manufacturers of receivers for civilian use (M1A) do not have to adhere to the government GI blueprint specifications and are not inspected using government gages. This has sometimes resulted in poor out-of-spec. machining of the left side Receiver Groove. The groove could be too deep resulting in a looser fitting scope mount or too shallow resulting in left side key on the mount not being able to be fully seated into the groove causing the mount to not rest flush (slightly cocked) against the receiver's left side. A poorly machined receiver groove may or may not work with the scope mount. It depends on the degree the receiver is out-of-spec. If the groove is slightly undersize, the mount will fit poorly, make it difficult to adjust scope to zero, amy cause loss of zero should the mount be removed, and may cause the mount to loosen more easilt. The Left Side Key on the Sadlak Scope Mount is precision machined to just fit into the smallest groove tolerance on a GI M14 rifle. They are machined this precisely for reliable zeroing and positive mounting when purchased by the US Military."

 

[insight3b]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

I was having great difficulty with 3 different scope mounts for my SA M1A. With Burris signature zee rings I was able to zero at 100 but my internal windage was still nearly maxed.

 

[bunsen27]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Longshotbml</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So I measured the reciever foun it to be slightly out of spec. and sent the moununt to Sadlak for a custom fit.</div></div>

I'd go back to Sadlak. Did you measure using their measuring kit or send the mount and rifle to them?

I've had a Sadlak mount for about a year and although it is "close" to fitting properly to my SA receiver, I was planning on biting the bullet and sending them the mount and rifle to them to get it properly mated and mounted.

 

[Layton]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

I had a Sadlak on an M1A and despite doing everything I was told to do it never did align properly with 3 different scopes. It's a SAI receiver. I found I don't like scoped M1As anyway so I gave up and sold it. They are great mounts though.

L

 

[longshotbml]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bunsen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Did you measure using their measuring kit or send the mount and rifle to them? </div></div>

Yep! Sadlak customer service really is awesome and I talked with the guys several times. They are familiar with my rifle builder and even mentioned running in to him at Camp Perry this year. They didn't seem to think this would be a problem. So, they sent the measure kit and I measured three times to be sure of the fit. I sent them the mount, my measurement spec sheet, and the $50 custom fit fee for the machining. Turn around was about a month because they custom mill your mount and refinish it. The mount is now very snug to the reciever and groove. I think the side of the reciever is just not parallel to the bore.

 

[bunsen27]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Longshotbml</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bunsen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Did you measure using their measuring kit or send the mount and rifle to them? </div></div>

Yep! Sadlak customer service really is awesome and I talked with the guys several times. They are familiar with my rifle builder and even mentioned running in to him at Camp Perry this year. They didn't seem to think this would be a problem. So, they sent the measure kit and I measured three times to be sure of the fit. I sent them the mount, my measurement spec sheet, and the $50 custom fit fee for the machining. Turn around was about a month because they custom mill your mount and refinish it. The mount is now very snug to the reciever and groove. I think the side of the reciever is just not parallel to the bore. </div></div>

That is bit of a quandary. I've had good experience with Sadlak CS as well and it sounds like they did their part in the equation. Perhaps go back to your builder or look into Burris Z-rings with the offset inserts to better align the scope and bore?

I banged my head against a wall for well over 6 months with a standard SAI M1A in a JAE G3 stock and a Sadlak mount and never could get things sorted out to my liking. Swapped in a M1A scout and things got much better. M1A's can be a love/hate relationship when mounting a scope. However with irons it's typically a love/love deal, go figure.

 

[Michael]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

May be nothing wrong with the mount other than adjustment. You can adjust up to 30 moa elevation and even more windage into the mount just by the way you secure all adjustment points.
Loosen everything, slide the mount to the rear and you'll see it climb the rear securing point. Tighten that screw slightly. Drift the clip slot wedge to correct windage deflection. Adjust front screw to apply pressure to the receiver, just a little. Secure the set screw on the front. Tighten side main mount bolt. Done.

 

[MPD165]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

I will plug their CS as well. Mike is a good guy. I have the standard mount on my M1A and as I recall when I mounted mine, 6 years ago, you should be able to "drift" the mount at the back where it locks into the clip guide dovetail. I would have to look at it again to make sure. Mine is a Springfield Inc rifle and I had absolutley no problems with alignment. Strangly enough, my reciever was pretty near mil spec.

MPD165

 

[longshotbml]

Re: Scope Mis-alignment on Sadlak M1A mount

I understand what you guys are saying about modifying the mounting. This goes against Sadlak's instructions to be sure the mount is fully in the reciever groove. By modifying the mounting proceedure have you seen any stability problems?