Help with B&L scope mount question, please

[airedaleman]

Recently picked up a nice old (1970 mfg) Savage Model 110C in 25-06. It came with a Balvar5 scope in a one piece B&L mount. First time in the 60-odd years I've been messing with firearms that I've encountered the B&L mount. Am I correct in assuming that one loosens what appears to be set screws on the right side of the mount, makes whatever adjustments are needed, and then makes up the set screws?

[Pete44ru]

It came with a Balvar5 scope in a one piece B&L mount.
First time in the 60-odd years I've been messing with firearms that I've encountered the B&L mount.
Am I correct in assuming that one loosens what appears to be set screws on the right side of the mount, makes whatever adjustments are needed, and then makes up the set screws ?

The B&L scope & mount I had (40 years ago) was adjusted by turning whichever screw - IIRC, the front mount carries the elevation adjustment, and the rear was for windage.

The "screw" portion that's directly under the rear of the scope tube has tapered conical contours which shift the scope tube side-to-side as the screwhead is turned.

The "screw" portion that's directly under the front of the scope tube is an elliptical cam, which raises/lowers the scope tube.

My ringset had a spring-loaded plunger that beared against the base to both support the scope if it was jarred or under recoil - or QD'd via grasping the scope & pushing it to collapse the plunger & lift the scope off the rifle.

The mount's best feature is that any number of bases cound be obtained for whatever other rifle(s), and the same scope just moved from one rifle to another w/o losing zero, since the zero adjustments stayed with each rifle's bases.

If you have the B&L Trophy Mount, however, it's a simple clamp-on, similar to Millett rings.

Here's the skinny on both the mount, and the specs of your Balvar-5 variable scope:

http://www.hegibbs.com/scopes.htm


.

[airedaleman]

Thanks, Pete. I've already looked at Gibbs' website. Kind of surprised at their prices for Balvar5's. (According to the range in price, the scope accounted for 2/3rds to 3/4's of what I paid for the gun!)

My gun's got the better mount with the plunger actuated QD feature. The whole rig is something new to fool with; have had it out once and managed several 3-shot 100 yard
groups under an inch with starting loads of IMR 4831 and 100 grain bullets.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Yes, the set (locking screws) are on opposite sises from the adjusting screws that have graduation marks on them. Loosen the set /lock screws,make the adjustment and lock that setting with the set/locking screw.
I have a friend who collects the old B&L scopes and has several coffee cans full of various mounting systems for them. I have mounted (drilled and tapped) several weird old rifles to accept them for him.

[airedaleman]

Thanks, Chuck. B&L products were out of my price range 50-odd years ago. (B&L full page ad on page 2 of the February 1952 shows the Balvar4 at $80! Mounts were another $25. That was serious money back then...