Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Lightfoot's new split ring for the old Stith Mount

I had it installed with the slot or dovetail facing forward and it still jumped out. That could have just been my bad luck but after that I found out that that base ring combo was used with a front base that fixed to the receiver ring. The front base used one of the Stith dovetail mount rings. I have a picture of it in a book I can dig out.

Mike, your set-up with the Winchester 70 front looks like it sets noticeably higher than Rod's using your rear ring. Would that M70 front work with his rear set-up? I have wondered if the locking ring that was used on M70 fronts for the mounts that I think were made to be easily removed & remounted could be used to make sure the front mount was stabilized, but with Rod's set-up it does not look like there would be room above the front of the receiver, on the one you pictured it does.



From the looks of these I think it would be possible to over tighten and dent the scope. This also shows one of the auxiliary peep sights that could be used with these.

The slot should open to the rear.

Thanks. This makes a good point. Does the scope angle upward with the M70 tube and dovetail block?

You guys are the masters at confusion. You've totally lost me in your train of thought. Stith mount, Savage 99? How much simpler can it get. Today we have a myriad of scope mounting options. Back in the day, not only did they have fewer options, scopes were scorned in lieu of open iron sights. The average hunter had one gun and he made a tool out of it. They couldn't give a rat's a s s about modifying a gun to "make it work" for them.

So let's get back to the Stith. Luckily I traded a mod 55 Winchester. No not the lever,,,,,,,,,,,,the one they called the single shot automatic, for a Stith that was on a 99. It was the only Stith I had and I wanted others. I copied that one, I drew up some prints of all the parts and commenced to duplicate every one. In doing so, I learned the design intent behind the mount and in order to hold zero, EVERYTHING must be snugged up. That means the scope must be against the ledge in the front tube AND your eye relief must be correct. Lyman and Weaver and the Norman Ford scopes seem to fit well. But now try to mount in a Leupold or Redfield, as well as others and you run into length issues. That scope MUST fit in the front tube against that ledge or the whole assembly will shift around.

I solved this by inserting a plastic shim between scope and ledge. I made shim of .200",.300", .400" and .500". I have yet to have any problems mounting any straight tube (which I prefer in the first place) in any of my Stiths.

The setup with the V4.5 shot OK so I guess there is enough leeway in the elevation adjustment to make it work.

I agree it looks higher, but it works.

Well, as they say. "The proof is in the pudding." Thanks again.

Your solution was basically what I had envisioned. I guess all great minds think alike!