Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Lightfoot Scope Mount

To those of you that own one you know just how special this mount is as it allow us to have the advantages of a scoped rifle without Drilling and Tapping and therefore diminishing the value of our 99s. The workmanship is top notch and the installation can be done by most of us with the detailed instructions that Mr. Watson provides. Thanks Mr. Watson for your assistance and for manufacturing such a great product.

Must add that he does this in addition to providing advice and his expertise on most all aspects of the Savage 99s

As I have said before, at some point I think his mount deserves attention in the history of the 99. Think about it, 50 some odd years from now guys will be coming across Lightfoot's mount and asking the same questions we do today. Where in the heck did this thing come from. It is an important apparatus in the in the book of 99.

But there is a downside. Once you have one then you are searching for another suitable M99 to put another one on. The darn things are so nice that now I have to get another mount and in order to do that I have to buy another rifle. How is that a good thing?

I feel the Lightfoot mount blends with the form of the 99 in a way no other mount does for any other rifle. mine is on a 1951 eg 300 that every one I show my pitiful collection to, heads for first. I totally concur that it should be enshrined in the 99 story.

Lightfoot and his mount will no doubt hold a place in the Savage 99 Hall of Fame

Maybe I can sneak a lightfoot mount in my next book by showing one on an engraved Savage 99K or something.

Another notable Lightfoot gizmo is the split rear ring for Stith mounts which enable one to use modern optics. I have Leupold 1.5x5-20 glass on my 3 99s with Stith mounts. I Did tho make longer front tubes to accommodate the shorter Leupold scopes. Don't have to worry bout scope fogging up when a deer cuts a wet fart within 50 yards anymore.

I’d be interested in reading about how you made the “wet deer fart proof” front tube.

I would like to know how he quantitatively measured the effects of a wet deer fart.

I had assumed it was empirical research. In other words you would have to had got yourself within range of a wet deer fart in order to observe and record its ballistics. Based on that data, one could move on to calculate the optimal length of the Stith tube. And we haven't even yet began to talk about field testing.

The data is proprietary. Not at liberty to divulge the nano science which enabled me to come to that conclusion.

Actually, I flat out stole that quote from David E. Petzel in a Field and Stream article. Someone was asking him what old period correct scope he would recommend for his old rifle. He said he wouldn't' recommend any of em. For stolen quote reason, and a couple more, which escape me at the moment.

[/quote]I’d be interested in reading about how you made the “wet deer fart proof” front tube.[/quote]

The longer tube didn't make the scope "wet fart proof". I made the longer front tube to accommodate the shorter Leupold scope better, which where the "wet fart proof" characteristics come from. I have access to a lathe, and duplicated original tube, with additional lenght so the leupold would have approximately same length of front tube support, shortening the counter bore for a positive stop when seating the scope like the originals were with the Weavers.

Petzel can turn a phrase. you'd think he was a campfire member.

How did we turn a thread about a great mount into a thread about farts?

Damn....

How long have you been a campfire member? This is par for the coarse.
My original response was highlighting the sweet rear split ring for Stith mounts marketed be Mr. Lightfoot. But it was an entertaining sidetrack, wasn't it. Where else can you be giving accolades about a nice invention and wet farts in the same post.

You guys crack me up

The longer tube didn't make the scope "wet fart proof". I made the longer front tube to accommodate the shorter Leupold scope better, which where the "wet fart proof" characteristics come from. I have access to a lathe, and duplicated original tube, with additional lenght so the leupold would have approximately same length of front tube support, shortening the counter bore for a positive stop when seating the scope like the originals were with the Weavers.
[/quote]

Actually that's the info I was looking for. Did you turn the entire tube from a piece of bar stock?

Oh, I bet a "bar" had something to do with it!

I do so like the idea of Mike's mount being recorded in a book for posterity. A couple accompanying pics of the cottage industrialist at work should be included too, methinks.

Maybe we ought to chip in and get one of his mounts engraved for this proposition!

now that is a really cool idea! I would gladly pay the extra for an engraved Lightfoot mount