I too have graduated from this mounting system, but I believe it was an answer to a problem we don't face as often anymore.
I read once where, when mounting scopes on rifles in the early days of scopes, when you drilled/tapped the receiver of a rifle, the idea was you had the windage adjustment for any errors in alignment of the base screw holes, and if you had to shim for elevation, the one piece base could be shimmed a considerable amount without affecting fore/aft alignment of the rings. In essence the scope/ring/base acted as a unit, with the ability to shim without putting strain on the scope.
I know they are not as strong as more modern systems, but it was indeed a tremendous system for the problems of the day. And it does have that classic look!
If I buy a rifle that has that type of rings on it like the Leupold Std's they go in the trash or are given away and they are replaced with Warnes or Talley LW's
I no longer have it on any rifles either. I once had a rifle fall to a carpeted floor with Leupold STDs. It shifted POI 7" at 100 yards.
But....in 1920, you couldn't just pick up a catalog or go to a website and pick out bases for your rifle, and the adaptability of the Redfield system was its virtue. Though its time is past, it fit a real need 60-90 years ago, when mounting a scope was a more difficult proposition than it is today! Like the Model T and the Apple II, it led us to the better systems of today. I want to wish it a fond farewell for the place in history it occupies.
I no longer have it on any rifles either. I once had a rifle fall to a carpeted floor with Leupold STDs. It shifted POI 7" at 100 yards.
But....in 1920, you couldn't just pick up a catalog or go to a website and pick out bases for your rifle, and the adaptability of the Redfield system was its virtue. Though its time is past, it fit a real need 60-90 years ago, when mounting a scope was a more difficult proposition than it is today! Like the Model T and the Apple II, it led us to the better systems of today. I want to wish it a fond farewell for the place in history it occupies.
Amen brother, may it rest in peace......
I think that the old Redfield "turn-in" style mounts are quite strong and if you clean/degrease the threads on the windage adjustment screws and put loctite on them, they are quite rigid and reliable. Or at least that has been my experience.
Jeff
Redfield's first rotary dovetails were about an inch long and pivoted on a stud of about 1/4 inch diameter. They look huge compared to the "modern" style. I still see some in junk boxes about once a year at gun shows.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=IT...7290#v=onepage&q=1837290&f=falseBruce
I agree the Redfield type looks better but I've gone back to the old Weaver "Top Mount" for some of my rifles. Light weight and if for some reason you take the scope & rings off when you put it back it's still pretty much right on zero.