No.4 Mk.1 (T) Front Scope Mount Pad

[Charlie]

Awhile back I bought a T that had the front scope mount pad removed. I have the original pad and the screws. I know that the pad was originally soft soldered. I know how and why. It's now 2012 and there are some amazing metal to metal adhesives available. Some are even stronger than soft solder. I'm considering mounting the pad with an adhesive rather than soft solder. What do you resident experts think ?

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[paulseamus]

Charlie

Keeping a No4(T) true to its "in service" condition is the way to ensure that your historically significant rifle grows in value rather than diminishes.

Soft solder worked for the 40 odd years that these rifles were in service in both No4(T) and L42 guise.

I suggest you avoid the temptation to use a modern metal adhesive such as Loctite and stick to the soft solder.

Peter Laidler desribes the process step by step in his four "Making up a usable sniper" articles.

Here is the link. Index of Peter Laidler's on-line series of articles.......

Follow this process to keep your No 4(T) as close as possible to "as issued". This process will also ensure that the rifle and scope end up collimated.

Future owners of your rifle will appreciate you taking the extra effort.

Paul

[vintage hunter]

Don't believe everything you hear about those wonder adhesives, if they really were that good the unemployment lines would be full of nothing but out of work welders so do it right and solder the pad as it should be. On the No.4T/L42 setup the front pad takes all the punishment so while you're at it get some new screws, don't reuse the originals.

[Peter Laidler]

I agree entirely with Paul and Vintage Hunter. And DON'T uyse the original screws either!

[Robert303]

Can anyone advise me where I can get screws? I am about to get a rifle with the pads soldered on, I have a mount (repro) which fits and a genuine No 32 Mk II. Have read Mr Laidlers articles carefully and am now trying to find someone in Scotland who can drill and tap the holes to put the screws in. Obviously no drilling and tapping will be done until we have checked the pads have been soldered in the right place!

[Peter Laidler]

You'll get any amount of them on that auction site. Look under model engineers supplies. 4BA countersunk for the rear and 4BA machine heads (slightly rounded) for the front

[Robert303]

Mr Laidler
Thank you very much for your help. Hopefully one day we might meet. Do you come to Bisley for the Trafalgar Meeting?