Looking to start a clone smle sniper.

[Z28addiction]

Thx guys this is a bad pic of the rifle my buddy sent me. It's 250 bucks so I guess we will see tomorrow if it's anything to right home about. I appreciate all the help. As far as the mount goes not set on any mount or scope just wanted a nice representation of a ww1 smle. So the easier the parts are to aquire the better off I'll be. My dream gun was a no4 T so I sourced all original parts for my rifle. This gun not actually being a real sniper to start with I don't mind them not all being real. Mr. Payne do u have pictures of mount u may have being built in the upcoming months and the scope I would need for it?

[Roger Payne]

Enclosed some of the mount variations that exist. The A5 scope is shown with the long slender leather case in the first picture, & also on the rifle in the last, attached with the Whitehead mounts I have had made. Other photo's show the PPCo rifle & Aldis with both Purdey & H&H mounts.

When I get the next batch of Whitehead mounts they will be like the ones shown on the last rifle.

If you search on line you should be able to find both genuine & reproduction A5 scopes. Original military marked examples fetch a premium, but civilian examples are less expensive, & I suspect the reproductions would be cheaper still.

Hope this helps.

[mike1967]

Well, its a real project, you appear to need an awful lot of parts going by that picture.

[Z28addiction]

Wow the look of those whitehead mounts is very cool! Would u please let me know when there available as I'm in no rush. I like those mounts better than the others. Gives it a real old work feel. Anyway I can pay in advance?

[Roger Payne]

I'm afraid it's 'how long is a piece of string'? on the wait. My machinist does them in odd moments when he's not too busy with other work in order to keep the price reasonable. However, I am hopeful that they'll be ready by the end of the year. Best bet is to rattle my cage periodically & I'll keep you updated, but I wouldn't bother for at least three or four months as nothing is likely to materialize before then.

[tiriaq]

The Whitehead mount system with the actual mounting blocks attached to the brackets would allow other vintage scopes to be used to simulate a sniper rifle. For example, I have a vintage Fecker scope which looks not unlike the A5, and mounts on the same blocks. My eyes cannot handle iron sight very well any more; a scope makes a rifle much more shootable for me.
Looking at the photos of the Whitehead mount, I believe that making a pair would be within my skill set.
Drilling and tapping an intact original would be a shame. Fortunately there are many sported rifles.

[Promo]

Drilling and tapping an intact original would be a shame. Fortunately there are many sported rifles.

Cut off the screw heads, glue them in place and solder or even better glue (modern glues are sometimes even better than solder) the bases to your rifle. It looks perfect and also withstands recoil, but you didn't destroy an original rifle. And unless you throw it on the ground, it will be on the rifle forever.

[tiriaq]

Thanks! Hadn't considered that. With a good fit on the left sidewall of the receiver, an industrial adhesive would have lots of surface area. The brackets are basically angle stock, and the mounting blocks are readily available.

[Peter Laidler]

As an engineer, I'm not too sure or remotely convinced that you could successfully stick body pads to a rifle body, with its curved shapes and aspect with glue!!!!! Recoil will soon put paid to it as sure as eggs is eggs Nope......, sorry, not a chance of lasting success. And if it WAS a success, why didn't Parker Hale, Accuracy International etc etc do it this way? Sorry to disagree but don't forget your physics lessons of forces and moments about a circle and......... and..........

[tiriaq]

Some modern double shotguns have the barrel tubes bonded into the monoblocks, with the ribs bonded on. Composite structures in aircraft wings are bonded together.