I have revealed my optics ignorance every time that I have opened my mouth on the topic and hoping for some advice from you more knowledgeable scope guys.
Old eyes are compelling me to reassess my preference for iron sights, and I picked up a cheapie $55 scope at the Centralia Gun Show.
I have a particular problem with my favorite old .22 rifle.
It is a Montgomery Wards 87-SB87-TA.



I've had this since I was 16, and about 20 years ago I cut grooves for mounting a scope.


The grooves were cut by removing the guts of the action and cutting a dovetail down each side. The width of the grooves is about .527", or 13.3mm.



The only set of rings that came close to this groove spacing was a bit too small. I am confident that I based the grooves on a number that I had from somewhere, not just a wild ass guess.
I'm hoping to have see through mounts because it is tough to let go of the iron sights. Might be stupid though, as most of my shots with this rifle are taken at 50-75 yards.
Recommendations for scope mounts and rings? Maybe this sweet old rifle isn't the right one to put a scope on.

seen 3/8 and 7/8" airgun mounts and 9-13mm airgun mounts...but 13.3?

Dig, baby, dig.You must have had some application in mind when you were cutting that dovetail?

http://www.tacticalscope.co.uk/ags-moun ... -791-p.asp

13mm . . . close enough?

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/29874 ... iver-gloss

It was a long time ago. I remember looking it up but not where I got it. Is the 13mm from the inside of one dovetail groove to the inside of the other? That would get me pretty darned close to 13mm. I may just not have understood the number and cut it wrong because idiot.
Is that 13mm only for airguns, or is it common on .22 rimfire too?
The rings that I have that are small will mount to the grooves, but it looks like poop.



I am not sure... Is that about what I already have (size wise) that looks like poop?

Don't know if it only applies to airguns. Thed dovetails just reminded me of old Benjamins and etc that are cut that way.

Those mounts usually look as if they are made from sheet metal, and being thinner look better for the application too. That said, if those rings hold tight... why not use them?

Are those 10/22 rings?

EDIT: you probably have Weaver rings? In that case you would have to get 13mm-to-Weaver adapter/rings?

You could always modify those rings a bit too.

I'm not sure how to tell you this, Mike . . . but . . . if you flip that little piece around on the left side of the photo, it'll fit much better.

Definitely an option but those rings are pretty spendy. There are quite a few dovetail to weaver/picatinny rail adapters on the market for cheap. Maybe an adapter and a cheap set of rings would keep you from breaking the bank while experimenting?

This being said, you're pretty much SOL on the see through rings. With an application this specific the chance of finding a see through setup is slim to none.

This is the closest thing I could find that might check all of the boxes: https://www.ebay.com/i/252618551410?rt=nc



You're a handy guy. Why not drill and tap the receiver for a proper rail?

Oh for fuck's sake look at that. Yes, try this before spending money.

Arrangement that they were in when I bought them:


Steve's arrangement:


And Steve's arrangement installed in grooves:

Well...looky here https://www.ebay.com/itm/Airforce-Airgu ... 8087!US!-1

OK, OK . . . I guess what I thought I saw in the photo wasn't reality.

The airgun/22lr 3/8" and 11mm dovetail grooves tend to vary a lot from what the manufacturer claims (both the size of the rail and rings). I've had good luck modifying the UTG rings to fit a given rail by adding spacers under the clamp part or cutting away some of the material under the screws/clamp to fit a smaller rail.

Here's an example of one where I cut material away, in your case you would want to add a spacer under the screws/clamp. I also took some material off the bottom of both sides of the clamp to better fit the contour of the rail. The last thing I would do is remove the crappy sticky tape from inside the rings, rough up the inside with sandpaper, and bed the rings with JB weld. It's super easy to do and makes the cheap rings very usable.

You could also take a triangle file to the right side of those rings you have. Close up the gap and center the rings. Minus some material but after all it's a .22lr

Perhaps you just need a snack to remember.

I measured my early 80’s 10/22 and inside/narrowest part of the dovetail is 10.75mm. The top of the base is 13.6mm