Newb Here Need base info. on Model 342

[Ballistica]

Glad i found this site, i have several vintage Savages and my newest acquired is a Model 342 in .22 hornet and she is sweet, but i have a Slight problem with her, i'm pretty sure it's got the Original Side mounts with rings and one of the thumb screw detach screws was over tightened and stripped. I have tried to match up the originals but i couldn't find anything on them at all so i ordered the Weaver set and they throw the scope 3/16th's off of the center line of the barrel, i called Weaver and they said they sure do...Why Sell Them Then ..Lol! So back to the dealer they went and now i'm trying to match up the thread so i can tap the hole out and possibly Heli-Coil it with Red Loc-Tight, i'm Mounting or trying desperately to mount a Leupold VX-II 3x9 on her! I wanted a new base but i can not find one...Any Suggestions out there! Thanks so much in advance!

[rjtfroggy]

Try www.gunparts.com that should be Numrichs web site about the only place I can think of for vintage parts.
And Welcome to the site.

[Airedaleman]

B-Square offers base and rings for the 340 series.

[Appleseed]

Just ordered one for my neighbor's .222 from Midway, came with weaver rings. It had several sets of allingment holes drilled to move/match the 340 riciever. The mount and rings were about $50.

[Ballistica]

Just ordered one for my neighbor's .222 from Midway, came with weaver rings. It had several sets of allingment holes drilled to move/match the 340 riciever. The mount and rings were about $50.


Yes Sir, that is what i had last week and i talked to their tech and he said they mount up like this -that's just the way they are, so i called a weaver tech and he said the same thing..I said the Why Make them ..LOL..Thanks though!

[Ballistica]

Try www.gunparts.com that should be Numrichs web site about the only place I can think of for vintage parts.
And Welcome to the site.


Thank you for the welcoming, i've been on the phone with Numrichs and same thing there "New Weavers"..But on the positive side they had the Original Butt plate! ;)

[Ballistica]

B-Square offers base and rings for the 340 series.


Thank You, they say they have them but they can not supply a picture of them and they are look through's so i need to see how high they sit. Oh well , i guess i will order them ! Thanks so much!

I will post a Mounted pic. once i get them so anyone else that may run into this problem may get some use out of this!

[Airedaleman]

Due to the design of the 340 series, all the mounts, be they stamped Weaver N mounts (or the same supplied to Savage), or the detachable mounts by Weaver and B-Square are effectively "see-through." At one time, the Weaver mount sat lower, but the base has been extended to allow the mounting of soda bottle-sized scopes. Beginning of the year I picked up a 340B ('53 mfg) in .222 Remington.
It wore a mutt Tasco 3X9X40 scope in a Weaver mount - the 1H. Long story short, Bubba "fixed" the thumb screws (he lost one and replaced with a cad-plated machine screw, stripped the other, and tried to secure it with Loc-tite. Didn't work.) I got a pair of thumb screws gratis from Weaver (great customer service), but Bubba fouled up the base so badly that the new screws would not make up. I decided that I was not going to be removing the mount from the base (plus I wanted to shoot the rifle without waiting for a new base) so I just J-B welded the mount and screws to the base. Worked like a charm. The rifle is in excellent shape, and shoots one-inch five shot groups at 100 yards all day long. By the way, although high, my rig IS centered over the bore.

[LHitchcox]

A gunsmith can easily drill and tap the holes to the next larger size. Many folks do that on hard recoiling guns, but the process works well on buggered screw holes too.

[Ballistica]

Due to the design of the 340 series, all the mounts, be they stamped Weaver N mounts (or the same supplied to Savage), or the detachable mounts by Weaver and B-Square are effectively "see-through." At one time, the Weaver mount sat lower, but the base has been extended to allow the mounting of soda bottle-sized scopes. Beginning of the year I picked up a 340B ('53 mfg) in .222 Remington.
It wore a mutt Tasco 3X9X40 scope in a Weaver mount - the 1H. Long story short, Bubba "fixed" the thumb screws (he lost one and replaced with a cad-plated machine screw, stripped the other, and tried to secure it with Loc-tite. Didn't work.) I got a pair of thumb screws gratis from Weaver (great customer service), but Bubba fouled up the base so badly that the new screws would not make up. I decided that I was not going to be removing the mount from the base (plus I wanted to shoot the rifle without waiting for a new base) so I just J-B welded the mount and screws to the base. Worked like a charm. The rifle is in excellent shape, and shoots one-inch five shot groups at 100 yards all day long. By the way, although high, my rig IS centered over the bore.


I tel ya, i am going Nuts over this Project but it will be nice when i finish her! The original detach mounts that were on there have a real nice set of caps on them Unlike the weaver cheapies but they are just not marked in any way form or fashion but the 40 MM Objective sits perfectly above the bore and sits low..Not see through's at all! My Son -n- Law just picked up one similar to mine and has the Identical mounts, but No markings! I'm Mounting this Scope 1 Time and that is where it will remain for it's life so i want to keep her Purdy ;)

[Ballistica]

A gunsmith can easily drill and tap the holes to the next larger size. Many folks do that on hard recoiling guns, but the process works well on buggered screw holes too.


My Gunsmith is backed up 6 mnth's :-\, so i am scrambling to get a decent mount , i am purchasing the B square and i'll know weather i like it or not as soon as i see it! If this doesn't work then i will ship it to a Gunsmith along with the scope and have a custom Permanent mount Made..If i can find one that will do it! ;D I would do the Drill and tap myself, but i can't find a set of nice thumb screws to use and i want it to all match! Still scratching my head!

[hailstone]

I've found several different thread pitches used on these detachable side mounts and if memory serves even with Weaver. If I understand you original post the thumb screw threads were damaged. Those threads are a special fine pitch size. Recently had similar problem with same mounts and rifle series. I lucked out being a collector by taking mount off another rifle before selling. Believe the taped holes in receiver are not the current size but something like 10-32 machine screw. Apparently there were several makers who sold that side mount style besides Weaver. You may have to do some research in old gun magazines, catalogues etc. to determine what make you have.

[Ballistica]

I've found several different thread pitches used on these detachable side mounts and if memory serves even with Weaver. If I understand you original post the thumb screw threads were damaged. Those threads are a special fine pitch size. Recently had similar problem with same mounts and rifle series. I lucked out being a collector by taking mount off another rifle before selling. Believe the taped holes in receiver are not the current size but something like 10-32 machine screw. Apparently there were several makers who sold that side mount style besides Weaver. You may have to do some research in old gun magazines, catalogues etc. to determine what make you have.



The threads on My thumb screws are OK,but it is the Base thumb screw hole that is stripped-what i have seen is the Weaver base Thumb screw holes are at least threaded all of the way through as the Existing Base has only 4 threads entering the holes, it wouldn't take much more than hand tightening to strip them even wit the Extremely fine threads! If i knew what this Exact thread pattern is, then a Heli Coil would repair the problem but i have not as of yet been able to figure the super fine threads are! I may have to do this if the B-squares aren't what i want! Thanks!

[Airedaleman]

The threads on My thumb screws are OK,but it is the Base thumb screw hole that is stripped-what i have seen is the Weaver base Thumb screw holes are at least threaded all of the way through as the Existing Base has only 4 threads entering the holes, it wouldn't take much more than hand tightening to strip them even wit the Extremely fine threads! If i knew what this Exact thread pattern is, then a Heli Coil would repair the problem but i have not as of yet been able to figure the super fine threads are! I may have to do this if the B-squares aren't what i want! Thanks!


[/quote]

Do I understand correctly that the two thumb-screw holes in the base are not drilled through, but only four threads deep? Sounds odd to me. At any rate, I'd suggest that you do what I did. Solid as a rock and easy! When I want to change a scope, I simply undo the rings. If I want the rig gone completely, (not a consideration on a .222) I can remove the four screws holding the base to the receiver and put the four filler screws back in place. The receiver mount holes are 8-40's if I remember correctly.

[Ballistica]

The threads on My thumb screws are OK,but it is the Base thumb screw hole that is stripped-what i have seen is the Weaver base Thumb screw holes are at least threaded all of the way through as the Existing Base has only 4 threads entering the holes, it wouldn't take much more than hand tightening to strip them even wit the Extremely fine threads! If i knew what this Exact thread pattern is, then a Heli Coil would repair the problem but i have not as of yet been able to figure the super fine threads are! I may have to do this if the B-squares aren't what i want! Thanks!




Do I understand correctly that the two thumb-screw holes in the base are not drilled through, but only four threads deep? Sounds odd to me. At any rate, I'd suggest that you do what I did. Solid as a rock and easy! When I want to change a scope, I simply undo the rings. If I want the rig gone completely, (not a consideration on a .222) I can remove the four screws holding the base to the receiver and put the four filler screws back in place. The receiver mount holes are 8-40's if I remember correctly.
[/quote]

No Sir, they are drilled all the way through but the threads are only at the entrance of the Hole! I don't get it either Lol!

[sharpshooter]

So what's wrong with being 3/16" off the centerline? Does the bolt handle clear the scope?

[Ballistica]

So what's wrong with being 3/16" off the centerline? Does the bolt handle clear the scope?


I didn't check that , i just don't like it to be off Center-It doesn't look right and it Freaks me out :o ! I'm pretty Anal about my rifles so i want everything lined up as perfect as i can get it! Just a Personal Thing ;)!

[hailstone]

If you have a Weaver side mount scope setup for a Savage 342 these are the screw sizes and pitches off a Savage 342 in my collecton with the Weaver scope mount setup. Four receiver screws to hold base to receiver 8-40. Two thumb screws that hold the scope ring/base mount assembly to receiver base are 3/16-32 -- old odd ball size from by gone era. One of these holes is almost tapped clear through while the second lacks 1 - 2 threads of being tapped clear through. Weaver marked there mounts on the scope ring/base assembly if memory serves.

As mentioned in my earlier post there were other makers who sold similar side mount versions. I know there thumb screws were not interchangeable in the ones I have in my collection. Most of these side mounts the center line of the scope and bore were not exactly over each other. In those days people were happy just having and being able to mount a scope while the rifle came with a set of iron sights. Today the role is reversed and one is hard pressed to find a rifle equiped with iron sights while all are tapped for scope mounts and some come with intergral bases/set of rings.

[hailstone]

Another set of thumb screws for a side mount of undetermined make and manufacturer are .194 OD threads and 50 TPI. These threads are very fine and would be over six threads in 1/8" length. Threads this fine can easily be stripped out or cross threaded in alumnium. If I find any other thumb screw sizes in my collection will post that information.