Brownells Gunsmith Tech Corner - October 2006

By Mike Watkins

Question: I was recently given a Marlin Model 57m Levermatic .22 mag. I would like to put a scope on it, so I’m looking for scope mounts. What would you recommend?

Answer: The mount for your gun is a Weaver #58 Base (#955-010-058). Any Weaver style ring will work on that mount, such as 1” Medium Rings (#955-490-201) or Warne Maxima Medium TPA Rings (#947-005-121). Those are medium height rings. If your scope has a 44mm objective lens or larger, I would go with high rings which will be listed along with the ones mentioned above. You can find those on the website, www.brownells.com by entering those numbers in the search box.

Solution: Buy a Weaver #58 Base (#955-010-058) and either 1” Medium Rings (#955-490-201) or Warne Maxima Medium TPA Rings (#947-005-121).


Question: Could you please explain the difference between Picatinny and Weaver mounting systems? For instance, will a product that "Fits weaver style bases" mount to an AR-15 flat top receiver?

Answer: The Picatinny rail is a rail made to a specification pertaining to slot dimensions and spacing whereas weaver is a general spec rail without specific slot dimension specifications. Generally a weaver ring will fit on a Picatinny rail, but a Picatinny ring will not fit on a weaver style rail. Yes, a weaver style ring should fit on a flat top receiver.


Question: I need to change the front sight of my S&W 586 revolver. Which high quality tools do you recommend for that job, and can I order them directly from you?

Answer: All you need to change the front sight is a Model #1 .057” Cup Tip Punch (#080-620-001) and a Hammer (#818-600-100) to remove the pin that holds it in place. If you have a padded vise or Magnetic Soft Jaws (#100-002-397) to secure the gun that would make the job much easier.

Solution: Buy a Model #1 .057” Cup Tip Punch (#080-620-001) and a Hammer (#818-600-100) along with a set of Magnetic Soft Jaws (#100-002-397).