Weaver N2 / N3 Scope Mounts and 3/4 Scopes

[Stretch32]

Im building a sporter for my sister and shed like a scope on it. My receiver is already D&Td for a Weaver N series mount but Im not sure which to use. My stock is a sporter stock with a high comb so the sight level is fairly high relative to an original. Ideally Id go with an N3 in hopes it would clear the stock safety / bolt while still allowing spent cases to eject cleanly. The N2 mounts lower so I assume Ill need a low scope safety.

Can someone provide pictures / pros / cons / feedback on whether an N2 or an N3 is better on a sporter Krag?

Also, Id like to use a small diameter 3/4 scope like a Weaver 330 / J2.5 or Higgins 4x. Has anyone used something like these on a Krag? Can anyone provide feedback / comments / thoughts on how they worked?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Stretch

[madsenshooter]

The N3 would be the higher one. You may have to use the higher one for bolt clearance. The old list of the Q, U, N, and B mounts that I have doesn't have the Krag on it, however. It's a copy someone gave me out of an old Shooter's Bible. It seems to me there were some N mounts made that take a 7/8" tube like the Lyman Alaskan and several others. The Alaskan is a bit pricey now a days, however.

Found a pic of a list online, N2 and N3 are the right ones for the Krag, with N3 being the higher one.

They are a solid mount, but wheter or not you have enough adjustment on your scope will likely depend on how good a job the machinist did getting the holes parallel to the bore line. A lot of 3/4 inch scopes are short on eye relief for shooting highpower rifles as they are meant for the low recoil of the 22LR. For example the Realist 3/4" scopes only had a 2" eye relief. Probably wouldn't be much of a problem with the recoil of a Krag as long as one has a good hold on the rifle. Weavers have a more generous eye relief of 3-3.5"

[Dick Hosmer]

When I was a teenager, I had a cut-down Krag with a J2.5 in an "N" (not sure whether 2 or 3) mount. Worked fine as long as you tilted the rifle a bit to eject. Had a Buehler safety.

[Local Boy]

Hi Strech32,

I think your idea of going with the N3 is a good one because it allows for more height.

Here's a sporterized scoped Krag that I picked up a gun show last year.

The rifle has Weaver number 2 detachable side mount that allows for the attachment of a scope with a 1 inch tube.

The scope is a Weaver K10 60-B.

I refinished the stock and replaced the damaged/cracked butt pad with a metal one.

Because the scope sat so low I had to extensively grind/sand down the top of the bolt sleeve to allow it to pass under the scope. Boy I hated doing that! >:(

[Local Boy]

More pics

[Stretch32]

Local Boy,

Thats a nice rifle you've built. It also explains to me why the bolt sleeve on my rifle is ground down to the internal rivets. I hadn't thought about having such a large bell on the scope that it hit the bolt.

I've found a 3/4" N2 scope mount but I'm still looking for an N3 in 3/4" size for the higher mounting. I'm going back to the little gun store nearby to see if there might be an N3 scope mount and possibly a Buehler low scope safety in all the boxes of stuff the owner has. Fingers crossed....

I'm still trying to decide which scope to use but I'm thinking a Weaver 330, J2.5 or J4 since the bells are really small and should ease any clearance issues. The J series are for rimfire cartridges but it seems many have used these on lower powered centerfire rifles (like a Krag) with good success.

If anybody has one of these scopes in good condition they'd like to sell let me know.

More to follow.

Stretch

[Dick Hosmer]

The Weaver "J" scopes were OK for high-power rifles. They were a little cheaper, and smaller scale, so a lot of them wound up on .22s, but they were built just as solidly as the "K" models. You can check this out in contemporary advertising.

[madsenshooter]

Color case hardened N3s available on gunbroker. Probably more than you want to spend, but I always liked that finish.

[carbon outlaw]

there is quite a few of these old weaver and williams krag scope mounts on ebay ... what I look for is "vintage scope mount lot" they never say there for a krag but there easy to spot ....

[butlersrangers]

Some Weaver mounts, that go on the #2 Base, appear to be taller and allow the Ocular-Lens Housing on a 1 inch scope to clear the issue bolt-sleeve.

Pictured is a 1 inch Weaver detachable side-mount, (model #49350). It is holding a K-3 Weaver. This 'rig' clears the bolt-sleeve, but, does not allow function of the issue Krag safety-lever.
A 'Krag' Buehler safety-lever would allow safety function.

The 1" Weaver K-3 pictured is a lot brighter than 3/4 inch Weaver Scopes.

It is also cheaper than the 3/4" and 7/8" Scopes, sought by Springfield model 1903/A4 'Sniper Rifle' fanciers.