Holes in my Carbine's Receiver

[mgbill]

Have a Model 1899 Carbine that some previous owner has mutilated with two holes in the left side of the receiver. The holes are approximately 1/8" in diameter, approx. 3/8" apart (center to center), and are tapped. Currently there are blanking screws in the holes. To give an idea of their location, they wipe out the "EL" in SPRINGFIELD, and the "AR" in ARMORY.

Can anyone give me an idea of what these holes might have been for? All I can think of is some sort of scope mount. (It seems like a weird place for a receiver sight, but I suppose you could put one there...)

[Tom Butts]

It is most likely that they were for a scope mount.

[psteinmayer]

Scope... typical location for drilling and tapping. Shouldn't affect how it shoots though.

[butlersrangers]

That's a very odd hole placement.

'Two holes', drilled and tapped, would suggest they were for a Receiver 'Peep' Sight.

However, as 'mgbill' states, the placement is peculiar and in the middle of the receiver.

Receiver sight holes are usually located behind the serial number.

Weaver scope mounts use four holes and William's scope mounts use three.

(I don't know about Echo mounts and other obscure ones).

FWIW - Here are some sight and mount examples.

[butlersrangers]

Possible lesser known scope-mounts that could have been fitted to a Krag with two receiver screw-holes. #1. Stith. #2. Miller 'Kodiak' mount with B&L 'Balvar' scope.

[madsenshooter]

No screw holes needed on that bottom one, the Miller Kodiak Mount. I have one on my cutdown 92/96. I did add two screwholes on the barrel to hold a removeable dovetail, rather than have a dovetail cut directly into the barrel. Over the center interferes with case ejection, but I don't mind. If I need a rapid fire rifle, I'll take something else. I think a receiver sight mounted where the OP indicated the holes are might also interfere with ejection.

[butlersrangers]

madsenshooter - How is the rear Ring anchored on the Miller 'Kodiak' mount?

[madsenshooter]

Hi BR! It isn't fastened at the rear. It just sits on hardened set screws, under tension from the big leaf spring under the scope in your picture. One can pull up on the rear of the scope, rotate it 90 degrees and it comes off. I keep a bolt that has a Rice sight on it to use the rifle without the scope, which now a days never happens cause I can't see without a scope anymore. Return to zero seems to be pretty good if you make sure those set screws go back to the same place by lightly thumping the mount at the rear ring.

[butlersrangers]

madsenshooter - Thanks, I never would have guessed that would work. Wheeee .... !!!!

[reincarnated]

Does anyone know of one of those Stith Streamline mounts for sale? I need one for my Mod. 54 Winchester in .30-30.