Kodiak Mount for 1911 rail

I thought these photos might be helpful for others who are installing a Kodiak mount on their 1911 rail for the first time.  

It took a while, but I finally got around to mounting it.

The Aimpoint mount kept coming loose, which didn't help much for accuracy.  So, I got in the habit of twisting the locking screw every so often.  I thought it was actually too tight, and it finally stopped changing on me.

I finally got around to mounting the Kodiak.  As I loosened the locking screw on the Aimpoint mount, it almost felt like the plastic mount was "relaxing".  It didn't feel at all "mechanical".  Anybody need one?

Anyway, the Kodiak went on very easily.  I tightened the four small screws to attach it to the housing, alternating on tightening them, sort of like with engine parts.  Top left, then bottom right, then bottom left, then top right.  Hopefully this was easiest on the sight.  It seemed to clamp together very well.

Slid the Kodiak onto the slide, moving it to the rear-most position as was recommended.  I loosened the two tiny set screws, then clamped down very hard with the locking screw.  As KC told me, when all was done, I tightened the two set screws.  

Very pleased with the Kodiak.  Maybe Monday I can get back to the range to sight it in.

Interesting reading from here:   https://telluric.us/blogs/rifle-optics/36277569-three-common-myths-about-aimpoint-sights

Myth #2: The red dot has to be centered in the tube

With magnified riflescopes, which are what many shooters (particularly hunters) are most familiar with, the reticle must be centered in the tube for accurate shooting. This is because those sights have varying degrees of parallax.  The presence of parallax in a sight basically means that, if the reticle is viewed from different angles, point of aim will move around on the target (even when the weapon is not moving).  Because almost all other sights have parallax, many shooters assume that Aimpoint sights also have it and, therefore, that they need to make sure that the reticle is centered in the tube in order to be accurate.

The truth: Aimpoint sights are very, very nearly parallax free.  The new Micro T-2 features groundbreaking new technology that takes already best-in-class performance in terms of parallax to a whole new level. This means that, unlike other optics, the Aimpoint red dot does not have to be perfectly centered in the tube to achieve relatively accurate hits. HOWEVER, we still recommend that shooters get a good, consistent cheek weld (which should result in the dot being centered in the tube) whenever they can. 'Parallax-free' is NOT a good reason to get sloppy on fundamentals.

So what do the 2 set screws on the clamp bar do? Do they just help make sure it doesn't loosen up?

zanemoseley wrote:So what do the 2 set screws on the clamp bar do? Do they just help make sure it doesn't loosen up?

Notice they are above centerline of the cross bolt screw. They oppose the force of the bottom of the mount keeping the small attachment vertical instead of canted like a stock mount. The threads in small attachment piece stay in better alignment with the cross bolt screw. I just stripped a stock mount. The threads were pulling harder in one side and failed from lots of use: I use same Micro when testing guns so it gets worked over pretty hard.
Jon

(Jon, if you want, I'll put my stock mount in an envelope and send it to you.  I have no need for it, and will eventually lose track of it.)

If you're offering it for free I'll take it!  It would go well with my gun as it was worked over by the owner of Kodiak Machine.

I really have to say those set screws were a terrific idea.

John has first dibs, and yes, it's free, but why would you want to use a stock mount rather than the Kodiak?  The reason I took it off was to put the Kodiak on.  The stock mount kept coming loose.  (By "stock", I mean the mount that came with my Aimpoint red dot sight.). But for what he wrote, and maybe I mis-understood, but I have no idea why Jon would even want it.....

mikemyers wrote:(Jon, if you want, I'll put my stock mount in an envelope and send it to you.  I have no need for it, and will eventually lose track of it.)

Mike,
Thanks for the generous offer. I’m fortunate to have several extras. So no thank you.
Jon

mike I misunderstood your post, lol

I want to mount an Aimpoint H-2 on my Model 41 with Clark barrel.  I remember the issues I had with installing the stock mount on my wad gun - things kept coming loose.   So, every few times I shot, I would tighten the locking screw.  Eventually it stopped coming loose.  I replaced the stock mount with a Kodiak, because so many people recommended it, and because I was told that the stock mount is likely to break eventually.

Now I have an Aimpoint H-2 coming for my Model 41, with Clark barrel.  My plan is to use the mount I removed from the H-1, install it, and keep checking for tightness.  My back-up plan is to buy another Kodiak.

For anyone who may have already done this, is the stock Aimpoint base likely to need replacement with a Kodiak when used on a Model 41?   I suspect it is going to work out fine.

The best and most consistent way of mounting a Kodiak base to a rail is as follows.  At least from my experience.  First and foremost, make sure the large mounting screw on the Kodiak mount fits in the slot you want to use!  If it doesn't it's never going to work.  Ensure that the two small "stop screw" are not protruding on the locking piece of the mount.  Place the mount on the slot you want to use and tighten the large lock screw down to just snug.  Tighten the two stop screws to just snug.  Then tighten the large locking screw another 1/8-1/4 turn.  Don't try to wrench the head off the screw.  Then tighten the two stop screws approximately the same, again you're not trying to strip out the allen heads.  At this point your dot should be tight and secure on the rib / mount and you're ready to go zero.

I think that's mostlywhat I did when I installed mine, and thought I was done.  After shooting for a while, I had to re-tighten the large screw.  I did this one more time, and nothing has loosened up since then.  

I might not have tightened the screws enough to begin with.  My idea of "stop" is when I think I'm already putting on enough pressure.  Many things I tighten eventually loosen up at least once, even the grip screws.  Eventually they stop coming loose any more.  Still, I'm not a machinist, and I always stay a little on the "safe side".

Well I looked at the H1 after mounting it using the Kodiak and it was level with the rail.  That I was happy with because unlike rings there isn't any adjustment.   went and shot it this morning and had i been shooting 50yds and not 20yds I would have been grouping on the guys target to the right of me.  Taking a look at the top of the H1 down the rail it was pointed way off to the left so I left after 9 shots as I didn't have Allen wrenches that fit it with me.  Think I got it right now will stick a bore sight in it this weekend as I don't shoot on the weekends.  Got to take it off anyway to get the shades pressed in.  Don

Did you loosen the set screws, check there was no dirt or anything on the mount or rail, then fully tighten down the main screw as KC recommended?

When you installed the four screws to attach the Aimpoint to the Kodiak, did you tighten one, then the next, and so on - or just screw them in equally, with nothing tight, an then gradually tighten them in a "criss cross" pattern, tightening just a small amount at at time?  

• Top Left
  
• Bottom Right
  
• Top Right
  
• Bottom Left
  

The order isn't important - the pattern is what is important.  It distributes the force equally.  Otherwise the Aimpoint might be aimed off to one side or another, before you ever start sighting it in.  

Take it all apart, clean surfaces, then follow KC's instructions.  If it doesn't "feel right", find out why before you tighten everything up.  

Also, are you absolutely certain the slot the main screw goes through has been opened up enough?  If not, that could prevent things from fitting together properly.  Take the Aimpoint off the base, and just install the empty base, checking if everything is going where it should.  The slots on my rail had to both be widened, and made deeper.  Check if the Kodiak is sitting firmly on the rail before you tighten the locking screw.  If it "rocks" back and forth, rather than sitting there firmly in place, that's a problem.

I will start over and see where I am at.  I will widen the slot a little but I will not deepen it.  I will use the original mount first.  Don

Very confused.  What rail are you using now?  Has anyone machined it to allow it to work with the Kodiak mount?  If so, was the person just guessing how much material to remove?  You say you will widen the slot a little bit - did you already do this somewhat, and you are making it a little wider?  You say you won't deepen the slot, but the only example of a rail that has been modified to accept the Kodiak (that I have seen) has certainly been cut deeper.  Also, the slot on my rail looks very "crude"; with proper machining it would look much better!

I don't have any tools with me to measure my rail - I can do that once I'm home.  Before that, maybe KC or Jon can tell you how wide and deep the opening needs to be.  

Looking at the photo I took of the bottom of the Kodiak mount, it is one wide, long, flat surface.  If there are any "burrs" on your rail that are preventing the Kodiak mount from fitting on top of the rails, that needs to be fixed.  Better to not do any (more) machining, until you know what needs to be done.  

Maybe, you could paint everything with Dykem, install the mount, then remove it, and that might help show you if it is fitting correctly?

If you're in a hurry to start using the gun, why not just use the Aimpoint mount, installing it just as carefully as what KC recommended, and once it is in place, every ten rounds or so, re-tighten the locking screw.  If you continue to tighten that screw, you can use the gun for quite a while, which I could have done too - after a while, the screw stopped loosening up.  I was told the mount might fail, but I'm pretty sure I could have continued shooting for at least several weeks/months (as long as I monitored the tightness of that locking screw!!).

.....if you're about to send the package off to KC to install the shades, why not let him also machine the rail as needed?  You only need to send him your slide assembly, not the whole gun.

Mike, I think the top picture shows that you might be wrong about the bottom of the mount essentially being long and flat. Both true but it is not the same width the full length. Notice how the sides come in just above the top left and top right screw. The mount basically is a 3 point mount. Contact would be with the moving piece and the 2 indent spots on the opposite side. Even if it sets flat it could still be off left and right if rail it mounts to is not straight. It could have a cross slot at just the wrong spot or a chamber relieve in the wrong spot. Just another 2 cents from me.

Len

Len, I the "vertical" orientation, I think the full surface is "flat", so it should sit down on the rails, and lie flat.  I also agree with you, which sounds very logical - the three points of contact to keep it aimed straight ahead.  I never noticed that before.  If there was a "burr" or something on either side of the rail, where the notch is located, that could prevent the burr from throwing the whole thing out of alignment.  Very, very nice!!!!!  KC was thinking ahead!!   :-)

If the cut out notch wasn't wide enough, and deep enough, that could still be causing the problem.  I'm pretty sure I could "feel" the difference if I put the Kodiak down onto the rail with and without that locking screw, but I don't know how to describe here in words how I would notice it - it just wouldn't be the same.  

Maybe if Don put the mount on his rail, without the screw, and pushed the parts in place for the three point contact that you noticed, he could look through the sight and notice where it was aimed.  Then he could do the same thing, this time with the screw in place, but not tightened down, and see if the sight was still aimed the same way.  If so, he could tighten the screw down a little at a time, and see if this moved the sight out of alignment.  Any of those might imply the screw is being forced out of position by the notch. 

Now that you've noticed the three points of contact, Don could even make the notch half an inch wide (NOT suggesting he should do that) and much deeper, and the sight should still align itself correctly.  

If KC later can tell us how wide an deep the rail notch needs to be, to not interfere with the Kodiak, I could take a photo, and add those dimensions to it, so others would know what to do about opening up the notch.

I guess I am a little confused. I know this was asked before (didn't see answer) but if you pay 600.00 for a scope why do you have to then go buy a new base for it because the one that comes with it is no good? These things are rated for magnum rifles. I know, I know. If it won't work it doesn't really matter what it is rated for. Has anyone tried just replacing the bolt with one an 1/8" longer and putting a lock nut on it? That seems like it would be about 97.00 less expensive. It would also help hold the other side square like the set screws are doing. I guess I'm a cheapskate. There is actually a pretty good base on this Holosun. All aluminum except for a steel insert for the screw. If a cheapo can have a good base I don't know why Aimpoint couldn't. Picture was to show what a longer screw would look like.

LenV wrote:I guess I am a little confused. I know this was asked before (didn't see answer) but if you pay 600.00 for a scope why do you have to then go buy a new base for it because the one that comes with it is no good? These things are rated for magnum rifles. I know, I know. If it won't work it doesn't really matter what it is rated for. Has anyone tried just replacing the bolt with one an 1/8" longer and putting a lock nut on it? That seems like it would be about 97.00 less expensive. It would also help hold the other side square like the set screws are doing. I guess I'm a cheapskate. There is actually a pretty good base on this Holosun. All aluminum except for a steel insert for the screw. If a cheapo can have a good base I don't know why Aimpoint couldn't. Picture was to show what a longer screw would look like.

Same way I feel about it.  It is not like Aimpoint is a top of the line company or that a $600 dot is a cheap one.   I does not matter how wide the slot is or how perfectly square the cut as long as you just remove material from the back of the cut only.  The screw should rest against the front of the cut when the mount is tighten down.  I an petty sure KC got the rail on straight I would not question his work.  It is very obvious when looking at the top of the H1 and down the rail that the H1 is pointing off to the left.  As for the depth of the slot KC does not mention that but as long as the screw is below the top surface of the rail all should be fine.  I will work more on this later this week as I have a fishing trip tomorrow I am not ready for.  Don

LenV wrote:.......I guess I am a little confused. I know this was asked before (didn't see answer) but if you pay 600.00 for a scope why do you have to then go buy a new base for it because the one that comes with it is no good?.......

Actually, the H-1 and H-2 are sold with no base.  Aimpoint has bases available, but people here who know far, far more than I about these things, suggested buying the Kodiak mount instead.  The "plastic" mount is around $25 or so, and the machined steel version is around $75 or so?  

I think most people buying an H-1 or H-2 aren't putting it on a slide on a 45 ACP that is slamming back and forth the way we're trying to use it.  Just a guess.....

mikemyers wrote:

LenV wrote:.......I guess I am a little confused. I know this was asked before (didn't see answer) but if you pay 600.00 for a scope why do you have to then go buy a new base for it because the one that comes with it is no good?.......

Actually, the H-1 and H-2 are sold with no base.  Aimpoint has bases available, but people here who know far, far more than I about these things, suggested buying the Kodiak mount instead.  The "plastic" mount is around $25 or so, and the machined steel version is around $75 or so?  

I think most people buying an H-1 or H-2 aren't putting it on a slide on a 45 ACP that is slamming back and forth the way we're trying to use it.  Just a guess.....

My H1 came with the mount in the box with the H1.  I fact it was already on the H1 all I had to do was put the battery in and mount it on the gun.  Even more interesting is the mount is not plastic  Don

All my H-1’s came with an aluminum base/mount. I have ran on slide mounted rails with no issues. The Kodiak is sexy but I haven’t found the need for one yet. The H-1 can be bought without a mount which is typically for AR rifle setup.
Jon

Aha!  Aluminum.  It felt so light compared to the Kodiak, I didn't think it was metal.  It is now on my Model 41 with an H-2 on top of it.

As to the H-1, it is available by itself, with no base.  Here are the 16 bases that Aimpoint has listed on their website for it:

https://www.aimpoint.com/product/?tx_pxaproductmanager_pi1%5Bproduct%5D=12&tx_pxaproductmanager_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=Product&cHash=33f78f4981ea968d6e87c77bbfbe7658#go-to-mounts

If that link doesn't work, here's the main Aimpoint page for the H-1:
https://www.aimpoint.com/product/aimpoint-micro-h-1/ 

Click on "mounts" to see all of them.