Adding a red dot to a 208s

by 285wannab 4/29/2018, 10:06 am

I am looking to add a red dot to my 208s. I thought I would be clever and JB Weld a base on the top of my barrel. I was thinking a couple of small dabs would do it. Luckily I thought a little more about it before I tried it. What I figured out is that I wouldn't be able to remove the slide easily. Disaster diverted.
So options are use the front mounting base that Larry's sells. Have a couple holes drilled and tapped and mount the base to the barrel. Or have someone mill a dovetail into the barrel that would except rings.
I am thinking that Larry's mount throws off the balance of the gun.
Would like to have dovetail and eliminate a base. But thinking I could only use rings and not something like an Aimpoint base.
I am thinking my best option is to have it drilled and tapped to add a base. I bought this gun used and it is in good shape but not a safe queen.
What has everyone else done?

by CR10X 4/29/2018, 10:34 am

What do you see on most every Hammerli 208, 215, etc.?

Since you can't fill a hole or un-groove the barrel; just get the scope mount, mount the dot to get the best balance you can and just go shoot.

If you don't like it, you can sell the mount and then proceed to modify the gun.

CR

by Chris Miceli 4/29/2018, 11:00 am

do you shoot the 208 with out a front weight now?

i haven't seen any drilled and tapped 208s, but i've seen the barrel grooved to accept tip off rings.

by **willnewton** 4/29/2018, 11:05 am

I have a Larry’s gun mount on my 215. My opinion is that the weight forward is balanced by the scope in the rear. The pistol feels solid and pleasant, and balances just in front of the trigger with my MDII.

The mount is aluminum, so is not that heavy. The whole pistol weighs just a bit more than my scoped 1911s. Recoil is practically non-existent. Follow up shots are low effort as far as getting the dot back to your aiming area.

I shot the 215 with just irons for a while and immediately fabricated a nose weight, as I missed the added mass of the scope and mount.

Plus, it looks cool, which adds tens points.

Adding a red dot to a 208s Ea96ff10

by Chris Miceli 4/29/2018, 11:22 am

willnewton wrote:I have a Larry’s gun mount on my 215. My opinion is that the weight forward is balanced by the scope in the rear. The pistol feels solid and pleasant, and balances just in front of the trigger with my MDII.

The mount is aluminum, so is not that heavy. The whole pistol weighs just a bit more than my scoped 1911s. Recoil is practically non-existent. Follow up shots are low effort as far as getting the dot back to your aiming area.

I shot the 215 with just irons for a while and immediately fabricated a nose weight, as I missed the added mass of the scope and mount.

Plus, it looks cool, which adds tens points.

sweet gun, minus the arched mainspring =]

by **willnewton** 4/29/2018, 12:07 pm

LOL, I clicked the wrong button when I ordered it, but am going to stick with it for a bit.

Probably should remachine it into a bobtail so I can CC it better, eh? Smile

by Mac2 4/29/2018, 7:20 pm

Mounted a red-dot on 208 a long time ago. I have a vague recollection of trying to use some mount that did not work - and then buying the mount made by manufacturer. It ends up looking very much like what is seen in the picture above. Above the barrel, it comes back farther than shown and it attaches under the front of the barrel with vertical bolts. I have no idea if the mount exists anymore.

The only improvement that I have added is a pair of small strips of skate-board tape to the sides of the end of the slide. Huge help in working the slide.

Fully to clean the 208 is quite an operation involving unscrewing the mount where it is attached below the front of the barrel. Full cleaning is a rare event and the old 208 keeps on working. I have a very old red-dot sight mounted and it has long been time to mount something modern (and lighter).

by Jack H 4/29/2018, 8:40 pm

Roddy screwed a piece of 22 rail on the barrel. I have two such installs on 208.

by Chris Miceli 4/29/2018, 9:13 pm

Jack H wrote:Roddy screwed a piece of 22 rail on the barrel. I have two such installs on 208.

Pictures?

by DonBrummer 4/29/2018, 10:33 pm

CR10X wrote:

; just get the scope mount, mount the dot to get the best balance you can and just go shoot.

If you don't like it, you can sell the mount and then proceed to modify the gun.

CR

+1

It's what I did, its what you see on just about every 208/208s on the line.

by Jack H 4/29/2018, 10:50 pm

Chris Miceli wrote:
Jack H wrote:Roddy screwed a piece of 22 rail on the barrel. I have two such installs on 208.

Pictures?

I'm looking for them.

by BE Mike 4/30/2018, 7:22 am

Either get the Larry's mount or have .22 mounting grooves machined by a competent pistolsmith. I have a Knapp mount. It works for me.

by 285wannab 4/30/2018, 10:30 am

I do like the idea of the dovetail machined into the barrel but I won't be able to mount my Aimpoint base because of the screw.
I think I will go with a couple of screw holes in the barrel. I mounted the base on the barrel with two way tape to make sure it functioned ok. I wanted to make sure the empty casings didn't cause any jams. They don't.
When it is done I will post some pics.

by gregbenner 4/30/2018, 11:00 am

I have the BME "doctor "rear mount which replaces the rear sight on my 208s. I use a Burris FF3 , and have a medium front barrel weight which results in perfect balance (for me) without all the weight of a tube style dot sight.

by Bullseye_Stan 5/1/2018, 7:06 am

Greg,

How do you like that FF3 as a rear sight on your 208s? BME is about ready to take orders for that mount and I'm considering ordering one. A consideration is having the FF3 replace the rear sight on my .45 as well.

Stan

by gregbenner 5/1/2018, 6:49 pm

I started using the Burris FF3 A couple of years ago and have them on all my pistols I like them, they have been very reliable, light weight, great warranty.

by **willnewton** 5/1/2018, 10:20 pm

Greg, does the BME rear only mount just have the single screw from the rear sight holding it in place?

Do you feel like if you took the mount/dot combo off, to mount the rear irons for instance, that when you put it back on, your zero is still good?

by gregbenner 5/2/2018, 12:31 am

willnewton wrote:Greg, does the BME rear only mount just have the single screw from the rear sight holding it in place?

Do you feel like if you took the mount/dot combo off, to mount the rear irons for instance, that when you put it back on, your zero is still good?

Yes, it is the slide on system secured with at the rear with one screw. I've never taken it off, so not sure. Since it is si light, seems like it might be.

by Jon Eulette 5/2/2018, 1:32 am

I’ve removed the BME rear scope mount from Greg’s 208 in the past. The zero held. It’s a snug fit. With the light FF3 on it is very stable. I tried making one in the early 90’s for a tube scope and it wouldn’t hold/support the additional weight.
Jon

by **willnewton** 5/2/2018, 6:22 am

Thanks guys. I saw they make a small rail mount and wondered how an Aimpoint might work on it.

I trust that screw to hold the rear irons or CM beavertail, but an H2 might be bit much without having to be overly careful with it.

by Bullseye_Stan 5/2/2018, 6:39 am

Thanks for the feedback Greg and folks. Swapping the rear sight for a LPA mount out on the SA RO has been described as difficult, but swapping out the rear sight on the 208S with the BME mount seems trivial.

by **willnewton** 5/2/2018, 6:51 am

The single screw makes it a piece of cake operation that can be done in under 30 seconds, maybe faster.

I have had to use a 20 ton press to remove a factory installed rear SA sight in the past.

by gregbenner 5/2/2018, 12:45 pm

As usual I wasn't thinking clearly. Since I don't shoot my 208s that often, I forgot that the rear site is removed to field strip/clean the gun. I don't remember ever having issues with having to re sight.

by Ed Hall 5/2/2018, 4:24 pm

gregbenner wrote:As usual I wasn't thinking clearly. Since I don't shoot my 208s that often, I forgot that the rear site is removed to field strip/clean the gun. I don't remember ever having issues with having to re sight.

That also goes for the Knapp and Hammerli scope mounts that use the weight groove. I never have to re-zero when I slide mine off and back on.

Now for something many of you will think is BS:

Larry Carter once told me that the manufacture of the 208s pistols was so precise that you could take a Hammerli or Knapp mount as described above off one 208s, put it on another, and the zero would be the same. It just so happens that a friend of mine tried that and found it to be true for his 208s pistols.

I have not tried that with my 208s and 208 because the 208s has had the barrel relined.

by Chris Miceli 5/2/2018, 6:01 pm

Ed Hall wrote:
gregbenner wrote:As usual I wasn't thinking clearly. Since I don't shoot my 208s that often, I forgot that the rear site is removed to field strip/clean the gun. I don't remember ever having issues with having to re sight.
That also goes for the Knapp and Hammerli scope mounts that use the weight groove. I never have to re-zero when I slide mine off and back on.

Now for something many of you will think is BS:

Larry Carter once told me that the manufacture of the 208s pistols was so precise that you could take a Hammerli or Knapp mount as described above off one 208s, put it on another, and the zero would be the same. It just so happens that a friend of mine tried that and found it to be true for his 208s pistols.

I have not tried that with my 208s and 208 because the 208s has had the barrel relined.

I’ve seen a guy do it he never lost his Zero

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