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Sadlak Mount Out of Windage

8K views 40 replies 13 participants last post by  RAMMAC 
#1 ·
I bought an Sadlak Airborne mount for my M1A and after several times installing it using both the standard instructions, and "If you are having installation problems" instructions and conferring with the nice gentleman who offered support when I called Sadlak, my ACOG scope is still way off to the left, I do not have enough windage adjustment to bring it to zero.

I can only surmise that my receiver is so far out of spec that Sadlak has no solution. I have too much invested in the mount to abandon it just yet for another so I will attempt to shim between the ACOG scope and the Airborne mount to correct the windage offset.

Any other suggestions on how to get the Sadlak to function? I am feeling pretty disillusioned about getting my M1A scoped.
 
#4 ·
I used the Burris Signature rings with the offset pieces to correct my windage problem when using the ARMS 18 mount. Works great and the rings are steel and very beefy and should withstand the M14 firing forces.

But make sure the Sadlak is firmly and squarely mounted before trying the rings.

Ahh, WXL beat me to it!
 
#5 · (Edited)
A couple of members suggested using Burris Signature rings, thanks for the input. The Trijicon ACOG scope has a picatinny mount that screws right onto the scope so it does not use any rings.
I did call the Sadlak support and got some suggestions but no solution. I emailed them my receiver Self-Inspection measurements last week but have not gotten a response, Sadlak did let me know that they are looking at it.


The reticle is way off to the left so I 'm planning to shim between the picatinny on the ACOG scope and the Sadlak mount on the front right to bring the reticle to the right.
 
#6 ·
I doubt if it's the rifle, my guess is that the Trijicon mount is the problem.

If this were my optic then I'd shim between the side plate of the Trijicon mount and the main body that it screws in to. Any shimming is going to increase the chance of you having problems but especially if you shim between the Trijicon mount and the Sadlak rail. Any time you insert a shim you want it to fit between flat surfaces, any curved or shaped surface will increase the chance of the shim shifting under recoil forces.

Also, I hope you have accounted for the high optical axis of this setup, you are going to need a really high cheek. Note the really crappy cheek weld and the exceedingly high cheek rest in the photo below. These are not going to help your accuracy.


ACOG's are designed to be used with straight line stocks, not the older style drop comb style of stock. Also, notice how far back the shooter above is from the optic, it looks to me like he has more than 2.5" of eye relief and most ACOGs have 2" - 2.5" of eye relief with the exception of the 1.5x24 model which has 3.6". Hopefully the optic can sit far enough to the rear on the Sadlak rail.
 
#8 ·
I doubt if it's the rifle, my guess is that the Trijicon mount is the problem.

If this were my optic then I'd shim between the side plate of the Trijicon mount and the main body that it screws in to...
Roger that, shim within the picatinny clamp itself. I knew about the ACOG being higher so I bought a Tac-Pro cheek riser to give me a bit more height for a better cheek weld.

Thanks.
 
#7 · (Edited)
MickGIS, Did you send the inspection report to sales@sadlak.com? Would you mind sending me a PM with your email address so I can retreive it and go over the report with Mike Sadlak.

Mike and I just talked about your problem and he has a few suggestions but to get to a solution, we need to try to isolate the the source of the problem.

The first step is to determine if your mount is straight and flush against your receiver. To do this, remove the clip guide screw and clip guide key and tighten and torque down the Hex screw on the receiver left side. There should be a space between the dovetail and the angled face.

If you solve the windage issue with this step, that we know that there has been an installation issue. Mike thinks you may have lost the flush contact when going through the installation.

When we get the results of this step and go over your inspection report, it will be easier try to figure out what is going on.

Our apologies for the delay in responding to your inspection report but I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this and come up with a solution

Dee
Sadlak Industries
860-742-0227
 
#11 ·
Dee,

Thanks for the help. I am not confident that will solve the issue as I torque all the screws to specs ever time I install the mount. Heading to work now so I will remove the mount and reinstall torquing the screws to specs either later today or in the morning and report back the results.

Mick
 
#12 ·
Remember to remove the clip guide key first then install the hex screw and cam washer only and tighten those without the clip guide key in the dovetail. We are trying to determine the relationship between the mount and the angled face and see if the mount is totally flush with the receiver left side. Do not adjust your TV folks, this is just a test.
 
#13 · (Edited)
  1. Removed the clip guide key completely and the Sadlak mount was in contact with the lower angled face of the clip guide with the hex bolt at torque.
  2. Loosened the hex bolt and backed off the cam washer till I was able to pass a piece of paper between the mount and the clip guide angled face,
  3. Torqued the hex bolt back to 65 in/pounds.
  4. With the paper still able to slide between the mount and angled face with the clip guide key removed, remounted the scope and it was still way off to the left where I don't have enough windage to bring it to zero.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Using a rifle vise I sight it in at a target using the iron sights. I am waiting to go to the range till the scope and iron sights are in the same general location then at the range I can zero the scope. Currently the scope and iron sights (at mechanical zero for windage) are so far apart I can't adjust the scope windage to compensate.
 
#16 ·
Are you trying to get the ACOG to co-witness with the front sight post?
 
#18 ·
Well, no luck with the shims, I can’t get them adjusted precisely enough. I have not heard from Sadlak in a week or so it's on to my last resort which is to let my gunsmith have a crack at it. If he can get it mounted and zeroed that would be great, if not then I might try a Basset mount, Trijicon ACOG TA70, ARMS #18 or a CASM Gen II. Any other suggestions to mount an ACOG on a M1A?
 
#19 ·
The M14.CA CASM mount was designed specifically to overcome the problems found with receivers that were out of spec at the left side. These mounts attach securely to the rear sight pocket and do not even touch the left side of the receiver. This design came about because I had BTDT with these issues a few times myself.
LAZ 1
 
#21 ·
Maybe you should consider a bassett mount. I was out this week with my M1A loaded with a bassett low mount picatanny mount with weaver rings clamped on an old bushnell trophy 4x12x40. Shot irons after removing the bassett did this several times on and off, nothing dramatic, on and off always returned to zero. A fun trouble free afternoon.
 
#24 ·
I just talked to Mike about this and he asked if you possibly have any other scope and rings you could install as a test. We don't have a lot of experience with troubleshooting the ACOG so we're trying to zero in on the actual source of the problem. If another scope and rings installed with proper windage available, we would know it was the combination of the Sadlak Mount and ACOG rail - that gives us a good starting point
 
#27 ·
A quick test you could have done would have been to run some string or dental floss thru the rear sight aperture and then down the center of the scope mount to the top of the front sight blade. Like a tight rope. Check to see if the string is parallel to the inner edges of the rail. If the mount was off the string would not pass thru with even spacing between the inner edges of the rail where it was scalloped out for the iron sight channel.

Low tech, easy to do, fairly quick. Just note what adjustments were made on the rear sight because they will affect the alignment of the string respective to the mount.
 
#31 ·
Which ACOG is this MickGIS?

I have an ACOG TA31 and its eye relief is only 1.5".

Also, mine is mounted on my AR not my M14. I only mentioned this because it is very important to be within your ACOG's eye relief zone when zero'ing it. Otherwise, zero'ing may become a problem.

Bonne chance.
 
#36 ·
Got my M1A back yesterday from my gunsmith, he said he had to fiddle with it but was able to get the ACOG and Reflex both bore sighted. I will take it to the range on my next day off and zero it. My worry is if it took fiddling to get it installed will it hold zero or will the mount shift? I'll give a range report soon.
 
#38 ·
I'm glad you got it installed. I'd be interested in knowing what "fiddling" he did so I could learn from it. If it was installed correctly, has maximum surface contact between the mount the the received, and it is bore sighted, the mount should not shoot loose. Give it some range time and let us know what happens.
 
#37 ·
Perhaps it would be best to know what your gunsmith actually performed/did during the "fiddle" process.

Years ago, I noticed my Sadlak Airborne mount wouldn't allow my Leuopold scope to zero at first. I ran out of elevation trying to zero it. As it turns out, I needed to torque my Leupold rings properly. Once they were done, my M14 (with Leupold mount) reaches out to 1,000 yards with ease.

M14's are like a beautiful woman... they're beautiful to look at but oftentimes are finicky if the right "accessories" aren't used. GI8
 
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#39 · (Edited)
The first three shots from my M1A sporting the ACOG on a Sadlak Airborne mount.
Just a few clicks left and up and I was zeroed. The ACOG sits pretty high so the Tac-Pro cheek riser was a must, I was able to get a good cheek weld.
I'll report back after a few shooting sessions if the mount stayed in place.


 
#41 ·
I don't have a problem removing my bolt with the mount on but I'm sure it will depend on the rifle's tolerances.
 
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