Z Plate side mount adapter

You may ask, why a side mount? There are two reasons for a side mount on a Mosin Nagant rifle: The most common is for those who don't want to modify or replace their bolt handle and at the same time would like to use a standard eyerelief scope.  The second is for left eye dominate shooters.

About the mount. The side mount is a modular design being that it is actually an option that is used with any of my Mosin Nagant band mounts both steel and aluminum. You CAN remove the Z plate,  install the scope ring rail on the base, get a turned down bolt handle, and use the mount as a standard mount at anytime you choose to.For improved adjustability I recommend using the Zplate with the aluminum mounts which have many more mounting slots on the rail.

I feel the Zplate is a great option to go with my band mounts and to make the Z plate more adaptable to different scope sizes I have machined 3 sets of offset holes to mount the rail at different distances away from the rifle. You can also use tall scope rings if necessary. Keep in mind though, there are so many models and sizes of scopes available that I cannot guaranty the side mount to work well with all of them. Larger than 40mm  you need to do some careful  measuring. CHOOSE YOUR SCOPE CAREFULLY.

Side mounts have been around for a while  and do have a few limitations, below I will list some of them to help you better decide if this is the mount for you.

1. Scope size: Large diameter scopes above 40mm do have large lens housings which may cause contact issues with the bolt handle when cycling a round. Different manufactures make their lens housings different diameters for the same size scope, some small, and some larger.
2. Windage adjustment turrets: Tactical type scopes with tall windage adjustment type turrets
can be hit by the bolt handle ball when cycling a round, although you can sometimes slide the scope forward in the rings to avoid this, at times that may move the scope too far forward to get a proper focus while shooting.
3. Cheek weld: Being the scope is offset to the left, if you aim with your right eye your cheek support on the stock will be less than a scope mounted above the barrel, some of the testers of this mount switched to using their left eye for this reason. The size of the scope and the offset holes used to mount it play a big part in this.
4. Finger clearance: If you wrap your thumb around the bolt knob you are likely to pinch it on the scope or rings when cycling a round, it is best to flip up the bolt handle with the palm of your hand.
5.Note: This  side mount will not work with left handed shooters when shooting from the left shoulder, as the scope will be aprox. 2 inches away on the opposite side of the stock.
Do not attempt to sight and shoot from the left shoulder as the recoil of the rifle stock could cause injury or great pain to your face.

Here is a link to view many pic's of the side mount with several different sizes of scopes showing the clearance with each scope:
http://s919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/jmeck/Mosin%20Nagant%20side%20mount%202011/