This image of a Ukrainian Maxim Gun is an excellent wartime depiction of the aphorism, necessity is the mother of invention.
That’s a camouflaged Maxim gun with a scope up top, and (below) a suppressor mounted. It’s an assemblage worthy of MacGyver and a display of creativity to make hosts of Hobby Lobby goers swoon.
It’s not the only example of fighters repurposing old weapons in the Russo-Ukrainian War. We’ve seen WWI-era Maxim Guns, WWII-era bolt guns of several kinds, more than a few PPSh-41s, and several other examples. With just a few exceptions, these venerable weapons have all been upgraded with modern accessories.
What some of us wonder, and by us, I mean people like me who struggle to keep all the parts and pieces straight, is how are they sorting scope rings and mounting solutions and whatever else they need? It’s only partly a redundant question. I repurpose pieces of gear all the time, usually successfully. However, I’m also the guy whose little bottle of Loctite vanishes mere heartbeats after opening the package on a new [insert rifle part or accessory here]. I’ve probably gone through my body weight in detent springs, and I’ve never, ever gotten my selection of scope rings correct on the first try.
Why should you care, you ask?
Glad you asked.
That was me going the long way around the barn to tell you about Gun University’s online scope sizing and selection tool: the GU Scope Ring Finder (SRF).
This online tool will help you whether you’re a disorganized, grabasstic gun-assembler like me or one of those aggravating, mutant someones that disassemble-reassemble BCGs just for fun.
GU Scope Ring Finder
The Scope Ring Finder is an engine that helps you determine the appropriate combination of rings, bases, and lens caps for your scope and rifle. Perhaps just as importantly, it will check major online retailers for you, parse through who currently has what in stock, and advise the lowest price available at the time of your search.
You’ve decided to put glass atop your SU-16C or adjust your FN15 DMR setup. You could spend hours choosing an LPVO and then more time hunting up the correct rings, or you could give the SRF a whirl.
- Select a scope manufacturer
- Pick the scope model
- Select the make of your rifle
- Specify the model of your rifle
- Pick your barrel
- Choose your preferred ring and base interface
BOOM. Problem solved, problem staying solved.
You can include or exclude out-of-stock options when you search; if you don’t have any luck, just suggest a new rifle for the database. It’s a very extensive database already, but they update it constantly.
Check out the Scope Ring finder and see what you think. Make some suggestions to improve it, if you see one. Tell your friends.
Let us know what you think in the comments.
About the Author:
David Reeder is part of the faculty at Gun University. A former action guy who never saw much action, he is the current editor of the GU blog and HMFIC over at Breach-Bang-Clear.
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