Rob, it had never occurred to me that the ONeill Hopkins mount slowed repeat shots by hiding the field of view. I dry fired the M70 that is the subject of this thread against another Pre64 with a conventionally mounted Alaskan. Pumped the bolt and aimed out the window at a gargoyle on a nearby buiding, hoping that no fearful neighbor would call the cops. I am on the 16th floor and nobody seemed to be looking up. I saw little difference. If anything the pickup speed may have been a skosh greater with the O'Neill rig, maybe becsuse I keep both eyes open and looking along the scope tube while working the bolt.
such rifles, the M70 photoed here, an ONieill 7x57 with 26" brl, and for Elmer Keith's well known .285OKH that was his antelope rifle for so long. All have Alaskan, the .285 in a Pachmayr mount ahead of the bolt handle. To compare, I pulled a couple of