been thinking of that scope mount myself....Question, Does it have enough room to get the reciever cover off with out removal? Also how well is the mount itself made. I also have been tossing the idea of the side rail type mount like the AKs
I researched a lot of SKS mount info and settled on the Choate mount because both the stock and muzzle brake for SKS rifles Ive used from them are great products. Plus at the time it was the only drill and tap mount I could find. I've had this mount for a few years and just now got the guts to install it.
Drilling and tapping a receiver isn't an easy job for someone with average skills for tinkering on guns. It takes patience and the right tools. A drill press with a vise is a must IMO, as well as quality drill bits for a pilot hole before using the #28 drill bit that comes with the Choate mount kit. I read a lot of posts from people that have drilled crooked holes, broken taps, etc.
I like the idea of 4 screws on the Choate mount. At least this way if you screw one up you have 3 more or at the least 2 which is what many people use.
The biggest issue aside from drilling and tapping is finding the correct alignment with the bore. If you just eye ball the mount and start drilling, there is a chance you won't be lined up. When I did this build, I attached the scope mount using one hole, snugged it to the receiver, and mounted the scope. Then I went oustide and boresighted the rifle using a laser bore sighter, the iron sights, and looking through the bore itself. I shifted the mount so I'd have minimal adjustments to make on the scope and then scribed and center punched the holes where they needed to be to keep the mount at that position.
One thing you can do with this mount to make sure take down and re-assembly are good to go is to clamp it to the receiver at the height you want it to be and then try to field strip the receiver area. At the height mine is, its tight but it works, and the Choate stock has a riser thats set up for use with scopes so all is well.