Kurt--
Thanks for your quick reply. I don't have the mount in front of me, but when I last looked at it I got the sense that the bar was mainly there because it was easier to manufacture the ring halves as a mono-casting, rather than as an engineered aspect of the integrity of the mount system itself. But I could be wrong! You're definitely right that the Pachmayr isn't of the greatest quality--I told my friend that if he tries removing the bar and all goes south, the silver lining is an excuse to buy a G&H mount and be done with it...
On another note, I've followed your other postings and noticed some of your rifles for sale here and there, and I have to commend your taste! Being in NJ, are you affiliated with G&H somehow?
Best,
Malcolm