Re: Square bridges functionality, both of Speed's books show quite a few square bridge rifles where the square bridges are not used for scope mounting at all, or where only one of the bridges is used. Like all things, a fellow uses what he's got or what is available, even if the exact configuration is of no use to him and this applied even to the Ol' Timer Germans. Today, I suspect, most owners of square bridge Mausers who are building a rifle would feel compelled to use both "squares" in scoping it and if they didn't they might feel like the rifle wasn't "original" enough.