The only way I'd believe Carl used part of the original (lower) mount was if he showed us build photos detailing the process.
I don't see anything on the lower mount that matches the HERO mount... not even the lower screw ears.
The relief cut under the scope cradle is not there. The dovetail mount is wrong. The square hole is the wrong shape. The ends taper differently.
So what could have been saved?
The top rings are likely original like the scope... but that's it to my eye.
The story of a mangled lower mount and he saved the cradle makes no sense. He would have to make a new T mount lower and cut the very top of the cradle off ABOVE the scope tube area leaving 2 sides and weld it on to a new lower he made. Carl dont play dat. Making the entire new lower would take less time. They didn't try to REALLY fake any details and so little is original anyway keeping a shard would make no difference.
Maybe he meant the entire bottom part (cradle) was mangled, (not sure how this would happen. Rust?) and he "replaced" the entire bottom part. That fits the evidence.
IF the story is true about the mangled mount, and the original scope is on this replacement c96 with new FH and new mount and no plastic bits I fear the original HERO is gone.
Again, that FH is too clean and sharp looking to have been a bead blasted rusted vintage FH IMO. And the bullet knurls are wrong.
The mount on the right is my replica BTW.
Carl’s NEW blaster is nice work though. !