HBSA last night

TimC

TimC

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Historical breech loading Small arms Association meeting last night at the Imperial War Museum.
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Bill Harriman gave a lecture that I saw in 2002 at the Royal Armouries on clips and chargers but association business takes place first, one of the members brought this old piece of tat in for us to peruse;
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The lid had this mark;
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Inside was this old piece of tat;
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I know there are a few in Ottawa but over here they are pretty rare;
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Yes the rubber eye piece was still in very good nick too!
 
Thats the famous picture mentioned in the discussion last night before the lecture, apparently the Canadian division didnt want to use the Ross for sniping in 1940 when the need arose and around about 1-300 sights were fitted to P 14s. The No3 sniping rifle was shipped overseas to India as the No4 T came available but Canada was happy with the Warner Swasey sight. A lot of the features were explained last night. It isnt generally known if these were Winchester F models as per the interwar No.3 sniping rifle and mounts were made. An appeal to members to keep an eye out for a mount or rifle fitted with the mount was made but its the proverbial hens teeth I suspect. Even an original No3 sniping rifle is a rare beasty!
 
WoW!
That really was the greatest generation. It look's like an early form of an ACOG.
Thanx for the pic's & info!
 
Funnily enough the No 32 scope was originally designed to fit the Bren! Forward thinking British Army? Heaven forbid, a successful war should sort that out!
 
These prismatic types must have looked very old-fashioned even in 1940 (even by 1920 they were out of date). They were scraping the barrel to set these things up on rifles by then.
 
Mk VII said:
These prismatic types must have looked very old-fashioned even in 1940 (even by 1920 they were out of date). They were scraping the barrel to set these things up on rifles by then.
Click to expand...
Canadas choice and it seemed to work although the fact that nearly none survived is a good indicator of popularity. I will check Skennerton for his write ups. My Gt Uncle did tell me about the Ross being an emergency issue when the armoury caught fire in 1939
 
Very nice Tim ... thanks for the pics ... :)

If anyone wants to get a really up close look at these old Warner @Swasey scopes, including a look at how the range tables reticule worked, here you go... ;)

Model 1913 Warner & Swasey Telescopic Musket Sights
c/w RIA M1908 Pattern Leather Carrying Case

(Click PIC to Enlarge)


Model 1913 Warner & Swasey (click here)

... and, yes .... all correct WW1 Enfield snipers are hard to find and validate ...

1916 ShtLE (Short Lee-Enfield) No.1 MkIII* Sniper Rifle (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=87
c/w Winchester A5 (5 Power) Offset Scope with Whitehead Mounts
(Mfg by RSAF Enfield)

(Click PIC to Enlarge)

They only made 907 of them ...

Regards,
Badger
 
Another one surfaces! I've been logging Canadian Contract W&S 'scopes, cases and Mk III Ross rifles that originally were set up as Snipers for quite a few years now. I show 'scope numbers 325 and 338, close to this one. Any way anyone out there can confirm the Rifle Number stamped in the case? I clearly see 903 over 1917, but the two letters following are indistinct. I would expect to find "LL" but would appreciate confirmation. As well, can anyone confirm that the Serial stamped on the 'scope itself is in fact "327" as the case is marked,or is it some other number? Any and all assistance would be appreciated, including the same info from either other surviving 'scopes and/or cases out there in the wilderness...
 
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