For my own curiosity, I decided to measure out the sight radius on all of my Milsurps. I'll list them from shortest to longest. I measured roughly to the nearest 1/2 inch.
M91 Carcano Cav. Carbine >>> 15'
Steyr M95 Carbine >>> 16'
Mosin M44 Carbine >>> 16 1/2'
SKS >>> 19'
SMLE >>> 19 1/2'
VZ 24 Mauser >>> 20'
Vergueiro 1904/39 >>> 20'
M38 Swede Mauser >>> 20 1/2'
M1 Carbine >>> 21 1/2'
SVT-40 >>> 22 1/2'
Swiss K31 >>> 22 1/2'
Swede AG42B >>> 23 1/2'
MAS 36/51 >>> 23 1/2'
FN 49 >>> 24 1/2'
M1 Garand >>> 28'
As I acquire more rifles, and therefore get more hands on time with a greater variety of guns, the little details interest me more and more. I believe in a global industrial mass war, it generally only mattered that a conscript infantry soldier had a rugged and functional rifle. However, as modern day shooters and collectors, we can really appreciate the small details.
Looking only at rifle specs on paper can be misleading. Only by handling and shooting specific guns do you learn their true user attributes. Mosins, Enfields, and Mausers all use 5 round stripper clips, but it only takes a few rushed reloads to see one system is far superior. Likewise when shouldering a Garand the sights seem to pop naturally into alignment, while I find I have to really 'scrunch' down on an M1 Carbine stock to align the sights. Finally, one really must volley off a 'mad minute' to appreciate that amazingly fluid and well positioned Lee Enfield bolt compared to a clunky Mauser.
Granted a lot of that is subjective, so lets get back to something we can measure, sight radius.
The carbines, naturally, come up much shorter, although I noticed that some certainly had room to stretch them back further on the barrel. I suspect they simply mounted the sights where it was easiest and most economical to do so.
Most of my rifles fall into the 'short', or 'universal' rifle category, and the standard seems to sit right around 20 inches. Take note the miniscule M1 Carbine has an impressive 21 1/2 inches thanks to a rear sight mounted at the back of the receiver. This would become a popular mounting point, and you can see it in my collection on the MAS-36, FN 49, and most impressively on the huge 28' radius on the classic Garand.
It is noteworthy that the Soviet SKS stuck with a more forward, barrel mounted sight. Likewise the AK would carry on this method.
Feel free to add to the list. I'm certainly curious about the sight radius on many of those full length, WWI era rifles.
M91 Carcano Cav. Carbine >>> 15'
Steyr M95 Carbine >>> 16'
Mosin M44 Carbine >>> 16 1/2'
SKS >>> 19'
SMLE >>> 19 1/2'
VZ 24 Mauser >>> 20'
Vergueiro 1904/39 >>> 20'
M38 Swede Mauser >>> 20 1/2'
M1 Carbine >>> 21 1/2'
SVT-40 >>> 22 1/2'
Swiss K31 >>> 22 1/2'
Swede AG42B >>> 23 1/2'
MAS 36/51 >>> 23 1/2'
FN 49 >>> 24 1/2'
M1 Garand >>> 28'
As I acquire more rifles, and therefore get more hands on time with a greater variety of guns, the little details interest me more and more. I believe in a global industrial mass war, it generally only mattered that a conscript infantry soldier had a rugged and functional rifle. However, as modern day shooters and collectors, we can really appreciate the small details.
Looking only at rifle specs on paper can be misleading. Only by handling and shooting specific guns do you learn their true user attributes. Mosins, Enfields, and Mausers all use 5 round stripper clips, but it only takes a few rushed reloads to see one system is far superior. Likewise when shouldering a Garand the sights seem to pop naturally into alignment, while I find I have to really 'scrunch' down on an M1 Carbine stock to align the sights. Finally, one really must volley off a 'mad minute' to appreciate that amazingly fluid and well positioned Lee Enfield bolt compared to a clunky Mauser.
Granted a lot of that is subjective, so lets get back to something we can measure, sight radius.
The carbines, naturally, come up much shorter, although I noticed that some certainly had room to stretch them back further on the barrel. I suspect they simply mounted the sights where it was easiest and most economical to do so.
Most of my rifles fall into the 'short', or 'universal' rifle category, and the standard seems to sit right around 20 inches. Take note the miniscule M1 Carbine has an impressive 21 1/2 inches thanks to a rear sight mounted at the back of the receiver. This would become a popular mounting point, and you can see it in my collection on the MAS-36, FN 49, and most impressively on the huge 28' radius on the classic Garand.
It is noteworthy that the Soviet SKS stuck with a more forward, barrel mounted sight. Likewise the AK would carry on this method.
Feel free to add to the list. I'm certainly curious about the sight radius on many of those full length, WWI era rifles.
