Sight aperture question

[Bill Hollinger]

I have noticed that two of my sight apertures have what looks like knurling, checkering or the like on the back of the peep, the part that faces your eye. One is a Winchester and one a Springfield Armory. None of the other sight apertures are like this. Any ideas? TIA

http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2009/04/P4070097-1.jpg

http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2009/04/P4070098-1.jpg

[Dan Shapiro]

The original idea was to reduce reflected glare. My correct 6 mil has it. Could it be that the sights are just old and worn, or possibly somehow missed being stamped?

[latigo 1]

I have seen lots of aperatures, but none without the checkering. They are not all exactly alike though. The checkering can vary from coarse to fine. Some have lines that are not cut as deep as others, even on the same aperature. I have a WRA where the lines are deeper on one side of the aperature and start to fade out as it gets to the other side. Lots of variations, but I think they were all checkered.

[Just Jim]

The top sight with the angled checkering appears to be a I.H.C. aperture . The second one with the more HONEYCOMB look appears to be a HRA .

[HighPowerShooter]

hhhmm... I have about 30 or so aperatures and about 1/2 of them have the 'checkering' I;ll have to go look at them more closely to see if I can see the differences

[latigo 1]

hhhmm... I have about 30 or so aperatures and about 1/2 of them have the 'checkering' I;ll have to go look at them more closely to see if I can see the differences

Are you sure? I would not be surprised if once in a while an aperature went through production and the checkering step was missed but 1/2 without checkering seems way out of normal. I just checked 39 sights and all have the checkering. Two appeared smooth to the naked eye, but when I used a magnifying glass I could see they were just lightly checkered. These aperatures were from both SA and WRA lock bar sights and the T105E sights so it seems that checkering was done during all periods of manufacture. The ones with the lightest checkering seemed to be the WWII aperatures. Even the model shop aperature shown in Billy Pile's "Gas Trap Garand" book shows the checkering.

[Bill Hollinger]

Okay Latigo 1, you got me good! I went back and checked all the sights and sure enough, checkered every last one of them. Old eyes are not what they once were:p

Jim, are you saying the sight on my Winchester is not WRA? I hope it is but hey, you never know. I have so much to learn. My brain hurts:eek:

Here are some other pictures of the sights:

WRA front veiw and side veiw.
http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2009/04/P4080099-1.jpg
http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2009/04/P4080100-1.jpg

The rear sight on my 9-41 S/A Garand:
http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2009/04/P4080102-1.jpg

And my 3-45 S/A Garand:
http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2009/04/P4080101-1.jpg

[latigo 1]

Bill, Re: Your WRA sight. The aperature is probably WRA, but you would need to look closely on the side of the gear rack at the bottom near where the teeth end. It could be BMB or BMR and if so, those letters would be lightly stamped in that location. Otherwise the WRA and BMB (R) aperatures were the same shape. The sight cover is the typical SA cover with the wide verticle ribs. Can't tell what the body is by your pics and you would need to take the sight off to determine if it is a WRA body. The pinion and knobs are the T105E post war type.

[Bill Hollinger]

Yeah the pinion, cap and knob are post war T105E, the sight base is a WRA with the radiused cut underneath and rough machining. There is no stamp, letters etc on the aperture. Thanks for all the information.

[Just Jim]

The 3/45 aperture has the finer checkering consitant with WWII production . Both apertures in your first post appear from what I can see in the photographs to have Post War checkering . The side profile of the WRA you posted today does appear to be the thicker top used by WRA so it may be the way I am seeing them .