British Army Sniper Spotting Scopes

[waco16]

I have recently managed to add to my collection a very nice swift spotting scope fresh from disposal in its original transit case complete with paperwork.
It prompted me to get out my other scopes and thought that forum members might like to see my line up of spotting scopes associated with British Army Sniping from the No4(T) era to present.

• Telescope. Scout. Regiment MkIIs, Broadhurst Clarkson, Serial Number 15267, OS 126 GA with Leather covered body and sunshade.

• Telescope. Scout. Regiment MkIIs, H C Ryland, Serial Number 20552, OS 126 GA with Vulcanised brown coating on body and sunshade (it took a long time to find one with an undamaged finish!) Eyepiece marked OS 1616 SA

Both of the above scopes are fixed 20x power, housed in leather, velvet lined carry cases with leather carrying strap. They saw service through the No4(T) and L42A1 eras.

• Swift Telescope 6650 99 527 7191, Serial Number 85-52829, manufactured in 1985, housed in Case, Telescope 6650 99 527 7084 with original Swift Tripod with pan and tilt head. Interestingly included with the paperwork for this scope was an instruction sheet for a different variant of Issue Swift Tripod V6/6650 99 527 7083. The case carries NSN labels and descriptions for both the case and telescope together with 5 - 20mm diameter yellow labels with different ET numbers ('ET 10-13/6' & 'ET 10-14/1') The tripod caries three labels: 'S/N 523', 'Part of Serial No 82-20895' (I assume this was a previous scope this tripod was issued with) and 'ET 15/2 5/3. I would be interested in anyone can shed any light on the meaning of these numbers.
These scopes have a variable 15 - 60x zoom with separate focussing knob. They were issued at the end of the L42 and early L96A1 era's, and were optically very good but didn't stand up to desert conditions very well and were replaced with a British variant of the M49.

• United Scientific Instruments - Telescope, Observation M49, V5/6650 99 709 4323, Serial Number USI27202, dated 1991. Manufactured by United Scientific Instruments of Warwickshire, UK. Based very closely on the original US issue M49 with the addition of an extending sunshade, rubber eye cup and lens cover secured by cord around the scope body. There is also a red desiccation screw on the body beneath the eyepiece. The scope is housed in a standard plastic US M164 carry case with hinged lid and nylon web carry strap. The issue tripod is the standard US M15 housed in a canvas M42A1 carry case with MRT (Mould Resisting Treatment). Nylon web closure and carry strap.
These scopes are fixed 20x and were used with the L96A1's during the 1990's until the introduction of the current Leupold L1A1 scopes.

• Leupold L1A1-B5/1240-99-146-7493. 12 - 40x 60mm variable zoom scope manufactured by Leupold in the USA. Fitted with killfash B5/1240 99 837 3001. Housed in Moulded plastic transit case with instructions pasted into lid. Accuracy International supplied lens caps B5/1240 99 232 8653. Scope cover B5 1240 99 710 6894 manufactured by London Bridge Trading Company , Virginia, USA. Tripod is manufactured by the German Company, Cullmann with pan and tilt head, telescopic case and ground spike. Maunfactured from aluminium and high impact plactic. The tripod is the same as the commercial Cullman 'Touring set' produced in the '90's with the addition of the compact version of the pan and tilt head.
This current issue scope carries the same mill dot and range finding reticule found in the 3 - 12 x 50 Schmidt & Bender Scope fitted the L96A1 and L115A1 sniper rifles.

I have another (bare) Swift Scope, in its case (but minus tripod) - please pm me if interested. I may also be able to help anyone who is after a British Issue M49.

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