Looking to buy that No32 'scope.........

[vintage hunter]

Don't know what info you're after exactly but you have a Brit made Houghton-Butcher No.32 Mk.1. The serial number puts it in the second contract batch, IIRC. From the looks of it's had a hard life and is in need of servicing. This will, among other things, take care of the squiggly thing in the image. Mk.1's have a 2 M.O.A. ranging and deflection click value vs. a 1 M.O.A. value of the later Mk.2, 2/1,3 and L1A1 scopes.
Being a Mk.1 it undoubtedly saw service in WWII, maybe Korea and possibly with the Indian army. Mk.1 scopes were withdrawn from British service in 1955 I think it was. As far as where it's been and what it's done since leaving service is anybodys guess. Judging from the type of rings it's wearing now theres a good chance it ended up on a .22 at some point.

[billy67]

Thanks for your input. would like to know if its possible to remove that hair in the reticle and in this condition, what would be the value of this scope.
thanks

[vintage hunter]

Yes it's quite possible but it's not a job for the inexperienced. It's real easy to screw up one of these old scopes if you don't know what you're doing. There's a couple members here that service/repair these, one in Canada the other in England but I'll let them identify themselves.
As far as value goes it's hard to say. But, generally the Mk,1's aren't as desireable as the later marks except in certain circumstances. It has been said that the value is what it fetches at auction on that particular day but I don't agree with that 100%. I prefer to think something is worth whatever price two people can agree on

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, Vintage Hunter....., you have just identified the difference between the PRICE of something, the WORTH of something and the VALUE of something.

What you are suggesting is a most laudable and benevolent idea but........ and we've all been there....., where you agree a between-pals price for something and a while later, he, being shrewd (or a shyster) as opposed to benevolent sells it on auction to the highest bidder.

Ask me about the bundle of new, still wrapped No4 Mk1 cruciform (yes, real ones.....) spike bayonets I had one day

[browningautorifle]

new, still wrapped No4 Mk1 cruciform

That would have been a while ago I should think...

[Peter Laidler]

About 10 years ago BAR! There were 6 or 8 in a bundle, less scabbards, all greasy and in that cream coloured cloth impregnated greasy wrap stuff. Brand new, as issued from Ordnance They'd been in an old dusty cellar cupboard drawer since whenever and the Ordnance label, one dated 1950 or 56 (it could have been 50 anything to be honest.....) was still tied to several of them. But, the part number had a line scrawled around it and OBSOLETE written across it. As such, obsolete means to be withdrawn forthwith and certainly not issued. So there they stayed. Jock the storeman just assumed that they were cruciform AK type bayonets left from Gulf 1 and gave them to S/Sgt W who gave them to me for the collection. I kept a couple, put a couple in the collection and gave a couple away. Anyway, a couple of months later someone who I'd given one to asked me for another - as he'd put the first one on that auction site!

A persons benevolence can only stretch sooooooo far........... Then the laws of hard nosed economics takes over

[browningautorifle]

10 years ago

The sort of story we hear from time to time. Every one of us is waiting to open that drawer or go up into that attic...find that barn...basement... Makes one weep.

[PrinzEugen]

Yes that would be somewhat galling Peter - something passed on in that way shouldn't be flogged for profit! On the issue of mk1 scopes raised by vintage hunter, they are less desirable than later marks (mk2/1s are probably most desirable) but in reality they're not really any worse than the others apart from some minor foibles surrounding three handed zeroing and mos clicks. Once zeroed they're just as good.

[Peter Laidler]

As a rule of thumb, any object that is inside the tube and in focus, such as the hair in Billy's 'scope, then it ON the focal plane. In other words, stuck on the grat or crosswire.

Now, billy, this is what yiu can do to correct yours, as a quick fix. |Unscrew the 4x small 8BA range/turret cover/index plate screws. GENTLY lift off the turret thumbscrew and underneath that, the complete diaphragm/graticle block assembly. Part fill a small egg cup with alcohol based cleaner/trichlorethylene or methylated spirit, sufficient to just cover the grat block and dunk the grat block in it for 15 mts or so. carefully slosh it around and hopefully the hair and other contaminants will fall off.

Blow the grat block clear with an air can but DO NOT, NEVER, EVER, NEVER touch it. Now assemble up and inspect.. Take apart, grease up the screw holes, smear of grease over where cover seals down, align clicker plunger, reassemble, test and screw down.

[vintage hunter]

On the issue of mk1 scopes raised by vintage hunter, they are less desirable than later marks (mk2/1s are probably most desirable) but in reality they're not really any worse than the others apart from some minor foibles surrounding three handed zeroing and mos clicks. Once zeroed they're just as good.

This is all true Prinz, but I based my desirability statement purely on my observations over the last 4 years or so of which ones sell the quickest and bring the mostest.

What you are suggesting is a most laudable and benevolent idea but........ and we've all been there....., where you agree a between-pals price for something and a while later, he, being shrewd (or a shyster) as opposed to benevolent sells it on auction to the highest bidder.

Pete, I see your point. It's a good one and I agree from a moral standpoint. But really and truly anything given, traded or sold to another then becomes their property to do with as they wish, even when it's done in good faith. If I give something to somebody and that person then decides to part with the item in the quest for the almighty dollar any misdeed associated with it is their problem and they'll be the one standing tall before the Man in the end, not me.