Did Canada evaluate the Leopold 2.5 "Alaskan" telescopic sight as well as the Lyman?
I have been looking at an odd ball No.4 Mk1* (T) with Griffin & Howe mount and rings that Ian Skennerton twisted my arm into buying at the Tulsa show about fifteen years ago. We took it apart at the show and it was different enough that I did buy it.
I know you are not to buy the story just the gun but the Texas dealer said enough to make sense with what we had in our hands. It came from a Texas estate where the former owner had retired from Long Branch Arsenal. He apparently took the receiver and mount home following his retirement and built the gun up using British parts.
I have shown pictures of the rifle before on various sites. The receiver is unmarked, Mk1* with a 1 inch circular plug fixed into the bottom of the receiver to move the trigger mounting location. Two opposed screws retain the plug into place. The trigger is lengthed about 1 inch to increase the moment arm [lighter trigger pull] and hung through a stamped steel triangular assembly. Skenerton has published a line drawing of this system as developed at Long Branch and not adopted.
The telescopic mount base is unmarked except for the oval mark on the left front of the mount. The rings are numbered 12. The barrel is an English 1941 unnumbered. Forestock and handguards are WWII period English production. The buttstock is Canadian with what appears to be a non stand cast steel butt place with no provision for butt trap door that is interchangeable with normal issue.
The rifle came with a Leopold 2.5 power post and crosshair "Alaskan" model telescopic sight number 90. My telescopic sight references do no list a Leopold Alaskan model but I note that the company existed in the pre WII period. My initial thought was that the gentleman knew his mount would take an "Alaskan" and may have bought the Leopold as it was available. As I can't determine the time period for a Leopold---could it have been a Long Branch and evaluated along with the Lyman? I note that Clive Law's book on Canadian sniping indicates that they also evaluated the Weaver scope Model 330 as well.
This started as it came without a rear sight and I just got the gumption to put one on it. Interestingly, I note that the Lyman scoped No. 4 had the battle sight removed in the same manner as the No.32 scope rifles. There is plenty of room that the battle sight did not have to be removed but-- we follow orders. It is amazine that things we don't know.
Warren--Dr. P--Peter??
3 Attachment(s)
Pictures of odd LB sniper with trigger modifications
Attached are photos of the unusual No.4 Mk1*Long Branch sniper rifle set up by the retired employee.
From left to right:
1 Receiver with no markings, unusual elongated trigger mechanism.
2 Bottom of receiver showing round plug inserted to provide a location to pivot the trigger assy. Plug is retained by two screws entering from the sides of the receiver.
3 Cast steel butt plate with no provison for butt trap.
