No32 Mk3 scope overhaul.

Does anyone have any experience here in having their No32 scope professionally overhauled / serviced? I have a seized or exceptionally stiff windage drum, and this is something that I do not want to attempt myself. ( For fear of butchering it.)
From the reading I have done, I believe Fultons are the people to do it, does anyone here have any experiences here that they can share with having their scopes serviced? Including costs etc. I am in Australia, and its a long way to send a scope without some research.

Thanks in advance for the help.
Chris

Fultons are indeed the people to use. They pass them on to a chap whom I think a few of us know, who's quite adequate at repairing them...............! He's even been known to make the odd posting on this forum.

I'm UK based anyway, so postage would not be so much of an issue, but perhaps some of the Aussie forummers may know of someone in your neck of the woods who could do it. It could well be a fairly simple fix like solidified grease in the clicker plunger housing. If not then it's probably worth sending it over here IMHO.

ATB.

Surely there MUST be someone in Oz who can repair these things......, surely? Unless the UK repair costs are substantially less/economic enough to send one to the UK

Thank Peter, I would prefer to send it to Fultons from what I have read of their service. I would like a thorough going over of the scope and who knows. There may be more wrong with it than a sticky drum. Best to send it to the experts and not worry about the postage costs. Any idea the cost of an overhaul / repair?

If you are happy to send it to the UK to have it repaired, please do yourself a favour and do some reading on this forum to arrive at the correct conclusion to the hint given in post number 2 .. it's right there in front of you. Obscure enough ?? :)

xa-coupe, I did get the hint and have done my absolute best to research into the apparent problem. The most obvious solution, that this forum spits out is "Buy Peters book...Buy Peters book...Buy Peters book...Buy Peters book...Buy Peters book...Buy Peters book..." I'm all bout having a go and fixing it, and I have managed to make the windage drum turn a little more freely, but as the saying goes, you don't know what you don't know. I will buy the book on the No32 scopes, however since this is the first time that I've ever gone to adjust the scope and happened upon an issue, I feel the prudent course of action is to send it to someone who knows what they are doing, and since there is an event coming up in August, I have the time to get it done right by a professional, AND acquire the relevant books, all before the upcoming event.

Malcom Eames @ optical Restorers in Qld
0407007116
May just be your man

A bit stronger hint :

Fultons don't service it themselves - they are just a middleman and forward it onto someone who has already made a post in this thread.

To be honest and truthful MZFR, if that is all that is wrong with your scope and you're willing to learn I'll tell you what to do. You game? But you will have to be prepared to make a couple of small tools first. There's no room for bodgery with me..........

Annanuvverfing. You'll need that little book too.................

Alan - Thanks I was aware that Fultons are a middle man, they said so themselves in an email.

Peter - I would be more than willing to learn what to do. However.... "If that is all that is wrong with your scope" Well Peter, how would I know? I'm trying to engage the services of the expert to tell me. I'm all about having a go, but like I keep repeating myself, I don't know what I don't know.

I appreciate everyones input, although its hard not to get frustrated here, looking for answers not hints.

Takes a little while to get used to the way things work around here.. quite unusually for internet forums, no one big notes themselves. Hopefully all sorted now :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mfzr01

Alan - Thanks I was aware that Fultons are a middle man, they said so themselves in an email.

.

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Ok - MFZR send his scope to Fultons for repair - Fultons send it to Peter Laidler who repairs it, sends it back to Fultons, Fultons add service charge to invoice and send it back to MFZR

All clear ?

However if you have heard that Fultons do a good job ............

Thankyou for that Alan.
It is (painfully) clear to me now how this repair process would work.

That way the repair man doesn't deal with the public who can and have been known to be, especially in the world of shooters and collectors, be a little, er........... how do I put this in delicate diplomatic words........... Anyway. The phrase Anal, Anoracks, train spotters, stupid questions, impossible requests (one, on hearing the £15 price for a new platinum .0008" thick crosswire asked if I could repair the old one instead.....) deep pockets with short arms are several of the phrases I have heard about but never actually experienced you understand. Additionally, they deal with the customs clearance, duty payable, import crap and VAT THEN reclaim the import duty and VAT on export, get lumbered with the PO charges, export paperwork if necessary and BEST of all, dealing with the owners!

And to be brutally honest, I don't really enjoy doing them. Some light my fire a bit but the enthusiasm started to wane in about 1975.

That's why I always encourage any budding customer to try elsewhere first or better still try it themselves.............

It is well worth the cost and risk to send your No32 sight to Fultons for repair and refurbishment.

I have had five go through the process and I highly commend the standard of work.

The cost is not cheap but very fair given the time taken and skills applied to give you a scope that is ready for another 60 years of service.

Pics of the five that I have sent are posted. Links are below.

No32 Mk1. 2707 (now property of NewbieDan) No 32 Mk 1 William Watson #2707
No32 Mk1. 6066 NO 32 Mk 1 Kershaw Limited #6066
No32 Mk2. 10659 No 32 Mk 2 HBM #10659
No32 Mk2. 10930 No 32 Mk 2 HBM #10930
No32 Mk2/1. 347 No 32 Mk 2/1 Vickers #347

The pictures can not show the improvement in the optics from having 70 years of crud removed, lenses cleaned and refocussed.

A few T owners who have seen my scopes have put theirs through the same process and are also very happy with the results.

I would not hesitate to send another scope, but I think that I may have used up my quota with the repairer.

If your scope of needs minor work, there is an alternative in Australia. Roderick Fielder, who is in Sydney, is a very well regarded scope repairer, who has experience with No 32 sights.

I have not personally used Rod, but he is highly recommended by shooters and collectors on another forum. I can PM you his contact details, if you dont want to go down the Fultons path.

Cheers

Paul

PS. Do get the little book. It is a great read that I regularly return to on a rainy day.