Leather lens cover for 4t sniper

All. I could use a bit of advice. I have five sets of leather sniper scope lens covers for the No 32 scopes on my No4t rifles. Four of the sets are normal thin Brit leather covers. One is different, a thicker leather cover, with a kind of bark finish. I looked in Laidler's book, Law's Canadian sniper book, and Skennerton's book. The only reference I can find is a similar set on a Canadian 4t on page 248 of Skennerton's book. I am not permitted to post photos but can email them to anyone interested. The center strap is missing and I can't make out the ink stamp. Anyone have an idea if they are early or late war, Brit or Canadian, postwar, Indian?

David

Can I ask why you are not allowed to post pics its not as if a No.32 scope lense cover is going to end the world as we know it. You could send them to Badger and he will post them (Sorry Badger) but I see no difference posting them to him or just posting them yourself :confused:

There's no reason here that you can't post them. I could do it for you if you like...I'll PM you my Email address...

Please contact me at snipershot1944@yahoo.com and I will gladly send pics. Thanks

OK, here are snipershot's pics of scope caps...he can give you particulars...

Thanks BAR.

What's the problem I'm bound to ask? Is there a problem or do you just need to know who made them? They look like the usual British type to me that we used to see day in and out. We used to get loads of them dried out and broken. If they just needed a new joint strap or sewing up to make as good as new we'd take a big bin full to the Equipment Repairers shop and he'd fix up and send back.

Question is who made them, and what period? Early wartime, late, postwar. British, Canadian or Indian? When were the thick leather caps used vs the more normal thin leather ones?

There was a spec for the leather that was to be used to make and repair them but I don't know what it was except that it was said to be the finest cow-hide! Some leather was wrinkled like that shown and some was smooth. The last ones were very thin button joint strapped, made for the L1A1 scope. Before that we had a large batch of black ones and before that a big batch of ex No53 caps where you could see the retaining ring snipped off - or not even snipped off on lots of them.

Here's one like it that's on my 1944 "T" . The rifle and all accessories are original and matching including, the scope, mount, scope case and chest. Most of the stamp is rubbed off as it rides against the back scope ring and it is hard to make out. As it appears the rifle and all the accessories have been together since day one, it might give good cause to believe the scope covers are British and date at least to 1944.

Peter what period would the No.53 caps be for. Ray

Attachment 65017

Yes, that's it.

I would say that the ex No42/53 scope caps with the ring thing snipped off would be early 70's or so, after their actual scopes were obsolete. But once things trickle into the system as 'slow movers' they tended to stay around for ages so you'd still see them until the 80's or so. But to be honest, the average Armourer wouldn't differentiate between any of the various sorts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

I would say that the ex No42/53 scope caps with the ring thing snipped off would be early 70's or so, after their actual scopes were obsolete. But once things trickle into the system as 'slow movers' they tended to stay around for ages so you'd still see them until the 80's or so. But to be honest, the average Armourer wouldn't differentiate between any of the various sorts.

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Peter, am I to assume that the No42 refers to 1942 dated caps and No.53 to 1953 dated. Sorry for being so un-knowledgeable, Ray

Er....., no! No42 means the No42 telescope and No53, the No53 telescopes that were tank co-axial telescopes optically identical to the No32. Someones's bound to ask me next why a telescope in a tank turret would need eye caps............ The only reason why the optical systems inside tank turrets have covers is due to the cordite and main charge fumes leaving a thick greasy smeary film on the lenses. Hence flaps/covers on the periscope/sights etc etc

Sorry still very confused, but what scope was the no.42 caps used for. I under stand the N0.53 caps were for the tank scope. Was the no. 42 the one used for the No.32 scopes? Ray

4 different types of scopes with the same sized caps:

no32 sniper rifle with adjustable post and bar reticle

no42 tank? fixed glass? reticle

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...o42scope-1.jpg

no53 tank? fixed glass? reticle

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1_563JPG-1.jpg

just to confuse you there is also a no71 which is a no32 converted for use in a tank. fitted with a glass reticle

https://www.milsurps.com/attachment....5&d=1438510377


no53 reticle left no32 right. picture from Lee Enfield .303 - | 150 best links to everything Lee Enfield.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...hreticle-1.jpg

a good article on parts inter-changeability:
Milsurps Knowledge Library - No42 and No53 sights …. Have you ever thought? (by Peter Laidler))

Quote: Anyone have an idea if they are early or late war, Brit or Canadian, postwar, Indian? Quote:


Thank you, confusion cleared up after reading Peter's article you posted I understand now. No.42 & No.53 are not the cap pattern dates but the scopes they are for. Because of OP's posted question regarding dates, I was thinking in terms of dates not scope/patterns, I understand now. Ray

Quote:

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Originally Posted by henry r

4 different types of scopes with the same sized caps:

no32 sniper rifle with adjustable post and bar reticle

no42 tank? fixed glass? reticle

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...o42scope-1.jpg

no53 tank? fixed glass? reticle

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1_563JPG-1.jpg

just to confuse you there is also a no71 which is a no32 converted for use in a tank. fitted with a glass reticle

https://www.milsurps.com/attachment....5&d=1438510377


no53 reticle left no32 right. picture from Lee Enfield .303 - | 150 best links to everything Lee Enfield.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...hreticle-1.jpg

a good article on parts inter-changeability:
Milsurps Knowledge Library - No42 and No53 sights …. Have you ever thought? (by Peter Laidler))

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I think that's a No71 reticule isn't it with the numbers 6 to 14? The No.53s I've seen had a four post reticule stepping down in thickness about halfway along each post and with an open center to the field of view.

my no.71 is different (i'll add a picture shortly).

i just went off how the original picture was captioned.

Thanks.

Interesting how they were able to fit an etched glass reticule to the No71, but not to the No32. There was a trial done in 1944/45 which recommended a modified reticule including a two-thickness crossbar or horizontal wire. The reason obviously was that in low light you can then find the heavier horizontal bar as easily as the vertical post and use the two to align on the target without actually seeing the tip of the post or the crosswire/horizontal bar, as you can with the German or No.8 reticule. Some of the WWI German scopes went one better and had a short vertical bar projecting down from the top of the field of view; to be used against the lighter skyline of course.

Saying that, it's strange that we retained this method right up until............., well, it's still with us! We wanted this UK standard method on a replacement for the S&B 6x 42 L13 scope but Bushnell couldn't/would do.