WW1 Scope Warner And Swasey Telescopic Musket Sight Model Of 1913 (RARE) EBAY

$1000 AUD Starting Bid

Ebay Link: WW1 Scope Warner And Swasey Telescopic Musket Sight Model Of 1913 (RARE) | eBay

A Fine Untouched Example Of A Warner And Swasey Musket Sight Used On Ross Rifles, Springfield 1903 and Benet-Mercie Machine Guns During WW1

Some of the clearest optics I have seen for a scope like this in years!

Back Story:
Originally purchased over eBay from an old French man who (from what I made out over google translate) found it in the old barn behind his house

Replacement rubber eyecup (not original) as seen in photos included

History (see below): From americanrifleman.org:

The W&S telescope was a prismatic design that allowed for a wide field of view for the then relatively high power (6X) of the scope.

The main difference between the M1913 and its predecessor was the lowering of the power to 5.2X to improve light-gathering characteristics. The outside configuration of the body was slightly changed as were the elevation dial and locking nut. The method of attachment to the rifle and virtually everything else was identical to the M1908 model.

The M1913 superseded the M1908 variant and was the standard U.S. Army rifle telescope at the time of the United States’ entry into World War I.

Some M1913 W&S scopes were fitted to select M1903 rifles during the late 1916 to early 1917 period, although most were assembled in Fiscal Year 1918.

A quantity of only 1,041 M1913 W&S sights were installed on M1903 rifles in fiscal year 1918.

The last shipments noted for these rifles/scopes was December 1919. Examples found today that are not marked with serial numbers inside the dovetail recess were surplus and were not fitted to rifles. Obviously, such scopes were not items of issue during the war.

"Untouched" by who exactly?

If it had been left in the "dug out of a field" condition it would have had considerable value as a WWI relic, particularly if the location where it was found could be established as that would allow it to be tied to particular US formation and battle.

Now unfortunately it is just another of those butchered remains left by past generations of basement bubbas, which periodically show up on ePay and from which a few usable parts can occasionally be salvaged.

The scope from the link has replaced screws and replacement ocular piece. It is fully missing the original mount that attaches it to the dovetail of the rifle. Given these facts I would put the value of the handful left over parts maybe at $ 100-200. The asking price on eBay is extremely overpriced, anyone who pays this is a fool.

Indeed. Let this stand as an example of what NOT to do with a battlefied relic.

Since the money probably means more to most people than the historical value, in monetary terms, an "as dug" M1913 scope with a US WWI battlefield attribution might sell for twice this price on the right day.

Now it is nothing but a parts-car and one can see that someone has already scavenged from it parts such as the range-estimating scale and screws. Or perhaps those were just lost in the process of "restoration"? :rolleyes:

Well it eventually sold! Sadly this is how I received the scope from France and the only modification I did was adding the correct thread screws to hold the top of the scope on.
It is truly sad to see history be "modified" or end up as a bubbas project like this but pieces such as these are becoming scarce especially over hear in Australia. I hope whoever purchased it off me is happy with the purchase!