Govt Acceptance Markings/Rifle Numbers(?) on Gibbs SMLE Gallean Sights...

[Madzi]

Hi All - Hoping someone might have some ideas on markings and numbers on a set of Gibbs sights for the SMLE that I've got. Both foresight and rearsight have the "swooped wing" style of arrowhead stamped on them - rearsight it has been done quite crudely, so definitely wasn't factory done, and a four-diget number punched in which seem to be the same font as those on bases etc on my PPC scope (as opposed to the factory fonts for patent numbers. Interestingly there doesn't seem to be an arrow "shaft" on these acceptance marks - if indeed that is what they are - picture also attached of a cocking piece on my metford to illustrate what I would have expected to see. Are these indeed acceptance marks, and if so, are the (non-matching) stamped numbers rifle numbers (as per the practice with scopes), or just part numbers?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Roger Payne]

The 'arrow without the shaft' means that that optical device was examined for possible government service, found to be acceptable, but not required! A 'half arrow' (one side & the shaft, on the other hand meant that the instrument had not met the government acceptance standards. See p18 TBS, Skennerton.

[Madzi]

Excellent! Thanks Roger - got TBS and had read up on the Gallean sights, but had totally missed that bit!

[Roger Payne]

No worries. Recent threads have made me get the book out & reread parts of it again........I'd forgotten how much I'd forgotten!

[lmg15]

Madzi, I saw a very nice Gibbs optical sight recently for auction. Looking at the photos, I could not see if there was any Govt markings, but was in a nice leather case with instructions. Looked brilliant!
Attachment 108374

I put some of this in the PPC scope thread, but is better off here.

First pic is a Govt marked Lattey. I have only the front half, but would be interested to hear from anyone with a spare rear half.

Attachment 108375

Next pic is of a cased Martin's optical sight. It has no Govt marks on any of the hardware, but does have a pencil annotation on the box in military stores style "Sight, Martins, Optical, 90" so wondering if this may have been one of the rush jobs fielded early?

Attachment 108376Attachment 108377

ATB, D

[WillSarchet]

I saw that first one as well... had a winning down under 500 bid up until the last fifteen seconds, whereupon two other bidders finished near 1700 USD! Too pricy for my blood.

[Alan de Enfield]

ext pic is of a cased Martin's optical sight. It has no Govt marks on any of the hardware, but does have a pencil annotation on the box in military stores style "Sight, Martins, Optical, 90" so wondering if this may have been one of the rush jobs fielded early?

It looks like it does have the 'half-arrow' Government marking indicating it failed to meet "Government acceptance standards"

Maybe it was received into stores, Goods Inwards Inspection where it failed acceptance standards and either sat in stores for years, and/or was sold off 'out of service'.

[lmg15]

Alan,

I'll grant that the broad arrow is a bit uneven, but looks like it has two sides and a stem....

Attachment 108411

[Alan de Enfield]

Alan,

I'll grant that the broad arrow is a bit uneven, but looks like it has two sides and a stem....

Attachment 108411

True enough - that being the case it does in fact have a Government acceptance / ownership mark.

[lmg15]

Thanks Alan, it can now hold its head high. It is always nice to be properly "accepted". ATB. D.