a4 sporter?

[ssgross]

Can anyone comment on the correct rings for the m82 scopes? I have a m73b1 on another sporter-to-a4-clone, I'm going to put that on this rifle since it is the real thing (receiver anyway), and put an m82 repro on the other one. I have a set of 7/8 split top, but I noticed that hi-lux is using 2 piece. I found pics of supposed "original" a4's with both.

NOS barrel still in the wrap is on it's way (only one I found was on gunbroker). should be 1944 2-groover. According to Remington society, a 12-43 or 1-44 would be a perfect match. fingers crossed.

[Neal Myers]

The US military used parkerized 7/8" two piece rings for the M82 & variants when mounted on the A4. Yes, you could force open your set of one piece rings so that they would go on the scope, but that would ruin the rings for any other use. And, it wouldn't look "right".

Neal

[ssgross]

Yes, you could force open your set of one piece rings so that they would go on the scope, but that would ruin the rings for any other use.

I have 7/8" one piece rings, so no forcing open required.
Here is one example...https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...with-m82-scope
and another...http://www.byswordandmusket.co.uk/pa...-sniper-rifle/

Well, now, I had though I saw one somewhere with 2 piece split rings, but now I can't find it - or at least can't find one claiming to be an original.
EDIT: on the wikipedia page for the 1903 Springfield is a 1903a4 with m84 scope and 2 piece rings.

[browningautorifle]

no forcing open required

Did they REALLY do it that way when they were assembling them? I just wonder if they slid the rings on as they assembled the ocular lens and gassed them after the rings were slid on the scope tube?

[ssgross]

Did they REALLY do it that way when they were assembling them

I thought he meant forcing open the 3/4 inch rings to work for the 7/8 scope - don't know how that would work.
Was the m82 gas purged? I didn't think so. Looks like the eyepiece screws off - slide on rings as you said.

[browningautorifle]

That's the thing, someone here should know. I just can't see forcing the rings wide open to drop a scope in. I don't know if the scopes then were gas purged but if not how did they keep them from fogging up?

[ssgross]

how did they keep them from fogging up?

tuck your rifle up against your body as you sleep to keep it warm and prevent condensation? Remove the eyepiece and let it air out with dry air, like next to a fire? I read the original unertl scopes fogged up the morning after their first real combat use in the pacific, and were not used again for the remainder of the campaign.

Hopefully someone will come along and point us to a reference of the actual field tricks employed.

[browningautorifle]

Hopefully someone will come along and point us to a reference

That would help. I wonder if cplstevennorton has any testimony, he's studied USMC use of 1903s extensively.

Letting a scope air out in the humid conditions of the pacific campaign would be reaching some... I hadn't heard about the Unertl scopes fogging up.

[ssgross]

I hadn't heard about the Unertl scopes fogging up.

It's been talked about. I confirmed it with reading a firsthand account - I think it was in the book "40 thieves on Saipan".

[browningautorifle]

That would be a bad thing, keep you from doing business. I'd never heard about it.