PPco Scope unknown mount

[Roger Payne]

Availability may also have been a factor here in the decision between fitting an Aldis or a Model 1918. The latter was still current military issue at the time, whereas most of the Aldis scopes would have been recently (then) stripped from SMLE's when they were returned to Weedon circa 1921. They were one of the better British scopes of the era & they would also have been up for grabs on the surplus market. Aldis also continued production of the 4th pattern military type scope for the civilian market for a while after WW1, though I do not know for exactly how long. It has been suggested that they may have been using up leftovers from the WW1 military contracts.

Eric, it is more likely that your rifle was made up at sometime, but if you could tell us your scope serial number (approx would do), what the range grads are, & whether the scope has any signs of previous military acceptance/use, such as a broad arrow mark or engraved rifle serial, that would all help to give you a little more information about it.

[Surpmil]

303 Collector I would think you have a genuine BSA scope & rings there which has been grafted onto a SMLE, whether someone "making do" in the past or as an attempt to pass it off as a WWI sniper rifle who can say? The base is a bit on the crude side compared to the rings, you'd agree?

If we knew how many of these rifles were made up in the early 20s it would go some way towards answering where all the Aldis scopes that were supposed to remain in store for future use, actually ended up.

[Roger Payne]

Hello again Eric. I suspect your scope is one of the post WW1 products from Aldis, although is clearly of the military pattern. The serial number is outside the range found on the military contract instruments. I would also expect a broad arrow &/or a rifle serial number on it, if it was a Great War issue scope. Further, a WW1 sniping provenance to the rifle would be more plausible if the mount system was found on other known examples of WW1 British & Dominion rifles & scopes. It is possible that they are about, but I am unfamiliar with this system other than on the highly sporterised P'14's produced by BSA & shown to us in Nigel's post. This suggests they appeared in the 1920's.

Not withstanding the above, your rifle looks a beauty, & if she shoots well, even better. Enjoy her - she is certainly in the style of a Great War SMLE sniping rifle.

[303 Collector]

Thank you Roger.
I never thought it could be WW1. I actually got the rifle for the scope to put
in a set of overbore late war mounts. I eventually found a more correct Aldis
and used that instead.
I always wondered on its history so thanks again everyone for an interesting post.

[Roger Payne]

Thanks for letting me buy the scope in question today skiprat. It's an interesting piece.