SMLE Lattey sight

[stencollector]

I got mine for $25 bucks at a Saskatchewan gun show. I guess it was so cheap cause the front lense is missing. No box either. It is broad arrow marked.

Information

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[Valleysniper]

Nice set Stencollector

If you can find a willing forum member here who has a complete front set and persuade them to remove lens retaining D shaped ring and take out lens and get it 'read' for its optical properties at an optics shop, it shouldn't cost too much to have a replacement made. You will also need to have a thickish plasticard template made up of the lens shape so that their lens grinding machines can trace shape from glass blank just as if you were having a lens made to fit the frame of a pair of spectacles. I had a spare Gibbs Galilean lens made up (without reticle) and I think it only cost £25 from a friendly local optical shop. Unfortunately I have never found a Lattey sight set for my collection.

[Valleysniper]

And here is the even rarer Gibbs set for C.L.L.E.

Now anyone else got the B.S.A set so we have a full house?

[Peter Laidler]

If you're going to get a set of lenses ground up Taff, make it two sets and I'll machine myself up a set of the mounts. I don't quite understand the optical principle as yet..... without a separate inverter lens, but.......

[Surpmil]

While we're on the subject, does anyone recognize this one?

[Valleysniper]

Hi Rob

I think some enterprising person has taken a spare lens from a Gibbs set or bought one from them at the time (a spare lens from George Gibbs instructions was quoted at 10 s/6d) and cleverly made their own fitting for a particular rifle. What they did about a rearsight who knows?

Another thing I have noted with the GIbbs sets I have owned/seen is that front lens with graticule have been marked 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, presumably the magnification rating and finally a no marking lens. Furthermore, different dioptre rear lens also come with set as well as those listed per instructions . Every set I have had, as well as those lens listed in instructions, they also included a -2.25 lens and other values. Presumably other value rear lens were available to order suite a persons eyesight and achieve focus.

The Galilean lens system is better explained on the page here headed Galileo's telescope:

Refracting telescope - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[jona]

Picked this up from a Canadian about 5 years ago.

[Surpmil]

Thanks Hugh, looking at the photo earlier in the thread a similar thought crossed my mind! Especially with the same colour ink/paint in the etching. The unit was a perfect fit on a Long Lee barrel and if it was home-made it was someone with some skill as the edge was rolled in to retain the glass and the barrel sleeve/insert was removeable.

[RobD]

Anyone making repro Lattey sights? I for one would love a set.
Come in, Roger Payne: Roger, how difficult / expensive would it be?

[bigduke6]

Robd,

That was the main reason I was watching it but at £777 would need to shift a few to cover the initial outlay, If I could find one the same price Stencollector picked his up for, I would be in business, But I guess as we speak someone is already on the case and probably punting them out with the original box.

A Very basic bit of kit to reproduce, anyone with a bench drill, seletion of files and a abra file should able to knock one up in no time, (the expensive bit is the lens).
If anyone has a drawing of the set please PM me.