".22 sight"

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

So, does anyone know what this really is? Doesn't look like an L81 sight.

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[Lance]

The Indian's modified some SMLE .22's (No. 2 Mk IV*) with the above modified No. 4 singer sights fitted similar to the No. 4 rifle, thus making it more similar to the No. 4 and L1A1.

[rgg_7]

That a Mk1 sight replacement made by Poole "P". It's been modified at the base for bolt head clearance. Most likely Pakistani issue.

[Peter Laidler]

Have you got any evidence of this theory Lance? Just a cursory check with an old No1 rifle with a No4 sight (albeit not modified as per the drawing, make such a mismatch impossible or at leasy highly unworkable!

[Lance]

Damn if I can find a picture of one of the modified SMLE .22's, there was a couple for sale over the last year or so online. The receiver was modified similar to a SMLE V and the slight installed. As for why it was done that was the story that was posted with the rifles. I have an example of this sight in my collection which has "502" over "C/W.3" engraved on it and just standard Fazakerly slide.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Keen-eyed detectives will note the range scale going up to 1300 yards - hardly a typical .22 distance!
It is a perfectly ordinary (but modified) backsight for a no. 4. No less than 3 No. 4 backsights are sitting on the desk in front of me at this moment, so I am pretty sure about this! There is no specific .22 feature - like an appropriate range scale.

The modification was made for one or both of the following reasons:
1) If you fit a scope onto a No. 4, but want to keep the backsight in place - for shooting with service sights***, then the scope usually makes it impossible to raise the backsight sufficiently to be able remove the bolt from the rifle. Taking off the scope every time you want to clean the rifle is not only a PITA, it is detrimental to the scope setting. Milling out the battle sight makes rifle care much easier.

*** This is not airy-fairy theory, but a real practical need for people, such as myself, who wish to use the same rifle for competitions with service sights AND competitions with scopes.

2) If you want to fit a Parker horizontal fine-sight add-on, the battle sight often makes it impossible to zero the sights at 100 yards/meters, because you cannot get the backsight low enough****.

**** Once again, not airy fairy-theory, but a real practical need for people, such as myself, who wish to use the same rifle for competitions with service sights AND competitions where add-on sights are permitted.

But I have never met anybody who used the battle sight for target shooting.

My practical conclusion, having used my No. 4 in all of the configurations mentioned above is:
The backsight was modified for target shooting with the Parker add-on and/or a scope.

It has nothing in particular to do with a .22.

[CINDERS]

I was told the battle sight was to be used up to and including 300 yds but you had to have the spike bayonet attached probably another expoundable myth that gets played on a not so learned seagull by the pelicans How true gents ????