M73B1 - Hmmm?

[JGaynor]

Bringing the thread back to the original topic. Yes the eyepeice appears to be a replacement/parked part.

Take a real close look at the serial # engraving, whadda ya see?

Mike, under real high magnification I begin to lose some detail. The word "No." between "Serial" and the Ep'd "24756" looks kind of faint but I can't say if its due to wear, pitting or just the so-so picture. Other than that it looks ok to me.

As to chuck's point the w/e knobs with the resettable scale (the little screws on the knobs) were a change that occurred somewhere in the middle of production for what we have been calling the 2nd Variation of the M73B1. The 2nd variation is seen with both style knobs, both with and without the adjustment screw.

Regards,

Jim

[Mike Haas]

Mike, under real high magnification I begin to lose some detail. The word "No." between "Serial" and the Ep'd "24756" looks kind of faint but I can't say if its due to wear, pitting or just the so-so picture. Other than that it looks ok to me.

As to chuck's point the w/e knobs with the resettable scale (the little screws on the knobs) were a change that occurred somewhere in the middle of production for what we have been calling the 2nd Variation of the M73B1. The 2nd variation is seen with both style knobs, both with and without the adjustment screw.

Regards,

Jim

Jim - At 200% it appears to me that the EP'ed #'s "..756" are on top of a scratch on the scope tube. I've seen scratchs on top of EP'ed #'s but never seen authentic EP'ed #s over a scratch.
The "No." is either lightly struck or worn but is significant only if one thinks the EP'ed # was applied after the scope tube had seen some amount of use.
I see no sealant around the Data plate and the scope tube. Sealant IMO is something one would see on a original or GI rebuild scope.
My observations may be purely academic. The entire package offered in this auction is a rare combination of necessary parts for the A4.
I'm not 'flaming' the seller. I'm just making some observations that may benefit our community.

[JGaynor]

Jim - At 200% it appears to me that the EP'ed #'s "..756" are on top of a scratch on the scope tube. I've seen scratchs on top of EP'ed #'s but never seen authentic EP'ed #s over a scratch.
The "No." is either lightly struck or worn but is significant only if one thinks the EP'ed # was applied after the scope tube had seen some amount of use.
I see no sealant around the Data plate and the scope tube. Sealant IMO is something one would see on a original or GI rebuild scope.
My observations may be purely academic. The entire package offered in this auction is a rare combination of necessary parts for the A4.
I'm not 'flaming' the seller. I'm just making some observations that may benefit our community.

Good points Mike. It does seem like most of these shown signs of tampering with the screws on the data plate (buggered screw heads). Kind of interesting since by the book parallax was not to be messed with except by depot personnel who presumably would have the right tools. If the data plate was moved or removed that would explain the missing sealant goo.

Thanks for bring ing th auction to our attention, Considering what people are paying for some of the CMP A4's these days and thae fact that the base and rings are included the price isn't too bad.

Regards,

Jim

[Mike Haas]

Good points Mike. It does seem like most of these shown signs of tampering with the screws on the data plate (buggered screw heads). Kind of interesting since by the book parallax was not to be messed with except by depot personnel who presumably would have the right tools. If the data plate was moved or removed that would explain the missing sealant goo.

Thanks for bring ing th auction to our attention, Considering what people are paying for some of the CMP A4's these days and thae fact that the base and rings are included the price isn't too bad.

Regards,

Jim

Jim - I agree the package price isn't hatefull. The seller would likely be better off selling seperately: Base & shim - Ring Set - Scope.
Anyway..just my observations...stay Warm!!

[Jim Tarleton]

Thanks to both you guys for an education on how to spot little details on M73B1's. Some of us need that kind of help.

Jim

[duggaboy]

I was offered this scope and he has others to sell, a guy in SLCity, big gun guy, I think he said he had about 75 Garands in his collection and rents them to film producers and such

[Neal Myers]

Other than the parked eyepiece, it looks righteous to me.
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As for the price, yeah, a little high, but the 3/4" rings & the base would easily bring $300-400.

Neal

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Mike,

I'm new to this, but weren't the serial numbers electro penciled at that time? (I don't know)

This looks like the serial number was applied with an electric (vibrating) stylus to me after I ran the photo through Photoshop. (I have no idea, OK?)
The old scratch looks to be under the etched serial number under '756' anyway.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

This is the best I could do with that poor image, but the '6' shows the serial number was applied later, and if this was supposed to be electro penciled it isn't.

[JGaynor]

All versions of the M73B1 reportedly had the serial number applied by electropencil.

Unfortunately its pretty hard to make a definite determination using most of the snapshots posted on the internet. What's really needed are large, clear, high resolution macrophotographs.

Regards

Jim