Mystery No.32 Mk3 variation - No.2

[Nigel]

Just when you thought it was safe... here is another unique modification to the No.32 Mk3 slipping scales. It was another post war (1949) attempt to cure a few problematic scopes with scales that slipped too easily. This seems to have been quite liked by the Ordnance Board, maybe because one of their own Board members designed it, because it represents a much cleaner design than the first modification (as you can see in the picture). Will the owner of Rifle H33924 or scope No. 17700 please step forward.

Information

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[Surpmil]

From what I read there, it seems the problem with the standard Mk3 drum was bits of hessian from camoflage, grass stalks, foliage etc. getting under the bottom edge of the slipping scales and either moving them out of zero as they caught or when the sniper attempted to remove them.

"...the No32 telescope may eventually be superseded..."

A slightly compressed rubber or nylon O ring with a flat bottom, beveled outside edge and a slot for the bottom of the scale might have done the job more cheaply and given a better seal and more resistance to slipping. That or a lip or shoulder projecting up from the drum cover plate, similar to what the Israelis did. Changing 30,000 odd drum cover plates would have been rather expensive though and I can't think of an add-on 'shroud' design that would work with just the four 8BA screws to hold it, without risking the seal of the cover plates.

One has to wonder about the thinking behind having a special tool like a screwdriver to open up like a circlip a sprung scale, when the nose of a round would have done the job, as the reply points out. The 'screwdriver' slot would have soon got mashed up nicely one suspects.

A stronger spring? That won't keep us busy!

[jmoore]

Mmmm, reminds me of the Unertl 10x scope on the M40a1, It has o-rings below the adjustments to keep out dirt and such, but its a stinker to zero the scales w/o a helper. Even then its not too easy. Two sizes of Allen wrench required to boot! However, like the No32, its a great scope for rough duty. (Once had a rifle fall over onto a concrete pad directly onto the Unertl's turret with ZERO ill effect, except to make my heart miss a beat or two!...Fortunately, it was mine)

[Peter Laidler]

As I mentioned earlier, it's no coincidence that the spring was changed in the 50's (I'll look for the EMER instruction.....) and after that, there is a set torque value to rotate the drums. I have to admit/confess that I don't test the torque except by feel/experience. But on the up side, not many of these rifles are covered in wet cammo netting now and even on the L42's, this was never a problem that made itself known via the 'defect reporting system'. Maybe the new-50's drum springs cured it

As to the second variation of the drum mod. It might have been OK to zero the drum with a screwdriver on the range but I always have that niggling feeling that out on some bleak hillside in Korea, he might not have a screwdriver. But you can be rest assured that he'll ALWAYS have the nose of a bullet handy!

But very interesting info Nigel.