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not to stir the pot more. but the second A4 built on display at Remington..has a M73B1 marked scope attached.. you used to be able to do a virtual picture view of the weapons..
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07-18-2014 06:27 PM
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I really think this has run its course.
A last tidbit from official government records:
"Lyman had produced its ALASKAN hunting sight since 1937, and offered two reticules: a crosshair version and a tapered post version. The earliest commercial models do not have adjustment covers, and the later versions with covers have adjustment housing marked ALL-WEATHER. Commercial serials stood in the 4900 range when the first military work began in 1943. According to TM9-270 of 28 Sept 43. The Weaver telescopic sight No. 330C (M73B1) is being mounted to the M1903A4 rifle. A Lyman 'Alaskan' type telescope sight will be used as an alternate. These early Lyman's were designated M73. In 1944 Ordnance added a sun/rain shield to the front of the scope and a rubber eyecup to the rear. In November, the crosshair style was assigned the military nomenclature M81, and the tapered post type was designated M82.This final configuration was officially adopted in January of 1945, despite having been used from mid-1944."
As for the SMLE/Griffin&Howe/Lyman connection is important in showing that in 1944/5 450 Alaskans were ordered to be fitted to SMLEs. At least 99 were completed. Obviously there was no shortage of completed working All Weather Alaskans available. The folks in Canada bought and used them but we didn't.......
When the rifle is done, I'll post some pics. It will be wearing a 6X Kollmorgen (military finish) that did not exist in the USN (except aboard the USS Fentress AK-180) seen when I visited a friend on board.)
Those of us who served in "Johnson's war" and got around a lot are well aware that many things happened and were done that don't appear in any texts or official records.
After all White Feather's 30-06 M70 was hardly government issue, nor is the 8X Unertl it carries the USMC model. Almost all the "Air America" guys I ran across in SEA carried AKs as they views the M-16 as a POS. Then there was the M 70 270 WCF standard target model with a 10X Super Target Spot and several wooden cases of 270 WCF Silvertips that sat in their arms room. One of the cases was opened and several boxes missing ..... one can only wonder.
Last edited by smlemon; 07-18-2014 at 08:25 PM.
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TM 9-1270 was published in Jan 44. All mention of the Lyman Alaskan in regard to the M1903A4 had been deleted as, by that time, it was clear Lyman would be unable to deliver on its M73 contract before A4 production ended.
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I thought the Griffin & Howe/Lyman 's were used on the No4 rifle not the SMLE.
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You are correct about the No. 4s, those of us not hip deep in British rifles err in calling them all SMLEs. I have been in touch with G&H about those mounts (bases). While they are no longer made, it appears from Skennerton that a std G&H flat side base would work fine as neither eye relief or bolt lift should be an issue.
As for the Lyman/1093A3/4 connection, Campbells book specifically mentions Lymans on 03/4s in Korea. No doubt some of the same ones seen in Vietnam.
Both the Navy and USMC held on to scoped A3/4 rifles for shipboard duty long after they were phased out of shore duty. Good for mine destruction and dealing with the far too common in/under water sappers in Vietnam.
Last edited by smlemon; 07-19-2014 at 07:46 PM.