AI scope reticle

[Peter Laidler]

All I can do is reiterate what I have seen in the UK Military and with the snipers based at Warminster. None of the complete paperwork I have nor the microfisches relating to the trials mention this grat pattern which you'd half expect - but not necessarily so - in trials gumph. The UK grat pattern was a GSR as were glass lenses and a few other odds and sods that really bumped the price up!

That grat pattern really illustrates what the average sniper really DOESN'T want. He has a laser rangefinder and we all know that the azimuth/deflection marks are all very well........ just so long as the cause of any deflection is constant! In my experience, they want it all to be to KISS spec!

[bigduke6]

Jovan this is a view through a L96 scope, as its not mine anymore I cant give anymore info, apart from it went to a good home and serial number was around the 1200-1400 range.

[blurrededge]

Thats interesting chosenman, I wonder if it's the same rifle I saw, good chance it is considering the amount there are around. I don't know the origin of my scope, I have it in a bracket atop my L42

[Peter Laidler]

That's the only grat I ever saw in UK Military service. It is a graticle as opposed to the others shown which are reticles which we weren't keen on for several reasons.

I'm tempted to ask about the 'other' Trials unit CMan! There are only a couple of UK MIlitary and the weapons are done at the Inf TDU. I have the trials microfisches and there's no mention here.

Just as a matter of interest, can anyone confirm whether the UK L13 A1 S&B scope grat pattern is or isn't in the S&B list of graticle pattern options. I understood that it was a one-off for our requirement. As such, and because our requirement was small, it upped the price rather heavily! It's always worth remembering too that the optical boffins at the NPL and RMCS - as was - Shrivenham trialled the scope before it was made a requirement for the rifle

[Peter Laidler]

Would reply to your CMan but your PM in box is full!

[waco16]

As far as I am aware the very few L96's that the two UK Police Constabularies got hold of carried Schmidt & Bender 2.5 - 10 x 60 scopes (certainly the case with the Bedfordshire Constabulary rifles).

The scope in the photograph is an ex Bedfordshire Police L96 scope

These particular scopes have what's become known as the AI reticle (pictured below) that comprises:
Thicker outer bars culminating in a finer mildot pattern in the centre.
Beneath this aiming mark is an additional range finding stadia that can be used in the two ways described in the text contained in the manual shown below.

The same pattern was used in the L17, 3-12 x 50 military Schmidt & Bender scope fitted to the L96 during the upgrade programme when the L13 6 x 42 was phased out.

It was during this time that the MOA graduations where replaced by 0.1 milrad for range and deflection.

Incidently this same pattern is used on the Leupold L1A1, 12 - 40x 60mm variable zoom spotting scope currently used by the British Army (introduced during the same upgrade programme)

[Peter Laidler]

Mmmmmmmm. A Bedfordshire rifle came into our workshop for a what I'll call '...a make-over' and after completion by the snipers Armourer Taffy XXXXXX, was taken to the range and range tested while other snipers were doing their thing. I'm sure that I would have noticed if it had a different telescope and grat pattern although it could well be that it had been changed. It did come IN with one of those 'swirl' thinggies on the barrel but went OUT, as new, as a bog standard L96. I think that the serial number stayed the same......

I am not as familiar with the L17's but their days were limited in the great scheme of things. The problems with a reticle is that it is a glass etched plate and as such, as soon as the tele gets warm and cold or damp, it affects the glass plate and distorts the pattern. This indicates that the desiccation has broken down '.....somewhere' and means a complete strip and rebuild in the dry-shop

[chosenman]

Neil,

My Bed police L96 had the exact same scope fitted when I bought it. Long gone now as I sold it to help fund getting the rifle turned around to full military spec.

[waco16]

Thanks, Steve
Do you have any idea of the total number of L96's that ended up in Police hands?

[chosenman]

Neil, I have no idea, however 27 ex police L96's are out there. 15 from Durham and 12 from Beds.