Information Wanted ..On the dimensions of a volley sight screw

[skiprat]

Hi
I am looking into the feasibility of making reproduction volley sights,
It's going well up to now and looks to be very workable,
But I require the dimensions for the "screw driver" holes in the large headed screw, I need the diameter of the holes and the distance between centers.

Many thanks...

Information

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[waco16]

Drill diameter 0.070" (No50) on a .305" pitch circle
Taken from a 1906 BSA Sparkbrook

[skiprat]

Many thanks.
I'll get some photos up as soon as I have got this week out of the way!!!! ( I now it's only Monday .....)

[skiprat]

Not the pointers.... ( This is the last laser cut plate i just picked up) but this is how they start
The plain profiles are first machined on the front for the spring recess then machined on the reverse after having the sight blade fixed on.

The screw has been the hardest part of the whole project. I've not been able to source a die for the thread so I've had a go at adapting an original screw of the same thread!


.

[fjruple]

Skiprat--

Great work!! Are you planning to do any pointers for the P14 rifles. The screws and springs are available here the states.

--fjruple

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Unless you score an original "factory" die, you won't find one at any industrial supplier. The thread diameter, pitch and form are 'Enfield Specials".

The original thread that retains the "bead" in the pointer is; 0.114" x 49 TPI (Enfield form, probably 49deg 30 min). The bead is screwed in and then the end of the thread is riveted over

I have not YET found the drawing for the Pointer retaining screw, but I do have drawings for the Pointer, and the Volley Sight Aperture.

You can guarantee that the thread for the Pointer Screw will be just as "interesting" as the rest of the threads on a Lee Enfield.

The old "Enfield apprentices" site listed the "Screw, dial sight fixing" thread as:

.181dia x 26-1/3tpi.

That seems to be the thread for the screw that holds the plate INTO the fore-end from the RHS.

I'll keep digging.

I reckon some of those old designers must have hit the Absinthe a bit, to come up with some of their threads.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

There is another catch with the thread in the dial-sight plate; there are TWO of them; different at either end of the hole.

The 0.181"dia x 26-1/3tpi. on the Inner end for the plate retaining screw, and at the other end, for the Pointer retaining screw:

0.1656"dia x 37tpi

P-14s are full of these "quaint" types of threads, as well.

This finer thread also appears on several other screws on the rifle:

Screw, Spring, Aperture,
Screw, Spring, Trap, Buttplate,
Screw, Cap, Backsight.

This is the same thread as the screw that retains the "dumbbell-shaped" safety catch spring on the socket of the body.

Still trying to find the sheet that details (sort-of) all of the screws in a No1.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

The "driving" holes in the "screw" for the Dial Sight pointer:

No drawing to hand, HOWEVER:

The size and spacing of the "driving holes" on the "button" on the rear-sight slide looked suspiciously similar: holes, (0.078" to 0.082" diameter), spaced at 0.3".

It would not be a total surprise to find that these "driving" holes were set up VERY similarly, so that you only needed ONE tool to fit and remove them.

For those familiar with servicing M-203's; very like the hex-bodied gizmo used to remove and install the striker seat in the middle of the breech-face.

[skiprat]

Now I have the SMLE ones sorted, (I used a very close, in size metric die to cut the thread slightly oversize and then used a rear sight ramp to "chase" the thread)

The next one is has anyone got the overall length of the volley foresight arm for the P14 ? The laser cutter can just stretch out the dimensions and job jobbed!

Thanks
Andy