Looking for an ROF (F) No.5 rear sight

[Rastus]

Hello,

I' looking for a No.5 rear sight in vg/new condition. Could anyone pls advise or assist?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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Thanks...

Regards,
Doug

Information

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[browningautorifle]

This should be in the WTB section...check your PMs...

[BushyFromOz]

Ebay... they show up all the time

[Rastus]

Thanks

[Al Diehl]

Springfield Sporters has some. Fazakerly No5 rear sight

Al

[Peter Laidler]

As a bit of interest, BSA had a zillion of these sights in stock when they closed and half a zillion were acquired by P-H......where they languished unsold and unwanted until one day.................. P-H got the contract to supply a bastardised, unloved and really unwanted Mauser bodies target rifle to the UK Cadet Forces in place of their old No4 target rifles. The procurement chaps had forgotten the mnemonic KISS for Keep It Simple Stupid that day and instead of just re-issuing them with L39's that a) they surreptitiously acquired from their local TA units and b) they were already using in the Cadet competitions and c) were a x10 cheaper option, they went full steam ahead and ordered the P-H L81 target rifle. Alas......., the order didn't include competition sights. So back to the drawing board. They came up with a backsight that consisted of a converted No5 backsight. Yes....., I know that the calibrations didn't match the L81 bore, m/v or, well....., anything really. You couldn't make it up. People sat there, open mouthed, including me who used to beg and borrow the occasional No4* or L39 to use in comps. But they did. The end result was that it was doubly useless but worse, the Cadet Forces had to then purchase brand new, purpose made competition sights. And just GUESS where they had to buy these new and VERY expensive comp sights from.........? Yep....... P-H!

That's why there is a glut of No5 sights....... Another useless bit of history
*My sons school used scopeless No4T's as their target rifles, purchased cheaply in the 50's, fitted with spaced P-H 5C sights

[browningautorifle]

That's why there is a glut of No5 sights

Interesting...didn't know that. But still, not over here there isn't. Both types are equally difficult to find. Mine came off a rifle that it would have been a waste to remain on. It now sports a two position flip.

[Peter Laidler]

The REAL rub, when the No5 sight was added to the L81 rifle, albeit by default, was that the competiitions went up to 900 yards - or whatever that is in centi-feet - and you couldn't get past 800 whatsits using the No5 sight. You couldn't even count the clicks unless they went to workshops and had No4 sight parts fitted Nope....., you couldn't make it up!

[browningautorifle]

the competiitions went up to 900 yards

That's too far for me. I'd rather keep it a bit closer, so I can see the target.

[Frederick303]

I was lusting after a L81A1 rifle, all due to the manual for one I bought from Brian Dick.

Got the action body (near finsihed), sights trigger, trigger guard, barrel.... then I got the stock.

If you put the parts in a Parker Hale M84 stock it has a nice feel to it, if you are used to shooting M70/M700/Mauser type target rifles. If you put it in a L81A1 stock, well the dimensions are too small for an average 5' 10" man, it just does not sit well no matter how you try to hold it. The grip is too small and the forend also too small. might be about right for a 5 4" Cadet, but for the average 16 year old I think it would already be too small.

The action body has a three screw set up, which kind of means the tension on the third inner screw is kind of important, especially is you are using the 2 point English sling (where the rear sling attachment point of off of the trigger guard screw. It did have a good bedding surface though.

The action body, which was cast EN1050 steel, does not look all that substantial in the threaded section where the barrel sits. The action I had I had re-heat treated as I did not know its history. That part of the action was not thought out well, I can see how a bunch of the action bodies stretched/cracked if improperly heat treated or if the steel material base did not meet specification. Cast steel can be problematic, I have seen a few M1A cast action bodies that has problems with both (Fed ordnance stretching, Springfield actions cracking)

The bolt release was proprietary and a pain in the but to finish up the parts I was able to find (cast unfinished).

I liked the PH sight, on a machinists bench with dial calipers it seems to keep it keeps a pretty constant .044" +/- .001 movement per click, which is close to ~ .55 MOA. The sight I had was an altered No 4, not based on a No 5 rear.

Overall the entire thing seems like it was a cobbled together design, not well thought out. I liked the beefed up action body rear the threaded barrel seat, but forward of the lug seat the action body had no more material that a regular K98K , less really, the integral seat for the barrel was not present. Never actually finished the build. It and my M84 sit, waiting the day when I might do so, though frankly fears about the action bodies material aspects are what has keep me from finishing them, that that the fact the bolt lug fit, and how true everything was ( rather disappointing), I doubt the assembled result will shoot that well. Of course it might be what the action bodies were never finished, they were rejected for just such reasons.