No.32 MKIII scope

[GeeRam]

Latest AKS I have on record is 18417, earliest CTS is 18442. Peter's s/n list in his publication were just rough estimates. Sorry for the crapy pic's (stolen from the web)

Fair enough....

What the latest CTS from 2nd batch that you have on record then, as mine is only just over a 100 or so from the end number in Peter's book?

[Roger Payne]

I think there were three batches of Kershaw Mk3's altogether (a second or middle batch followed on from the CT&S Mk3 serials). The very last were dated 1946 & reached the high 28 thousand serial number range. I have one that I think may have been an end of contract Friday afternoon special; the engraving is exactly as it should be but it bears no serial number, & never has. The '6' of the 1946 has also been added afterwards to the rest of the engraving. Is this individual marking of the last digit of the year date typical of the 1946 dated scopes, or is this a one-off? It is certainly common practice on rifles, many SMLE's being assembled by BSA for example, from 'NOS' bodies, the date being completed when the rifles were.....

[Seaforth72]

Rifle C34884 mated to scope 17699 has not yet turned up as far as I know.

[Lance]

Here are the s/n breaks from my observed records for the Mk III scopes. In my records for them to count I needed a photo of the scope, I have rifles and scope cans/cases s/n's that are in between but obviously cannot tell who made the scope.

AKS 16561-17382 1944 dated
AKS 17472-18417 1945 dated
CTS 18442-22172
AKS 22448-23918 1945 dated
THC 23947-26353
AKS 27932-28522 1945 dated
AKS 28549-28923 1946 dated

[Roger Payne]

Hi Lance. Many thanks, you've nailed it! I wonder if we ever reached 29,000? Never seen nor heard of one..........yet.

[Lance]

Greetings Roger. Still looking for a 29K! Doubt it but never say never.

The Mk III s/n ranges started to interest me about 10 years ago so my info quest was on. This lead to the expansion of my collecting parameters, like I needed an excuse! Almost there, lacking a first block 1945 AKS. Have not found one with a matching set up that meets my quality and budget! Plus, I personally find the Mk III's a bit boring. Watson Mk I's though, super exciting for me, and damn them for being bombed out and giving us at least 6 slightly different markings/s/n ranges. I think I am going to loose finding all of them....

[Nigel]

Hi Lance
Seeing as you like the Watson variations - here's mine. Just a really honest, non-molested one , still with its sliding sun shade. 1943 dated serial no. 14103. I don't know if its a variation in the markings you've seen?

[Roger Payne]

Lovely example Nige. Are there any Watson Mk1 & 2 marking variations you're looking for Lance? I also have what I believe is a WW Mk3 prototype. You won't see many of those.

[Lance]

Greetings Guys!

Many thanks for giving me an excuse to dig the girls out. My Watson collection is a weak spot in my overall collection, of the "6" I am looking for I only have 3, and only one is matched the '43. My '41 is on my Trials while the hunt for #1186 continues. Nigel, your '43 Mk I second block is one I lack, very nice and very hard to find! I do have a '44 on a m/m and rifle, a total Frankenstein. Here is my break down of Watson Mk I for your critique.

I do have a Mk II Watson also and would love to have or even see a Watson Mk 2/1

Roger if you have pic's of your Watson Trials Mk III I would love to see her.

Like my Mk III records I do have rifles and cans with higher and lower s/n's but they are not included since I don't have a pic of the scope!

First Block 1000-3000

1941 earliest 1012 latest 1781
1942 over engraved 2 from a '41 scope intermixed with straight '42 dated scopes earliest noted 1810, latest 2135
1942 earliest 1807 latest 2427
1943 earliest 2471 latest 2929

Second Block

1943 earliest 13998 latest 14249
1944 earliest 14343 latest 14441

[Roger Payne]

And of course, some of the second block were undated.....

I'll get some photo's of the scope & post. It has been on here before some years ago when it belonged to Simon. There was much speculation that it might be an Israeli scope, or made by some other country. However, my hunch was & still is that it is a Watson made prototype Mk3, most likely losing out when it came to the crunch, to an alternative design that we now all know & are familiar with as the Mk3.