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Thread: A Brace & a half of No32 Mk3's.....!

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    A Brace & a half of No32 Mk3's.....!

    Attachment 110970Attachment 110971Attachment 110972Attachment 110973

    Been keeping myself out of mischief during the current fun & games by tidying up some ex-Indian scopes that I came across three or four years ago. Most are Mk1's, but there there are a very few Mk2's & 3's amongst them. Really not worth doing if you attach a realistic price on your time (the work on each one amounts to several tens of hours), but luckily I enjoy doing it beyond simply the money side of things. It's nice to think that something that was teetering on the brink of getting chucked into a skip is now a usable historic artifact once again. Some of the internals needed replacing as did all of the glass. Thank heavens for No42 & No53 scopes..........although it's getting harder to find decent undamaged examples of those, even, now.

    The top Mk3 is of course unrestored, but the lower two are now just about ready, & so long as the prospective new owners are happy with them one will be going to North America & the other to Germanyicon......

    Anyway, just thought people might find it of a little interest.......by the way, the rather sad looking Mk2 scope in the last couple of photo's is probably next to be looked at, once I've completed a Mk1 that is already part finished.

    If anyone out there spies a serial number for the scope from their rifle - then give me a shout, & quick!

    Oh, & I'm not a particular fan of the Daily Star. I just put out an appeal for some old newspapers to work on! (Honest) ;-)
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    Last edited by Roger Payne; 09-11-2020 at 08:34 PM.

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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    Nice work, Roger! Good to see you're putting those girls back into fighting shape.

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    Great work Roger, what do you use to fill in the engraving?

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    Evening chaps. It's an old trick that PL taught me, & so low tech you wouldn't get your hat on.............kiddies white wax crayon!! Just rub it into the engraving & wipe off the excess firmly with some kitchen roll, & voila! It doesn't stay in quite as well as the original Kwikfil, but it's dead easy to redo as & when necessary.

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    Whilst bumbling around in the garage this evening I stumbled across one of the other Mk3's amongst the bunch. This one is seriously bad...........more of an offensive weapon than a sensitive optical instrument! I've not yet felt brave enough to tackle it, although I will one day. It is restorable; just needs the back end of a No53 grafted on (accurately)..........plus the missing parts.
    Last edited by Roger Payne; 09-12-2020 at 06:39 AM. Reason: typo

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    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Payneicon View Post
    Evening chaps. It's an old trick that PL taught me, & so low tech you wouldn't get your hat on.............kiddies white wax crayon!! Just rub it into the engraving & wipe off the excess firmly with some kitchen roll, & voila! It doesn't stay in quite as well as the original Kwikfil, but it's dead easy to redo as & when necessary.
    Thanks Roger

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    Thats great work your doing Roger, would love to have that many scopes to play with.

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    Great work Roger! Warren Wheatfield has saved a couple of my REL made scopes that were in Indian service. One wonders if they too were stored in monsoon country.

    No "hits" in my database on No. 4 (T) type rifles and other serial numbered components for your No. 32 telescopes 18891, 20746 (both restored) and 20651 (basket case). Interestingly all three were made by CTS. An unrestored scope in a bracket appears to be 6420 and if so there is no "hit". If I have misread any of the serial numbers, please advise. s well, is there a rifle serial number on that bracket? The rust suggests that they have been together for a long time. ;-)

    For the No. 32 Mk. 3 scope in a bracket, I could not read the serial number. The green paint is interesting. I believe it was Warren who commented on Canadianicon practice to paint some scopes green in service.

    As it is sometimes difficult to read serial numbers with certainty in photos, may I suggest typing out the serial number in each case as well as the photo? It is then verified by you with it in hand and the number becomes searchable on the Internet.
    Last edited by Seaforth72; 09-13-2020 at 11:27 PM.
    Colin MacGregor Stevens https://www.captainstevens.com [B]Model 1918 scope ideally w P14 rings; LB Scout Sniper Rifle windmill sight & furniture; No. 4 Mk. I* 28L0844; any rifle with S/N ASE-xxxx ; No.32 Mk. I SN 1042.

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    Many thanks Colin. The Mk2 on bracket is serial number 8460, although it is quite difficult to read, even when holding it in one's hands. The bracket has been on since the Indians had it but I do not think it is 'factory original' to the scope. There is an illegible rifle serial on the bracket but until I clean off the quarter of an inch thick depth of paint, rust & general muck, we won't know what it is. Sadly, a few of the brackets that came on these scopes have had one or other (or in a couple of case both) cradle clamps mis-matched, this one included. Both clamps do not fit properly but have been forced on. I am learning on-the-job to reverse engineer new top clamps that do fit correctly & that also look the part. The first one is virtually finished but cannot be fully so until I get a replacement specially modified 5/16" centre drill sorted out for finishing the tapered clearance 4BA cradle screw holes.

    The 'cammo' Mk3 scope is serial number 21184 & the Rose Brothers bracket in which it sits is serialled 5969, though this number is clearly relatively recent, & in my view post-military service. There has been another serial obliterated just above the 'new one' on the bracket. This scope & bracket did not come from India, rather from the Mike Baylis collection.

    Hope this is of interest. I'll let you have more serials as I work through the scopes & brackets.


    P.S. Warren has been of great assistance in getting me set up to start fixing these old scopes, for which I thank him!
    Last edited by Roger Payne; 09-15-2020 at 04:48 AM.

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    Wow, that 20746 Mk.3 is very close to my scope, mine is 20780

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