photos of USMC sights on Model 1903 rifle

[cplstevennorton]

Actually even though the #10 sights were credited to the Marines, they weren't created or even used by the Marines first.

They actually were invented by a civilian gunsmith who used them in rifle completions pre WWI. There is a little discrepancy if the Marines saw them first in these pre WWI civilian rifle competitions from this gunsmith, or they saw them on Army rifles in the 1919 NM's. In the Marine docs they state they saw the #10 sights first on Army rifles in the 1919 NM's.

But there are articles in the Arms and the Man magazine that predate 1919 that state the Marines were using them on team rifles and they copied them off this commercial gunsmith. The gunsmith that created them, I can't remember his name, but he was somewhat famous in the day. I could go back and find his name if needed.

In fact this was sort of a scandal for the Marines, as you see the Marines sort of imply they had invented them, but then this Civilian gunsmith got offended and wrote a strongly worded letter to the Arms and the Man magazine which they published. His article stated that the Marines basically stole his idea.

Which the Marines replied (I think it was Capt McDougal, who was the rockstar Marine team shooter of the day) replied that it was true, that the Marines didn't create them and only started to use them after they saw them at civilian rifle competitions.

Most likely the scenario where they saw them from this Civilian gunmith is actually what happened and it more correct than the official Marine Corps headquarters stance that they were first seen on the 1919 Army NM rifles. Just because those articles to the Arms and the Man magazine were by the actual guys who did it, and not from desk jockeys at headquarters.

Either way the Marines did start to adopt the #10 sights about 1920. The first ones they ordered were actually made by Springfield Armory. The Marines ordered I believe 35,000 sets of #10 sights off SA. I didn't go back and look but I think 35,000 is correct. After that first initial shipment they were made by several others too, including the Marines themselves at the Philly Depot.

By the 1920's, even after the scandal that the Marines had stolen the idea. Which it honestly was a big story of it's day. The sights still became known as the Marine #10 sights. It's amazing how fast people forgot the scandal of it and just rewrote the history of them.

So in short, the Marines didn't create them. They were created by a Civilian. Springfield Armory actually made the first shipments for the Marines. But even today they still are known as Marine #10 sights.

The Marines used the #10 sights to 1936. In 1936 the Marines switched to the Army #6. So for all purposes if you see number 10 sights on a Marine rifle that served in the Marines after 1936 they were probably put on in the civilian world and not installed by the Marines.

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