No32 Mark 3 Scope Reticle Stuck

[Spakfilla]

Hi all,

I have a No32 Mark 3 scope that's in good nick apart from the windage drum/reticle.

The windage turret spins but the reticle doesn't move, it's been wound all the way to one side of the scope.

I'm by no means an expert so was after some opinions on what action to take to get it back to good working order.

Thanks all.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Roger Payne]

Peter is the one to give you the definitive answer on this, but I'll try & help a little until/in case he doesn't come along. There are several possibilities. From what you say it appears that the drum rotates, so it is at least not stuck. The drum adjusts range & deflection by the lead screw rotating & screwing itself further into or out of a small shoe that sits against the grat block. On the other side of the grat block there is another T shaped shoe that is tensioned with a spring that ensures there is no sticking/backlash. If your drum is rotating then it could be that the lead screw thread has stripped from previous injudicious handling, or perhaps the shoe that it is threaded into is stripped or has been removed. Also, if the spring was missing or broken in the second (T shaped tensioning shoe), then this might cause the same problem, as it would if the shoe itself was missing or jammed in its housing.

I'm rebuilding two Mk3's at the moment for myself, so enclose a couple of photo's of a drum & grat assembly from one of them. Hopefully a photo will make it clearer. In short though, your scope needs the drum assembly removing to see what is wrong.

P.S. If the drum spins without clicking it may be that the clicker plunger or clicker plate is/are missing, too (or plunger stuck).

[Warren]

As Roger said, if the shoe is missing or the spring is seized the reticle may not move.
You can get lucky and if you can get the bushing and or screw out WATCH THE GRUB SCREWS, you can sometime get a wee drop of clock oil in there and get i the reticle block moving.
DO NOT SATURATE the scope with WD 40 and use the hair dryer, as it turns the sealing compounds into snot and then it is very hard to clean it out, if and when the turrets get over hauled.
I just had one in with a missing shoe (a long screw to take the place of the shoe) and the reticle moving block was in backwards.
If the lead screw is stripped or the turret is stripped let me know as I have NOS turrets and screws for the home mechanic.

[Spakfilla]

Thanks for the replies.

I will try and remove the drum assembly get some pictures tonight or tomorrow for everyone to analyze. Hopefully all goes well!

[Roger Payne]

If you carefully unscrew the four little 8 BA screws at the corners of the square index plate that the drums sits on it should lift out, but take it very carefully - it may be a little stiff if it has been undisturbed for years. A bit of shim steel under the edge sometimes helps if it is stiff.

[Spakfilla]

Hi all,

See attached pictures...

[Roger Payne]

Ok, there is nothing missing as far as we can tell from the views we have. My best guess is that the second (T shaped) shoe that has the spring set in the bottom of it is seized, or the spring for it is broken/missing. It may simply be seized due to old solidified grease. The T shaped spring-loaded shoe is located underneath the grat block. If it is functioning correctly & you exert a little gentle downward pressure on the exposed flat surface of the grat block it should move downwards & then spring back up into battery as you release the pressure. If it doesn't move & then return to battery then it is likely the problem is either hard grease on the shoe or on the face of the grat block where it is sandwiched between the two brass spacers in the scope tube. If range adjustment works ok that would indicate more likely the former of the two options, as the grat is capable of movement. But either way, it really looks like the grat block is going to have to come out so that you can actually get to see the T shaped shoe. This is where I'm starting to dither. I know how I would go about that, but I'm far less experienced at all this than Peter & Warren, & removing the grat., depending on how it is done, can lead to serious damage to your scope if not approached correctly.

P.S. Your deflection clicker plate & clicker plunger are present, so that's good news!

[Surpmil]

Looks as dry as ... !

[Peter Laidler]

First things first. Have you got a parts list? If you have I will be able to help you pictorially and if need be guide you through and possibly send you the bits you might need. No parts list - it's in the book - no can do

[Peter Laidler]

Before I can go any further and ensure that our descriptions match, have you got a parts list? Birmingham, Canadian and Oxfordshire designations do not equate to the official designations