I get a number in for repairs that have two grub screws in the turrets and some with the turret ruined with the use of vice grips to turn the turrets. It is amazing what shows up...
I'd always defer to Peter, Roger, Warren and Brian on all matters related to maintenance of these fine old scopes - my experience is based only on owning and shooting mine (a 1944 CTS Mk3).
If you haven't already invested, I'd strongly recommend aquiring Peter's publications on the No4T and the No32 as invaluable sources of information and instruction. I'd also suggest a good set of scope covers. I got a set of repro scope covers from a leather worker in Scotland and keep those on the scope whenever not in use.
Shorlty after I acquired the scope, I did a couple of box/grid exercises shooting 1 MOA boxes from a bench on a 1" grid sighting target at 100yds and the elevation, windage and return to zero were absolutely perfect - for a scope of this age, I was amazed and it has continued to perform reliably and consistently using HPS 174gr Targetmaster ammo with no need to re-zero ever since.
Since coming to me, the scope has only been used for range use and travelled to and from shoots in a slip in the back of the car and lived in my safe
Given the original intended use for the scope and conditions/handling expected in that application plus stories of guys in Canada strapping them on hunting rifles post-war and packng them over all sorts of terrain without issues, it should not be any surprise that, if looked after, they can still do the job.
I'll admit I found the zeroing a bit of a faff but, once sorted, the scope and rifle (1944 Long Branch) have been stunning, with the scope requiring no maintenance other than drying it off, brushing the external surfaces with a tiny amount of oil (but obvioously NOT the lenses) and cleaning the lenses carefully with appropriate lense cleaning materials if the scope/lenses had got wet or dirty during usage.
In the nearly 10 years I've owned my scope I've had absolutley no issues until two weeks ago and I think that is solely down to lack of use over a fairly long period - and to be fair, I find the turrets on an Hungarian made S&B scope I have also get pretty tight if not routinely worked. If you are stuck indoors - whether through pandemic or simply severe winter conditions - I think it prudent to regularly work the drums gently - that is where I think I have gone wrong over the pandemic and will make a point of doing this frequently moving forwards.
Having sold a number of my other rifles over the last couple of years to ensure I won't fall foul of UK (TVP?) minimum usage requirements, I will certainly be taking the No4T out for proper exercise at different distances and in varying conditions more often moving forwards to make sure nothing seizes up on me.
As per Warren's pic above, being that there is a fair amount of brass on and in the scopes, jumping in with brute force or the wrong tools is (IMHO) never the right answer for those of us who are unqualified/inexperienced in such matters - if things are stuck/jammed, think first and seek help here before wading in!
Hope this helps.
Last edited by OxfordAndy61; 11-11-2022 at 09:04 AM.
Thanks Andy, for the information. I only recently acquired the scope in question ( CTS No 32 converted to L1a1) and I know that it had been in a private collection for a long time which was why I was apprehensive to say the least! With some trepidation the turrets seemed to move freely and the POI adjusted correspondingly.
Planning on waiting for better temperatures before taking this out again along with another that I have on a 4(T) before I then start doing a full run down on Zero shift. This may be a while here unfortunately!
I have managed to pick up some spare scope covers already thanks- last year when I was back in Scotland funnily enough! also keep on the lookout for the books as mentioned.
Circling back to the original discussion regarding reproduction scopes, I know there is a guy that is fairly local here that sells complete repro set ups and I have discussed getting out with him to the range. If I manage to get my hands on a repro I will certainly give the group a quick analysis and my opinion for what it is worth. Actually seeing original kit is extremely difficult in this corner of the world and normally costs a premium. At the last local gun show there was a L42 mag on one of the tables at the princely sum of CAD$550- (over GBP 350) possible something that I should impart in one of the other chats!
I have cleaned up a number of L1A1 scope over the last few years and a fair number I would classify as God AWFUL.
Who ever rebuilt them took a lot of liberties in the rebuild program and I wondered if they were done in house or sent to an outside contractor. (lowest bidder!!)
I even found parts in backwards...
I think I still have the photo of that one.
Warren is right. The standards of repair and maintenance towards the end of the L1A1s lives was dire. The maib workshops were all civilianised or privatised and QC was not kept in check. The menders were not the old instrument teccies either. They were at best - some of them - just get-it-in-and-out merchants who really didn't understand fine and accurate bench fiitting or optical paths/trains - or even parallax in some cases. They never really learned from true masters
That said, their use of mastic sealant made stripping them easier than when they were in their No32 guise - and an easier fix
Andy, Minimum usage requirements? You should have the T On a collectors slot.
You can still use it and can put in for a required amount of ammo for demonstration etc.
Thanks @bigduke6. Definitely worth looking into again at next renewal - I can't recall exactly why I didn't go this route before, but I remember having the conversation with my FEO in the past and he suggested I get all my vintage rifles deactivated if I thought I would not meet the criteria - he certainly didn't offer encouragement to go the collectors route - partly as the ammo allowance was pretty paltry, if it remember?
Last edited by OxfordAndy61; 11-18-2022 at 05:51 AM.
Really don't envy you all in the UK with the stipulations for firearm ownership, unfortunately it seems like we are following the same pattern. I was in the UK until 2011 and it now seems like we are trying to play catch up over the last two years. The thought of having to de-act some of my collection is enough to reduce a man to tears, never mind the loss in value and, in my mind, historical significance!
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