Quality of Repro scopes for NO4 T

[mike webb]

Recently acquired a no4 mk1* that has an excellent bore and is definitely not a real T rifle. However it has a set of repro pads mounted for a scopebracket which I have already purchased. I would like to buy a repro scope for the mount and have heard varying reviews on quality. Anyone on here have any experience with the offering from RSM? Chinese built but doesn't seem to be criticized too badly. Not sure if you can buy one that wasn't made somewhere in Asia. Any comments appreciated.

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[CINDERS]

If you use the search bar top Rt of the screen these repro's have had a fair bit of coverage some good some not so good. Here's one burst.
https://www.google.com/url?client=in...arl2v4-2qdI3Nv

[S12A]

I've had 2 RSM's, a No32mk2 and No32Mk3.
Both had ok glass, mechanically they were both not usable.

On the Mk2 adjusting the elevation using the tool caused the reticle to bounce all over the place and it never ended where I left it, while dialing the elevation turret the same would happen, it never tracked to the same place twice.

The elevation and windage on my mark 3 also failed, when turning the turrets the markings would also rotate or slip and stay put, meaning constant lost zeroes.

I'm not convinced anyone saying they are ok is actually using them.

[Surpmil]

Sounds quite authentic. The problem of loosening and tightening the locking collars on the drums without moving the reticule is inherent to the design.

Do the replicas have the (lead screw) anti-backlash springs that were added to the originals later in MkI production?

[mike webb]

Thanks for the tip. No desire to throw nearly $600 CDN for junk. I wonder if any others are usable as purchased? Read on one forum that there are a few guys capable of going over one of the imports to make it repeat properly.
I know I can't afford an original. Saw one on ebay for $3600 CDN with bracket.

[Micheal Doyne]

I have an RSM mkII that I happily used for a couple of years. I have no idea if I was extremely lucky or later batches are better but it holds zero and adjustments are repeatable in reality and on the no32 calibration chart.

[Warren]

Some of the repro Mk.II scopes that I have reworked have survived hundreds of miles the wilds of Canada strapped to an ATV and hundreds of shots, if not thousands.
The repro's can be "tarted up" and sometimes you get a good one.
Often what is the problem is people buy the scope, mount and bases then just screw the bases to the receiver attach the scope and mount.
The collimation of the scope and the bore is way out of spec so they just crank the adjustments and eventually bugger up the scope internals.
Parts are not available generally, but I did manage to obtain a few parts and was able to fix up a few to factory spec's, but most of the problems were caused by the owners themselves.

[Gil Boyd]

I have always assumed they were to be used on replicas not on a serviceable weapon.
Due primarily to the cost of a real scope, people purchased the Taiwan copies for that purpose of reenactment.
NO copy IMHO can match the British workmanship of the "Originals". Brackets and scope tins hold a different story!

[Roger Payne]

I have no experience of owning any of the repro's - I suppose some of them must be ok...........but from what I have heard & seen there is a huge quality gulf between the originals & the copies. Maybe we shouldn't be too surprised about this. The real ones were made under wartime military contracts when the UK was fighting for its very existence, whereas the repro's are made by enterprising Pacific Rim companies who have seen an opening in the market in which they can make some money. And the cheaper they can produce the scopes the more profit they make......

I suppose what I am trying to say is that the originals were made up to a standard & the copies (I suspect) are made down to a price. I always bore this old axiom in mind when I was getting my No32 brackets made.....

Out of curiosity, I wonder what the retailers are like in replacing scopes which have been purchased & then found to be defective??

[Strangely Brown]

The real ones were made under wartime military contracts when the UK was fighting for its very existence, whereas the repro's are made by enterprising Pacific Rim companies who have seen an opening in the market in which they can make some money. And the cheaper they can produce the scopes the more profit they make......

This is probably a convenient time to mention that any replica scopes would not be eligible in NRA (GB) competitions at Bisley; whilst they would be allowed to enter an NRA sniping competition their scores would be for "honours" only and not qualify for the competition.