Milsurp After Hours

An excellent source of reference on contemporary sights is "Manual of Rifling and Rifle Sights", edited by Lieut.-Col. Viscount Buryt, M.P., for the National Rifle Association (GB) and published in 1864. This was reprinted by Ray Riling Arms Books Company in 1971.

The following pages from the book show examples of rearsights for match rifles. The sights have a vernier scale marked in either inches or degrees and minutes which enabled accurate readings to be taken and noted for the various distances fired at.

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sights_rear.jpg[/pic]

Most rear sights were only adjustable for elevation, although Dr. Goodwin's sight (shown right) was adjustable for both windage and elevation. Below is a modern reproduction of a Goodwin sight, made by Rex Holbrook in the UK, fitted to a Parker-Hale Volunteer.

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sights_goodwin.jpg[/pic]

Foresights included provision for horizontal adjustment, interchangeable elements and a spirit level to eliminate cant. Some examples of sights and elements taken from the above book are shown below. Note that the earliest targets used in competition by the NRA had square aiming marks.

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sights_front.jpg[/pic]

Rifle makers often provided their match rifle sights in cased sets following are examples.

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sig ... tworth.jpg[/pic]

Original cased Whitworth sights

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sig ... worthr.jpg[/pic]

Whitworth rearsight

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sig ... worthf.jpg[/pic]

Whitworth front sight (note the hexagonal bore)

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sights_metford.jpg[/pic]

Original Gibbs-Metford sights

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/sights_rigby.jpg[/pic]

Set of Rigby sights copied from the original by Dave Eden (UK)

David

Those sights you show are probably worth a small fortune now days. Any idea of what kind of money they would bring to a collector?

Not to mention the Whitworth rifle.

Hi,

would be very interested to see those images... back in 2009...

Etienne Brule

Etienne, welcome to the circus! It would be nice to be able to see the original pics, at the moment all we have is 8 blade fore sights

Welcome to the site Etienne. We now have a feature where photos also can be uploaded to a post without linking them. Unfortunately this old post is one that didn't use that feature and the poster seems to have moved on. Maybe he will look in one of these days and repost.

Hi,

Thank you for the Welcome !

I found the book from where those pictures were from.

Glad to bo part of this grat forum

Etienne Brule