I kind of want one, there is one online, it has the original “H” rear sight. But it’s missing the rear battle sight. Looks like it has been filed off. Quick look through Skennerton’s book suggests that they came with rear battle sight, but browsing online and seeing a few examples without. I am starting to think it might be one of two things.
some nuance between BSA and Fazakerley manufacturing; or more likely
it has been filed off because the gun may have had a match aperture sight installed in the past (similar to Match version of No8Mk1 that did not make it to production).
Could be recycled sights, maybe, I am not sure. Any assistance would be great.
The ones that are in my safe, and any others that I’ve seen, have an aperture which you refer to as a “battle sight” on the conventional ladder type sight that will (should) be marked 25, 50, 100 and, right at the top of the ladder opening ‘H’.
Thanks, @oldAG, appreciated. It was the one I briefly thought about, but missing battle sight didn’t sit right with me. I found a couple (literally, 2) examples online that had a proper (“H”) flip up sigh, but were missing the battle sight. I cross posted elsewhere as well and tried to find a mention of this in Ian Skennerton’s book… I initially thought they were removed to make way for some sort of match micrometer sights maybe… Nothing in the book, the response from Help: No8Mk1 sights, missing ghost ring - Enfield-Rifles.com did suggest similar - they were removed to make space for a scope mount perhaps… No real way of knowing for sure, but seems like it is not “as issued” and has been altered.
Looks ok…but markings are value on these old girls. If @oldAG is correct, the markings are gone…I think 1950 is steep…1500 maybe, and the rest of it would need be excellent
There was a Parker Hale PH4 match type sight (elevation and windage) produced for the rifle but it did not require any modification to the receiver in order to fit it. Was a direct replacement.
Even if it was thought that a scope was needed, there is no need to damage what is there - there are ‘No gun-smith required’ mounts available. But then, some people don’t care, or have any idea of what they’re really doing/destroying.
Issue rifles never had a ‘match’ sight as such - there is a Pattern Room example, but that’s as far as it got.
The worst aspect of the one you looked at is that not only has the sight been destroyed with a file but the cross-pin has also been damaged. For what purpose, who knows?
BTW, the ‘H’ at the top of the ladder is ‘Harmonisation’, meaning the sight setting for the ‘trainer’ type target whereby the fall of shot was a specific vertical distance from the aiming mark.
