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Binoculars and scopes


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craig_pickrall

Carrying case for the scope.

 

Version 1

The tube appears to be of a fiber type material with a cloth cover. It is very rigid but I'm not going to test how well it will survive wetness. This is a early case.

 

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craig_pickrall

Carrying case for the scope.

 

Version 2

The tube is a heavy plastic. This is a late case. The one shown is a lighter shade of OD but the case that came with my scope is the same except a much darker shade of OD.

 

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craig_pickrall

There are 3 versions of the case to carry the tripod.

 

Version 1 appears to be early. It is a light OD canvas material with cloth straps.

 

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craig_pickrall

Version 2 is the case my tripod came in. I believe it to be Vietnam era. It is a dark OD canvas material with nylon straps.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Here's some information about the Colt 3x20 scope a fellow member of our

group gathered:

 

There are 2 variations:

 

Early one, made in USA (pics of the scope taken from ebay

auction):

 

th_Colt_3x20_USA_1.jpgth_Colt_3x20_USA_2.jpg

th_Colt_3x20_USA_3.jpgth_Colt_3x20_USA_4.jpg

th_Colt_3x20_USA_5.jpg

 

Made in Japan (in the 60s), but licensed by

Colt:

 

th_3x20_Scope_1.jpgth_3x20_Scope_2.jpg

th_3x20_Scope_4.jpgth_Colt_3x20_JAPAN_sights.jpg

 

It has JAPAN and maker's logo engraved on the bottom.

 

Slight differences as you can see.

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And now pics: most of the pictures I found are Special Forces or LRP,

note that it is used mainly on M16s:

First 4 pics are Mike Force,

1967.

 

th_scope4.jpgth_scope1.jpg

th_scope2.jpgth_scope3.jpg

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LRPs:

 

th_177.jpgth_sniperroberts.jpg

th_423.jpgth_rmartinez15.jpg

 

 

Two pics with XM177:

Mike Force,

1967:

th_XM_with_3x20_scope.jpg

 

LRP or

Ranger:

th_00154ssb.jpg

 

One infantry pic (25th ID), again,

M16:

th_Company_C_2nd_Battalion_35th_Inf_25.jpg

 

And one pic with silencer on (you'll either see a scope or a silencer on

a

M16):

th_185.jpg

 

I found some info on an ebay listing of the early Colt scope, I asked

the seller about it and this is his reply:

I have been following discussions on the ar15.com retro forum -

there are a few historians on there who have determined that the US

military ordered 300 of these scopes for shipment to Vietnam. The made

in USA scopes were manufactured by Colt by a company called Realist.

Shortly after the military contract, Colt shifted production to Hakko in

Japan. I spoke with a SOG veteran who had used the scopes - he told me

that the first ones had inverted post reticles but most of the later

ones had duplex reticles.

 

 

If anyone has additional info or more period pics post them please :)

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Carrying case for the scope.

 

Version 1

The tube appears to be of a fiber type material with a cloth cover. It is very rigid but I'm not going to test how well it will survive wetness. This is a early case.

 

post-5-1229024404.jpg

post-5-1229024412.jpg

post-5-1229024418.jpg

post-5-1229024424.jpg

 

I also have this carrying case, leather model, found at Crozon Near Brest. This is the only one I know or have seen from the field...

 

i6cs1x.jpg

 

9k7ywi.jpg

 

2lcu42u.jpg

 

 

1944 photos. the first is taken in Normandy, showing the telescope and tripod

 

28vr6ep.jpg

 

Two photos taken at Morlaix on Aug 8th 1944 showing vehicles of 15th cavalry group (TFA). This photo of an AMM8 clearly shows the carrying case with suspenders.

 

sp7w3b.jpg

 

looks like the same type of carrying case (as if the opening looks thinner) between the two seats of that jeep.

 

2zrf6ag.jpg

 

I just would love to hear more about this material, but many info here are just great! Thanks

 

Yannick

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craig_pickrall

I have never seen the leather case before. Thanks for posting that and all of the great supporting photos. Did you spot any sort of case for the tripod in any of these photos? I wonder if there was a leather version of that also or if it was always canvas.

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I have never seen the leather case before. Thanks for posting that and all of the great supporting photos. Did you spot any sort of case for the tripod in any of these photos? I wonder if there was a leather version of that also or if it was always canvas.

 

I have tried to look at some case that could be for the tripod, but no luck. I will look carefully at the photos I have with the different canvas cases you showed here! I also have to look at the maker of the leather case. I know there are some traces of the stamp in the cap

 

Yannick

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  • 2 months later...

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I found these at the Flea Market on Saturday. I think I did OK for 5 bucks. I didn't notice it until I got home and inspected them a little closer that I am missing one of the bottom screw caps, you can see that it's missing on the right. I would have bought them even if had noticed it.

 

Is there any chance that someone out there has an extra cap that they would be willing to sell?

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post-2843-1239634111.jpg

 

This says Universal Camera, New York USA, 1942 W.P.B.

 

I am guessing that 42 is the date of manufacture and that WPB means War Production Board, did I guess right?

 

Does being marked WPB mean that these are intended for Lend-Lease rather than going to the US Army?

 

Also is that "Coated Optics" sticker original or was that stuck on by a surplus dealer after the war?

 

Any other observations or comments are greatly appreciated.

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craig_pickrall

You should be so ashamed for taking advantage of that poor seller. What a deal.

 

I can't steer you to the exact places but a bit of searching on the web should turn up dealers that sell old binocular parts. That lens ring shouldn't be to hard to find.

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I am so ashamed I am going back next saturday and see what else I can get for 5 bucks. wink2.gif

 

Thanks for the tip, I'll do a search

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  • 3 months later...
FG02.jpg

 

This says Universal Camera, New York USA, 1942 W.P.B.

 

I am guessing that 42 is the date of manufacture and that WPB means War Production Board, did I guess right?

 

Does being marked WPB mean that these are intended for Lend-Lease rather than going to the US Army?

 

That's correct: the M6 were made for Great Britain and according to the webpage at http://www.europa.com/~telscope/milusarm.txt " The British Government bought 6 x 30s directly from Universal Camera, designated M6. The M9 was made at Universal, identical to the M6 except with a left side reticle, instead of the British right side reticle."

 

The M6's are often sold as "US Navy" or "Paratrooper," and What Price Glory sells a case it calls, "USMC M17 Leather Binocular Case for 6x30 M6 Binoculars."

 

The Marines actually used M9 binoculars:

 

binousms2ek2.jpg

 

Here's a pair of the M6's I picked up recently:

 

bino1.jpg

 

bino3.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Nice photos. And, thanks especially for the pictures of the ordnance manuals. Very helpful!

 

I have a pair of what appear to be cousins or predecessors of the M13/M3 binoculars. They were made by Universal Camera Corporation, serial number 9680, 6 x 30. There are no other distinguishing marks. There is no reticle in either eye piece.

 

The case matches the binoculars and is embossed with Universal Camera Corporation on the top of the lid.

 

Any ideas where might they fit in?

Thanks for any ideas.

Joy

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I did a lot of combing through the internet and decided these are most likely from 1941.

This is based on:

LIFE magazine 21 May 1945.

Universal Camera Corporation,

1941 started war work

1942 over 80% essential war work

1943 over 99% essential war work

1944 over 99% essential war work

Today: over 99% of our facilities are devoted to producing essential precision instruments for the Armed Forces, and will

continue to be while the need exists.

 

And finding the following binoculars with stated serial numbers:

1942 M6 27521

1943 Navy 68519

1942 M9 23890

1942 M6 1252?

1942 M6 25579

1942 M6 20545

1942 Navy 19245

1942 “M6” 22324 (officers type)

USMC 36551

1942 M6 35248

Joy

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  • 1 year later...

Hi,

 

Is there any way to date a M49 by it's data tag ?

What era would be such a telescope with the data tag shown in the middle of that picture (original olive drab crinkled paint) The telescope also has a original sticker saying "coated optics", same as M13 late 1943 made binoculars. The stock number may be a clue but I have no data on them.

 

Top picture : WW2 (Crinkeld paint)

Middle : ? (Crinkeld paint and one repainted semi-gloss dark olive drab)

Bottom: Modern era (matt dark olive drab)

 

post-647-1293087165.jpg

 

Thanks for your help.

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El Bibliotecario

Thanks for the photo. While I'm relying on memory--always a risky venture--it looks very similar to the scope issued to competitive pistol shooters by the USAMTU in the early '70s. I'm guessing the pictured scope is perhaps an earlier version. This is pure speculation, but I'd hope the army wasn't procuring stuff for competitive marksmanship during the war, so it may have initally had a more serious purpose.

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