Operation JUST CAUSE War Souvenir M16A1 ART Scope

[warpath]

ART scope liberated from a Panamanian soldier (LBP) by a US Army Ranger NCO who parachuted into Panama...This is a US produced Realist 4X ART Scope similar to the Vietnam ART scopes used with the M21 M-14 sniper rifles. The differences in the scopes are outwardly cosmetic and I can't explain the internals except that the 4 power optics are fixed. The mount is the intriguing feature since it was a specific adaptation for the M16A1 rifle used by Panamanian forces at the time. It was removed from the weapon and taken as a war trophy.

[warpath]

2

[Nkomo]

As a Just Cause collector, this has to be one of the nicest bringbacks I have seen from Panama.

[LtRGFRANK]

As a Just Cause collector, this has to be one of the nicest bringbacks I have seen from Panama.

 

I'd like to see some of your collection. My son brought back some stuff

 

[Garandomatic]

That's pretty cool.

[sgtdorango]

Yeah thats very cool, is that a capture tag hanging on there?!....mike

[willysmb44]

I knew a guy (the brother of a guy I worked with at the time) who brought back a Panamanian M-1 'Garand' rifle, with rack number on the lower stock. I asked how he was allowed to bring it back but he just smiled and changed the subject. He swore someone grabbed another and capped a Panamanian sniper with it as the M-16s wouldn't reach that far. Man, how I wish I knew more about that story today...

[Spathologist]

How is the mount different from the regular Leatherwood M16 mount?

[shawnmt6601]

How is the mount different from the regular Leatherwood M16 mount?

 

The regular ART mount is a complex system with a cam that adjusts the rear elevation of the optic as the power ring it turned.

[shawnmt6601]

I knew a guy (the brother of a guy I worked with at the time) who brought back a Panamanian M-1 'Garand' rifle, with rack number on the lower stock. I asked how he was allowed to bring it back but he just smiled and changed the subject. He swore someone grabbed another and capped a Panamanian sniper with it as the M-16s wouldn't reach that far. Man, how I wish I knew more about that story today...

 

The M16A2 is full capable of hits to 800 yards and beyond, then or now.

 

the story that guy told you sounds like a typical fish story to me.

[willysmb44]

 

The M16A2 is full capable of hits to 800 yards and beyond, then or now.

 

the story that guy told you sounds like a typical fish story to me.

 

Ordinarily, I'd agree, but he had something out of a unit newspaper that mentioned the shot. Beats me how he was able to bring it back, though...

As for an M-16 reaching that far, I shot them countless times on active duty and I never saw anyone who'd have tried a shot that far out given that our qual ranges never went beyond 300 meters.

 

[Spathologist]

 

The regular ART mount is a complex system with a cam that adjusts the rear elevation of the optic as the power ring it turned.

Not those. These:

 

 

1970s vintage, sometimes with a NSN, sometimes without. Kinda hard to find, but out there. I had one in the mid-80s, sold it with the rifle. Wish I hadn't.

 

But the mount in the OP looks the same, just wondered how you could tell a PDF-issued piece apart.

[warpath]

The source of my scope set is from the Ranger NCO who acquired the set taken from a PDF soldier's rifle. He may have photos of him with this scope along with other Just Cause souvenirs ( he had photos years ago, but like most of use can't recall where he put them). I'll post anything I find related to the set. He did say that these were not common issue in the PDF and I'll get clarification. Ed