Elric
Well-Known Member
Telescopic Sights. (External Adjust Rear Mount) by George Shorkley
Shooting And Fishing, page 369, vol 30, No. 19, Aug 22, 1901
https://books.google.com/books?id=b5cwAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:4_nJVSo-51oC&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOvcf4gIrYAhUY22MKHWqBD-04ChDoAQgrMAE#v=onepage&q=Telescopic Sights&f=false
Telescopic sights for rifles are now very much more in use than ever before in my remembrance. I myself have used them for over forty years, and of nearly all our commercial makes. During all these years one of the greatest hindrances to a satisfactory use of them has been in their mountings. It was not because I could not get good telescopes; they could be got—by paying a high price for them, and an abnormally higher price for mountings. The tubes were not then lighted as they are now—for the way to success was then unknown—but they were, some of them, optically correct, and in a good light were very satisfactory in a general way.
Fig. l - A, frame; b, telescope tube; c, elevating screw; d, base rest for telescope; e, open sight spring; f, pin holding base rest in place. Set for 100 yard shooting.
Fig. 2 – Set for 200 yards.
Fig. 3 - 1, elevating bolt with wedge-shaped point; ‘2, wedge-shaped projection below the base rest (3). Turning the elevating bolt to the right carries it forward against the wedge-shaped projection (2), forcing it up, carrying the base rest up, in which rests the telescope tube. Turning the bolt to the left reverses the movement and lowers the telescope tube, it being held securely in the base rest by the sight spring (e, Fig 1).
On the New Mexican frontier, along the Rio Grande, in the ’60's and '70’s, in what was then the Indian country, I used a Malcolm ¾ inch tube telescope on the old-style Maynard rifle. I had secured a mounting for it that was satisfactory by screwing and soldering to the barrel one-third of a hollow tube, making a sort of cradle in which the telescope was placed, and held rigidly there by bands over it near each end. It was correctly sighted for seventy five yards, quite the full average distance at which I fired at game; indeed, one rarely needed to fire at more than fifty yards at any game, save antelope, on the plains then. It was easy to hold to suit any distance, remembering the rifle was sighted for seventy five yards.
The roughest frontier usage never disturbed that mounting. The commercial mountings that come nearest to it, so far as I know, are the hangings Mr. Cummins uses for his telescopes; and, by the way, one of the really satisfactory combinations of telescope and mountings is the Cummins for hunting purposes. Have the ’scope turned with the elevating screw under. Secure it in the hangings so that the middle third only of the field will be used by the crosslines in sighting, and we have a combination that will stand the raps and serve us well. Unfortunately, Mr. Cummins makes but the short tube ’scopes, and I am very partial to full length tubes, believing one holds steadier with the longer tube.
Very many sorts and styles of mountings are now to be had, made for all characters of adjustments, and for all sorts of fat pocketbooks as well. One may pay $10 for the telescope, and more than twice $10 for the mountings for it. This should not be. I have a handful of such micrometer and other mountings in a box on a shelf near me as I write this. They are. some of them, interesting mechanical appliances, but with faults that have relegated them to the rear, while their places are taken by the simpler and more rigid mountings that have been proved much better than they for my uses.
It is generally conceded that all 'scopes having the fixed crosslines—like the Malcolm, the Rice, the Mogg, the Sidle, and others—must have some device in the rear mounting to secure varying alterations, and it is to be regretted that so little attention has been given this by inventors. This was much talked over at a- gathering of riflemen and inventors in the office of Shooting And Fishing’s correspondent, Medicus, last May, and the discussion was much encouraged by a rear mounting invented and shown us by Mr. Mann, of Medford, Mass. Dr. Baker, of Boston, was greatly pleased with it. It was the general interest in the subject, as shown at that time, that encouraged me to present pictures of my mounting to the readers of Shooting And Fishing, with the wish that inventors may hasten to give us something better.
The movements are absolutely positive—no lost motion. The slightest movement of the elevating bolt raises or lowers the telescope. This form is for ¾ inch tube; smaller tube ’scopes may be used in the same frame. Any accidental change of elevation is impossible. Only a turn of the elevating bolt can secure a change and its adjustments are as fine as a micrometer, and very simple. This mounting has been devised to secure a simple and convenient, but efficient and inexpensive, rear mounting for rifle telescopes for ranges from 50 to 200 yards. Any desired range may be secured, however, by making a higher frame and longer base rest. The frame might be cast of brass or of iron, and the mounting completed at small cost. In using this mounting the forward mounting may be a plain ring, with a screw pin Ito hold the telescope in place and against recoil. This pin should be on the side and under, that the recoil may not loosen the mounting, In any case, it will not do this, unless the telescope is a heavy one and fits too loosely in the ring.
This mounting may be used for a sliding telescope, with suitable spring and pin at front mounting. A prick punch mark on the side of the telescope will be needed to enable one to set the elevations for 50, 100 and 200 yards; points between can be secured by turning the elevating bolt—see marks about its head. One point will make about I inch elevation at each 100 yards, and 1/2 inch at 50 yards, etc. This must be determined by test for any particular ammunition. Lateral movements are not provided for it is believed that any such movement of a telescopic sight is undesirable for all-round uses. Other forms have been devised and tested in securing this, but this one fully and best answers all requirements, and it is illustrated, with working drawings, so that anyone may make one or have one made for them selves, if they wish, and they are as welcome to it as to the air they breathe. It will not be patented.
George Shorkley.
Shooting And Fishing, page 369, vol 30, No. 19, Aug 22, 1901
https://books.google.com/books?id=b5cwAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:4_nJVSo-51oC&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOvcf4gIrYAhUY22MKHWqBD-04ChDoAQgrMAE#v=onepage&q=Telescopic Sights&f=false
Telescopic sights for rifles are now very much more in use than ever before in my remembrance. I myself have used them for over forty years, and of nearly all our commercial makes. During all these years one of the greatest hindrances to a satisfactory use of them has been in their mountings. It was not because I could not get good telescopes; they could be got—by paying a high price for them, and an abnormally higher price for mountings. The tubes were not then lighted as they are now—for the way to success was then unknown—but they were, some of them, optically correct, and in a good light were very satisfactory in a general way.
Fig. l - A, frame; b, telescope tube; c, elevating screw; d, base rest for telescope; e, open sight spring; f, pin holding base rest in place. Set for 100 yard shooting.
Fig. 2 – Set for 200 yards.
Fig. 3 - 1, elevating bolt with wedge-shaped point; ‘2, wedge-shaped projection below the base rest (3). Turning the elevating bolt to the right carries it forward against the wedge-shaped projection (2), forcing it up, carrying the base rest up, in which rests the telescope tube. Turning the bolt to the left reverses the movement and lowers the telescope tube, it being held securely in the base rest by the sight spring (e, Fig 1).
On the New Mexican frontier, along the Rio Grande, in the ’60's and '70’s, in what was then the Indian country, I used a Malcolm ¾ inch tube telescope on the old-style Maynard rifle. I had secured a mounting for it that was satisfactory by screwing and soldering to the barrel one-third of a hollow tube, making a sort of cradle in which the telescope was placed, and held rigidly there by bands over it near each end. It was correctly sighted for seventy five yards, quite the full average distance at which I fired at game; indeed, one rarely needed to fire at more than fifty yards at any game, save antelope, on the plains then. It was easy to hold to suit any distance, remembering the rifle was sighted for seventy five yards.
The roughest frontier usage never disturbed that mounting. The commercial mountings that come nearest to it, so far as I know, are the hangings Mr. Cummins uses for his telescopes; and, by the way, one of the really satisfactory combinations of telescope and mountings is the Cummins for hunting purposes. Have the ’scope turned with the elevating screw under. Secure it in the hangings so that the middle third only of the field will be used by the crosslines in sighting, and we have a combination that will stand the raps and serve us well. Unfortunately, Mr. Cummins makes but the short tube ’scopes, and I am very partial to full length tubes, believing one holds steadier with the longer tube.
Very many sorts and styles of mountings are now to be had, made for all characters of adjustments, and for all sorts of fat pocketbooks as well. One may pay $10 for the telescope, and more than twice $10 for the mountings for it. This should not be. I have a handful of such micrometer and other mountings in a box on a shelf near me as I write this. They are. some of them, interesting mechanical appliances, but with faults that have relegated them to the rear, while their places are taken by the simpler and more rigid mountings that have been proved much better than they for my uses.
It is generally conceded that all 'scopes having the fixed crosslines—like the Malcolm, the Rice, the Mogg, the Sidle, and others—must have some device in the rear mounting to secure varying alterations, and it is to be regretted that so little attention has been given this by inventors. This was much talked over at a- gathering of riflemen and inventors in the office of Shooting And Fishing’s correspondent, Medicus, last May, and the discussion was much encouraged by a rear mounting invented and shown us by Mr. Mann, of Medford, Mass. Dr. Baker, of Boston, was greatly pleased with it. It was the general interest in the subject, as shown at that time, that encouraged me to present pictures of my mounting to the readers of Shooting And Fishing, with the wish that inventors may hasten to give us something better.
The movements are absolutely positive—no lost motion. The slightest movement of the elevating bolt raises or lowers the telescope. This form is for ¾ inch tube; smaller tube ’scopes may be used in the same frame. Any accidental change of elevation is impossible. Only a turn of the elevating bolt can secure a change and its adjustments are as fine as a micrometer, and very simple. This mounting has been devised to secure a simple and convenient, but efficient and inexpensive, rear mounting for rifle telescopes for ranges from 50 to 200 yards. Any desired range may be secured, however, by making a higher frame and longer base rest. The frame might be cast of brass or of iron, and the mounting completed at small cost. In using this mounting the forward mounting may be a plain ring, with a screw pin Ito hold the telescope in place and against recoil. This pin should be on the side and under, that the recoil may not loosen the mounting, In any case, it will not do this, unless the telescope is a heavy one and fits too loosely in the ring.
This mounting may be used for a sliding telescope, with suitable spring and pin at front mounting. A prick punch mark on the side of the telescope will be needed to enable one to set the elevations for 50, 100 and 200 yards; points between can be secured by turning the elevating bolt—see marks about its head. One point will make about I inch elevation at each 100 yards, and 1/2 inch at 50 yards, etc. This must be determined by test for any particular ammunition. Lateral movements are not provided for it is believed that any such movement of a telescopic sight is undesirable for all-round uses. Other forms have been devised and tested in securing this, but this one fully and best answers all requirements, and it is illustrated, with working drawings, so that anyone may make one or have one made for them selves, if they wish, and they are as welcome to it as to the air they breathe. It will not be patented.
George Shorkley.