He's baaaaack!!!

[butlersrangers]

I suspect there was a desire to make model 1898 Krag rifles with model 1902 sights 'uniform', as well as, regulated for issue ammo.

IIRC - There are five variations of leafs on 1902 sights. Two or three variations of elevation locking-knobs. I think four different knurling or notching patterns on the side of the leaf. "Sgt. Peep" or no peep, but, only one base for rifle and one base for carbine. The base defines the model 1902 sight.

Also, the 1902 base in addition to being taller used a spring that was simpler, easier to machine and fit, cheaper, and probably less inclined to break than the 1898 base spring.

Per Mallory, Springfield 'remanufactured' or altered 110,000 model 1898 sight leafs. This was pretty labor intensive!

It required rounding-off the blade corners, eliminating the 'outside "V" notches, grooving & knurling the left-side of the sight leaf, and replacing or making major changes to the elevator-slide and its sub-parts. (Also, most of these altered blades have the, so called, "Sgt. Peep" feature).

In my experience, I have seen a fair number of these altered model 1898 leafs on Krags. Invariably they have been on model 1902 bases. However, I have always found regular model 1902 sights to be much more common.

If Mallory's number of 110,000 altered 1898 leafs is correct, one would think the variation of the model 1902 sight with the altered leaf would be the most common. (This has not been my experience though).

Complete original model 1898 carbine and rifle sights are not very common at all, especially, still on Krag rifles or carbines. I think this supports that they were pretty thoroughly withdrawn from service and taken apart.

I can recall when the stripped 1898 bases were quite common. (It must have been quite an expense to warehouse 110,000 obsolete bases. I'm surprised Springfield didn't salvage them, considering all the work that went into the alteration of leafs).

[Dick Hosmer]

The only salvage possible would have been to make 1902C from 1898R - the metal is too low. Bob's theory might have been an alternative.

[psteinmayer]

I'm inclined to agree with you Dick. It seems to me that the elevation of the ramp on the 1898R sight is comparable to the ramp of the 1902C.

I've only seen one 1898R sight installed on a rifle (at a gun show)... and had a darned hard time walking away from it without going into hock (and divorce) to have it! I have seen a bunch of the altered 98 leafs on rifles though.

[butlersrangers]

As Dick points out, if there was a desire to salvage model 1898 sight-bases at Springfield, only the rifle bases could have been utilized to make 1902 carbine bases, by 're-grinding' the curvature. (Although, 'Madsenshooter' has offered a clever solution that seems it could have worked to correct rifle bases by using a thicker slide).

IIRC - Springfield only made 5,000 model-1902 carbine sights. This was at a time when the new (1903) Springfield was being developed and readied for manufacture.

There are similar sight parts (spring, leaf, eye-piece/blade, pins, knobs, slide) that can interchange between the 1902 and 1903 sights. The only thing that does not interchange is the '02 and '03 base-body.

(Maybe there was no desire to reuse the model '98 base and its spring because they were so different in machining operations)???

I suppose only original documentation and Armory communications could prove the decision making and logic involved. (It is fun to speculate the process).

Also, at later times (WW1 mobilization - with rebuild & repair of a 'secondary weapon' and 1920s DCM sales of obsolete equipment) maybe some 'oddities' got put together (and then there is Bannerman, Stokes Kirk and others).

FWIW - photos contrasting L to R: 1902 rifle, 1898 rifle, and 1902 carbine bases.

[butlersrangers]

First of the Month. Bills coming in. Maybe I should go to the basement and create an 'oddity' ... ! (Just kidding).

[Fred G.]

Ah..., a Model 1901 Springfield sight base! In the White.