Re: He's baaaaack!!!
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 5:01 am
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 I think this supports that they were pretty thoroughly withdrawn from service and taken apart.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).
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).