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Normal Topic Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle (Read 2596 times)
Blackhawk
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Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Nov 25th, 2020 at 5:07pm
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Greetings,

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to ASSRA members.

I have a German target rifle made in the late 1800's. I am trying to better understand the details of the rear aperture sight. The attached pictures show a front, rear and side view. My questions are as follows:

1) What is the purpose of the narrow vertical slit in the plate that allows the diopter to be attached to the rear aperture sight assembly? Is it to be used without the diopter in place?

2) The sight is missing the vertical adjustment screw, which threads into the tang. As best as I can tell the screw would have a very coarse metric thread. My estimation is M6.5 x 3.0. Is this a typical thread for that period?

3) The rifle has a front sight blade, a two leaf mid-sight on the barrel and a rear aperture at the tang. In sighting the rifle on a target, I assume all three need to be aligned. Would the purpose of the diopter then be to mainly increase the depth of field to bring the target and sights in better focus?

4) A diopter, elevation screw and key/wrench for adjustment would be needed to restore the rear sight. In old posts I see the names of Mr. Loos and Mr. Heilman mentioned as individuals that do this kind of work. Are there any others that I should consider contacting?

Thank you for your consideration.
  
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Fred Boulton
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #1 - Nov 26th, 2020 at 8:46am
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I several of these sights and have seen many more. Whay I have not seen is any two the same. The coarse thread adjusment is normal. Compared to the best British or American sights, they are actually pretty crude, although impressive looking. No click adjusters, coarse threads and often with play. having said all that, I love them to bits and use mine regularly!
Fred
  
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Chuckster
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #2 - Nov 26th, 2020 at 11:03am
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Cheater open sight according to the NMLRA. Big discussion several years ago.
This sight and a big hat about equal to an aperture sight.
Not legal for ML open sight competition, but appears widely used in Europe.
Chuck
  
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Blackhawk
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #3 - Nov 26th, 2020 at 9:00pm
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Thanks for the replies and information.

It appears a clock winding key can be used to turn the adjusting screws for windage  and elevation. The square head on the windage screw of the sight tapers from 3.0 to 3.4 mm, as measured along the flats. A clock winding key #3 or #4 should work. A #5 measures 3.5 mm, which would be a little too large.
  
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MrTipUp
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #4 - Nov 26th, 2020 at 9:45pm
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Speaking from experience, a correct-size clock winding key will work just fine.  I'll also throw in that if there are any old jewelry stores near you, check with them.  Many such used to do clock repairs and if so they often have a literal shoe box full of old keys that they will let you paw through and choose one or two, for which you'll be charged a pittance, if anything.

Bill Lawrence
  
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Kurt_701
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #5 - Nov 26th, 2020 at 11:37pm
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I found a key that would fit my sight in a lock smith shop. It is a clock key.
« Last Edit: Nov 27th, 2020 at 7:07am by Kurt_701 »  

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Fred Boulton
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #6 - Nov 27th, 2020 at 5:44am
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if you can't find a key--------drill a piece of bar to the across falts dimension required. File another piece of fairly decent steel to the square section required and taper it near the end.
Heat the drilled piece to cherry red. hammer the tapered bar into the hole.
You have just made your own key.
Fred
  
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rkba2nd
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #7 - Nov 27th, 2020 at 2:30pm
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Some years ago I bought some on e-bay and Amazon for less than three dollars shipped. Some are more traditional(old) looking than others. Being that Most of these rifles are from countries known for clock making, Germany, it stands to reason they would use ready made clock Keys.
  

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Smoke
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #8 - Nov 29th, 2020 at 1:31am
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If you mess around with German rifles enough, get a pair of the keys shown, one for even numbered sizes and one for odd.  Covers all the bases.

Most larget clock shops carry them.  Failing that there's always amazon.
  
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JägerWilhelm
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Re: Rear Aperture Sight for German Target Rifle
Reply #9 - Dec 6th, 2020 at 8:46pm
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Smoke wrote on Nov 29th, 2020 at 1:31am:
If you mess around with German rifles enough, get a pair of the keys shown, one for even numbered sizes and one for odd.  Covers all the bases.

Most larget clock shops carry them.  Failing that there's always amazon.


Those are the type I use. Makes it easy with multiple firearms.

The rear sight above is missing its screw in diopter disc, which is not easy to find. The ones for such an early sight assembly generally had a bone center insert.

Mine was missing the bone insert, so a friend made a nylon one.
« Last Edit: Dec 6th, 2020 at 8:59pm by JägerWilhelm »  

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