This showed up today from eBay.  It is a 3/4" tube that is 371/2" long with its sunshade.  There is a baffle in the interior that appears to have a 1/4" hole in it.  No evidence it ever had glass in it.  There are Pope style ribs on opposite sides that are only 4-1/2" long.  The "eyepiece" end is a slip fit with a threaded hole that fits a merit eye disk screw but is recessed .45" deep.  There are 3 set screws that don't hold anything in the end.  That piece looks more like a scope mount turret that has been fitted to the end.  I see no provision for a front aperture.  With a bit of work it could probably be converted into a working tube sight, but the front mount would need to be located at the front sight dovetail location.  I bought it because of the 2 Lyman rear mounts that evidently come with it (which won't show up until tomorrow) that I hope are fully functional.
Any idea of what this may have been originally?

Thanks

Jack

Having an upper and lower rib would be problematic I would think with standard front mounts. The eBay photo shows rear mounts at both ends.

I might be able to make a custom front mount from a spare Lyman 77H sight I have.  I also have a 17A that has no base anymore that I modified for a tube sight project that have abandoned since I bought an Unertl tube sight. Adding an adapter to the rear to take standard eyepieces will be easy since the set screws would hold it in place. Time to put on my thinking cap. 

I found my Lyman 17A from a previous tube sight project and it is a slip fit in the front of the tube with one small piece of adhesive tape to keep it from moving.  I machined a 3/8" diamater by 1/2" deep brass insert and threaded it 7/32 ME for a Parker Hale adjustable rear aperture.  All that is left is to mill off the extra rib and slip on some mounts. 
I am planning on sourcing a 10-40 tap so an MVA Hadley eyecup will fit.   

Jack

Keep going Jack! Once it's perfected it will indeed look great on an old Ballard!

bpjack wrote on Mar 17^th, 2024 at 3:36pm:


I use old paper tubes that vinyl print material is sold on to ship scopes. The tubes are 3/8" thick walls and you could drive a truck over them and not hurt them. But it does add shipping costs.

The tube sight is done.  The rear is threaded for Lyman or williams apertures and there is a Lyman 17a in the front under the shade.  My high wall has a 31" barrel which is almost too long since you have to crowd the eyepiece. 

Jack

I probably could be persuaded to part with it Vall.