The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I could load to the original velocity, that would make sense. Thanks for the info. Aiming off, well I can't do much about it, I'll just have to learn were the point of impact is and work from there, can't imagine the "fun" it would be to figure that out while you have Germans shooting at you.

I read conflicting things about sight pictures. Some of the material I've read state that you should "lollipop" the target, others state that you should place the tip of the the blade of your front sight into the centre of the target.

Does anyone know what the original zero was for these sights, how were they intended to be aimed in the military back in the day?

Somewhere at home I've got a mid-WW2 SMLE skilly's manual. I'll look up the sighting chapter.

Don't, whatever you do, take a file to any foresight blade. Buy yourself a set (they're going for ~£25 on eBay, for No.4s, at the mo) and do it properly by swapping them around until you've got a correct zero. If the rifle's miles off, you need the bedding sorting out.

Tower75 wrote:I could load to the original velocity, that would make sense. Thanks for the info. Aiming off, well I can't do much about it, I'll just have to learn were the point of impact is and work from there, can't imagine the "fun" it would be to figure that out while you have Germans shooting at you.

I read conflicting things about sight pictures. Some of the material I've read state that you should "lollipop" the target, others state that you should place the tip of the the blade of your front sight into the centre of the target.

Does anyone know what the original zero was for these sights, how were they intended to be aimed in the military back in the day?

You'll get the hang of aiming off - As a rough guide, 1" is 1 minute of adjustment at 100 yards, so if you're shooting at 300 yards 1 MOA is 3"...so if the wind chart says you need 3 minutes of windage, you need to aim approximately 9" off...at 600 a 6 minute wind means you have to aim off more than 3 feet!

...as the wind chart I use is for .308 and my Mauser and SMLE loads are quite mild, I tend to add more depending on the distance and conditions - When I'm shooting on the tin-hat target at 200, in typical conditions it's usually just a case of placing the 'hat' just left or right of the center of the foresight...one of the reasons why I shoot into the white; so that I can clearly judge it.

As for the 'correct' sight picture; I think it depends on what works best for you (which is why I said in my previous responses "personally") - 25 years ago I could aim into the middle of any target, black or DP, but these days my eyes aren't good enough to line up 'black on black on black'...which is why I've taken to the target pistol way of sighting.

I'd also be interested to know how they were originally intended to be shot if anyone can find some info.

Gaz wrote:Don't, whatever you do, take a file to any foresight blade

Why not if it's not an original? - To be fair it can be a bit trick getting it level, and you have to make sure you angle the file forward so that you get a crisp edge at the back of the blade, but I found it relatively easy to get it just where I wanted it (one from a set may not be just right...)...and it saves keep having to re-zero the windage each time you swap one out.

ive struggled to find a set of smle blades that is £50

Taken from my digitised copy of Pam 3, Rifle and Bayonet, 1942. The diagram is for the SMLE, aiming at the WW2 equivalent of a figure target.

Dougan wrote:

Gaz wrote:Don't, whatever you do, take a file to any foresight blade

Why not if it's not an original? - To be fair it can be a bit trick getting it level, and you have to make sure you angle the file forward so that you get a crisp edge at the back of the blade, but I found it relatively easy to get it just where I wanted it (one from a set may not be just right...)...and it saves keep having to re-zero the windage each time you swap one out.

Mostly because it does my head in when I buy a spare set of blades only to find half of them don't match the heights stamped on...!

But seriously, it's an originality thing for me. As issued, nobody had the luxury of filing their foresight blades precisely to fit - and in many cases the correct MPI was deliberately offset from the point of aim at various distances.

Step 1 is to buy set of foresight blades. You should be able to get a complete set of No1 blades for about £10 from Terry Abrahams.
Step 2 set sights to 200 yds and shoot at 200 yds. Swop foresight blades until MPI (mean point of impact) is 6 inches above MPA (mean point of aim).
Windage can be adjusted for by using Armourers Drift No1 ( small brass punch) and drift foresight towards the error. Or use the correct foresight cramp, (Armourers used the punch and hammer method as it was quicker). If the foresight needs moving more than 0.050" then you have an issue with the fit of the forend and you need to find someone with the correct skills to rectify this.

Gaz wrote:But seriously, it's an originality thing for me. As issued, nobody had the luxury of filing their foresight blades precisely to fit

But it's not 'as issued' if you swap out the 'original' foresight with one you bought off ebay, is it?...so why not file a touch off if it gets you the right POA?

And I'll bet that some servicemen (back when the SMLE was issue) who were in target shooting teams tinkered a bit with their rifles...and maybe even a few in the field too...