2pdr. Scope Questions?
 

Hello,

I took a chance recently and picked up this scope for what seemed like a very fair price.

It was advertised as the 2pdr. scope from a Matilda, which I'm not sure is true... but the reticle is marked 2pdr on the LT side. Can anybody tell me type of 2pdr. would be fitted with this optic?

Was there any manual printed for care and maintenance on cannon optics? The reticle is very sharp but the lenses are definately fogged up with dust and dirt. Would the scope have had a rubber eye cup on it?

And does anybody have any advice to help preserve the carry case? It is a bit dirty and dry.

Thank you.

That looks similar to the scope on my 2 pounder AT gun (British) They were also made in slightly different variations in Australia and Canada. My scope is about 15 1/2" without the eye piece.

I use Neatsfoot type oils on my leather parts.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185383936...EAAOSw6FliVqMO

Ron

There was a quantity of the eyecups sold in a lot at the recent auction, and more sprinkled throughout the auction lots. They do not seem to have surfaced on ebay yet, so may well be stashed away in someone else's inventory.

I managed to get 3 or 4 in a lot of other misc items. None for sale unfortunately...I have that many scopes that need them.

Thank you for the replies,

Has anybody tried to disassemble one of these scopes for cleaning? I assume that they are not nitrogen filled like later rifle scopes?

Rubber eye cups
 

I think I have a few of the black Eye cups left if anyone needs one.

Rob.................rnixartillery

I'd be interested in one if you don't mind shipping across the pond...

Aust sighting telescopes
 

Can't quite read the nomenclature on the scope in the image.

The 2-pdr in the Matilda used either a No.30 or No.33 telescope, or in Aust, the No.133 (Aust) Mk.1.

The 2-pdr A/T used the No.24B Mk.3 scope or, in Australia, the No.124 (Aust) Mk.1 Scope.

The 25-pdr also listed the No.24B Mk.3 and the No.124 (Aust) Mk.1 as alternatives.

As marked, this is an Australian scope manufactured by J.W. Handley Pty Ltd in Victoria, Australia. Company also manufactured dial sights and other optics. It is dated 1941, so most likely for the 2-pdr A/T or 25-pdr guns. Matilda didn't start arriving in Aust until first half of 1942.

Mike

I pulled it back out and checked it, it's a No. 124 L.P. Mk.1 scope :thup:

Earlt nomenclature
 

Good: early nomenclature for the No.124 (Aust) Mk.1. The LP stands for 'Local Pattern' ie Australian design or modified for Australian manufacture. 'LP' was dropped by early 1942, replaced by 'Aust'.

Mike

Great information Mike! Mine is a No39 MK 2S? Clearly not correct for the gun as it says 6 pounder up by the cross hairs :) Ron

Markings
 

You'll have the 6-pdr owners after you now, Ron, wanting to do a deal!

The markings on the Aust sight are interesting, at least to me. The D/i\D marking is Department of Defence, which technically didn't exist in 1941 - it was the Department of Defence Co-ordination. The Army was the Department of the Army, and the department which actually issued the production order to JW Handley was the Department of Munitions, (specifically the Ordnance Production Directorate through the Victorian Board of Area Management). The spec for the 2-pdr sights were issued by the Army before June 1940 when the Dept of Munitions came into existence.

Leads me to look at later type sights to compare the markings.

Mike

No 39 is 6 pdr tanks though, not 6 pdr anti tank guns. They use a No 22.

6-pdr Tank Optics
 

Thanks Adrian, always good to learn these details. :salute:

Not a sight with an Aust equivalent.

Mike