Circling back to the OP, here are four variations of the first-generation Weihrauch "turret" style diopter sights. All date from the 1950's, and are milled from solid steel. Again they seem to have been made in small batches, as there are many variations.
A signature detail of all HW diopters is the screw at the front which mates up with one of the holes on top of the rifle's receiver to securely locate the sight's fore-aft position. Another Interesting feature is separate locks for the windage and elevation adjustments (they seem a little paranoid about that in Bavaria!). On all these, the elevation is locked by tightening the flange of the big eye disk against the flat back face of the turret, with the windage lock varies.
They are in order of age from left to right.
+ First one looks identical to specie's example. The windage lock is the odd screw at the back, which requires a rod type tool to tighten. The slotted screw on the top front of the sight's base is the position locator, and the side clamping screw is similar.
+ Second one is much the same, but the windage lock has morphed into a massive thumbwheel underneath the back...that's its only function.
+ Third one replaces the front locator screw with another big thumbwheel - a "trademark" of all later HW diopters. The wheel sits on top of the sight's base. The clamp screw is a bigger knurled finger knob.
+ Fourth one is similar but the front thumbwheel is recessed to fit flush with the base, and the turret is dropped slightly (I've noticed it can be hard to adjust these old sights low enough for 10 meters, and progressive changes in their design reflect that - the back sights got lower, the fronts got taller, and the stocks got that little dished-out area behind the receiver!)
"Form follows function," as the old architect said!
A signature detail of all HW diopters is the screw at the front which mates up with one of the holes on top of the rifle's receiver to securely locate the sight's fore-aft position. Another Interesting feature is separate locks for the windage and elevation adjustments (they seem a little paranoid about that in Bavaria!). On all these, the elevation is locked by tightening the flange of the big eye disk against the flat back face of the turret, with the windage lock varies.
They are in order of age from left to right.
+ First one looks identical to specie's example. The windage lock is the odd screw at the back, which requires a rod type tool to tighten. The slotted screw on the top front of the sight's base is the position locator, and the side clamping screw is similar.
+ Second one is much the same, but the windage lock has morphed into a massive thumbwheel underneath the back...that's its only function.
+ Third one replaces the front locator screw with another big thumbwheel - a "trademark" of all later HW diopters. The wheel sits on top of the sight's base. The clamp screw is a bigger knurled finger knob.
+ Fourth one is similar but the front thumbwheel is recessed to fit flush with the base, and the turret is dropped slightly (I've noticed it can be hard to adjust these old sights low enough for 10 meters, and progressive changes in their design reflect that - the back sights got lower, the fronts got taller, and the stocks got that little dished-out area behind the receiver!)
"Form follows function," as the old architect said!
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