Can anyone ID this gun sight?

stevewatr · Sunday at 10:11 AM

I found this rusted sight while digging through a box of junk at the flea market.

It is marked in yards out to 32.
Windage is adjustable to 10 degrees.

Marked at the top "CAL .50 M1"

On the side of the body are a couple spots marked with a "C" in a square.

Wundermech · Sunday at 10:54 AM

Browning M2 machine gun rear sight. The M1 refers to the 50 cal ammo. I’d say the sight is Bullet Drop Compensated. So, you dial in a range instead of dialing in an elevation. 32 is for 3,200 yards with standard M1 Ball ammo. The M2 can be set for single shot, rather than full auto all the time, so you can settle in on a target at a known (or at least estimated) distance.

Scottl · Sunday at 12:32 PM

Wundermech said:
Browning M2 machine gun rear sight. The M1 refers to the 50 cal ammo. I’d say the sight is Bullet Drop Compensated. So, you dial in a range instead of dialing in an elevation. 32 is for 3,200 yards with standard M1 Ball ammo. The M2 can be set for single shot, rather than full auto all the time, so you can settle in on a target at a known (or at least estimated) distance.

Yeah, an old time Marine I knew who served in Korea said they used to try and snipe at the Korean positions on the other side of a valley using an M2 Browning. As I recall the range was a mile or so.

Hits were infrequent but it did keep them from relaxing.

UncleFrank · Monday at 3:24 AM

Boxed C was a late/post WWII mark for Colt parts, at least on 1911 barrels, hammers, etc.

stevewatr · Monday at 9:11 AM

Wundermech said:
Browning M2 machine gun rear sight. The M1 refers to the 50 cal ammo. I’d say the sight is Bullet Drop Compensated. So, you dial in a range instead of dialing in an elevation. 32 is for 3,200 yards with standard M1 Ball ammo. The M2 can be set for single shot, rather than full auto all the time, so you can settle in on a target at a known (or at least estimated) distance.

Thanks. I was wondering why a max of 32. This makes sense. Last time I fired a .50 call was in basic training in the 1980's. Qualified on one, then never touched one again since I was assigned to an M901 and we didnt have room on it for the M2.

Regards,
Steve.

stevewatr · Monday at 9:14 AM

Wundermech said:
Browning M2 machine gun rear sight. The M1 refers to the 50 cal ammo. I’d say the sight is Bullet Drop Compensated. So, you dial in a range instead of dialing in an elevation. 32 is for 3,200 yards with standard M1 Ball ammo. The M2 can be set for single shot, rather than full auto all the time, so you can settle in on a target at a known (or at least estimated) distance.

Thanks. I was wondering why a max of 32. This makes sense. Last time I fired a .50 call was in basic training in the 1980's. Qualified on one, then never touched one again since I was assigned to an M901 and we didnt have room on it for the M2.

Regards,
Steve

Scottl said:
Yeah, an old time Marine I knew who served in Korea said they used to try and snipe at the Korean positions on the other side of a valley using an M2 Browning. As I recall the range was a mile or so.

Hits were infrequent but it did keep them from relaxing.

"Kept them from relaxing" lol, I'll bet! I can imagine what one of those rounds sounded like coming in before you ever heard the report.

Steve.

stevewatr · Monday at 9:19 AM

UncleFrank said:
Boxed C was a late/post WWII mark for Colt parts, at least on 1911 barrels, hammers, etc.

Wikipedia shows Colts Patent Firearms listed as one of the previous manufacturers of the M2, so this makes sense now.
Thanks,
Steve.

Rob F. · Monday at 11:56 AM

I quickly scanned the BMG parts site and did not immediatly see that or similar sights, the AA sight I did see were quite expensive. Guessing that sight is not common.

BMGParts.com / Home Page - BMG Parts & Accessories

www.bmgparts.com

stevewatr · Tuesday at 2:52 PM

Rob F. said:
I quickly scanned the BMG parts site and did not immediatly see that or similar sights, the AA sight I did see were quite expensive. Guessing that sight is not common.

BMGParts.com / Home Page - BMG Parts & Accessories

www.bmgparts.com

Hi Rob,
I also looked there and noticed all the M2 sights looked the same as the ones I found online, yet very different thank mine. However, after combing through every picture on that page, I found it!!

It is described as an "M2WC" sight. I'm guessing the WC means water cooled.

No price given , says call for price.

REARSIGHT-WC - Browning Machine Gun Parts

Sight, Rear, Assembly, M2.

bmg.parts

Rob F. · 2023-01-18T23:38:58-0600

Very nice, you have more patience than I to look through aalll those pictures.
Curious to know how much they want for one, must be a lot since they say call, when most everything else has price shown....

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Can anyone ID this gun sight?

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