[mrbb]

OK so, I know this is supposed to be firearms related, and I am sorry if I am out of line with asking this here
but does anyone here know anything about WWII binoculars?
I just [picked up a pair yrsterday, and I know little about them, so looking for help id'ing what I got and any possible info, or value of them
I can post pic's if it helps, but again, since it says firearm related stuff and see no other place to post on this site , didn't want to over set any more bounds than just asking
Thanks
can Pm pic's too if anyone is willing to help me

 

[dogface6]

Pictures and whatever nomenclature as may be found on the data plate would help.

 

[azshot]

Try this forum, they're pretty good at WWII stuff. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/
If they're the Bausch & Lomb 7x50s, or the other WWII makers they're common and very good. There is info on them all over the internet. It's not difficult to read the specs on the back near the ocular lenses, and do a Google search.

 

[mrbb]

thanks, here are some pic's then, and what all info I can make out on them

OK, so I picked these up yesterday, and am looking for some help telling me what I got, I know very little about old binoculars, so looking for any and all help I can
I was told they were from WWII, buy the guy I got them from, said he took them home when he left the service in 1946,
they are sadly not in great shape, but they still work, they have a graph chart on the left eye piece, as when viewing, left side is much clearer than right side too, the right side seems to have some debris inside the lens, he told me they come apart to be cleaned, but don't want to try that, never took bino's apart, and don't know if there is any gas charge inside these or not that would thus be left out if taken apart!
the info I can read(eye's ain't that good and its blurry some what) are it says
" Signal Corps" and then under it "US ARMY" on the bottom by left objective , and then on the right side, again near the objective, it says "Serial No, "EE" and then the number, which I cannot make out, it seems to have been some what rubbed on, not scratched but just rubbed on and thus its hard to make out
on the top near the eye piece's, it says on the left side "Prism Stereo,30mm apert,6 power
and then on the right side it says "Baush & Lomb Optical Co.rochester Ny. and has a triangle in the middle that says USA " on it the case has a number on it and says "Case then carrying M17" I think its also hard to make out
here are some pictures, sorry not the best, but I tried
so if anyone can offer me some help on what I got, possible value or the likes would be a great help

 

[dogface6]

Look to be pre-WWII Bausch & Lomb 6X30's in a WWII case (WWI cases often featured a compass inset into the top).

The Signal Corps was the initial proponent for Army optics, even though they got Service-wide distribution after WWII began - just like the initial proponent for compasses was the Engineers.

They'd've had a leather strap, with two small darkened brass buttons.

The 'D44160' refers to the 'Drawing Number' of the case for the 6X30 optics - nothing more.

They'll clean to be a 'serviceable' pair - though today's binos are both lighter and more efficient.

There's no gas charge - that came much, much later with the adoption of the M19 - and any camera shop can clean them - as can you, using a can of air.

The scale is a reticle for adjusting fire - each eyepiece is adjustable for 'your' eyes.

They stayed in issue during Vietnam - often painted many times over - and were the standard until the M19s showed up on the scene.

 

[feralmerril]

I inherited a pair of Diglass german tanker binouculars that a uncle brought back from the war. They were very hi power. They seemed out of focus and really hurt my eyes and were very hard to look through. I sold them at a gunshow and wish I hadnt and wish I would have got them fixed.

 

[dogface6]

'Dienstglas' (service glass) optics were a great souvenir, and top of the line - many are in use, today.

Made by some of the top German firms - quite often, their lenses came from Japan.

 

[mrbb]

hey thanks for all the great info, I had no idea what they were, just was offered to buy them and said Ok
any idea on what therw worth? just wondering??

 

[azshot]

I just checked Ebay completed auctions for you. About $30-80 on average it appears.

 

[mrbb]

thanks just did a look on E bay too, and seen several like it, , I gather there WWI era and I guess on average with the case maybe 75-100 bucks in this shape
some asking more, but I know that doesn't always mean there worth more LOl
OK thanks for the feedback.info all
much appreciated

 

[Tranter45]

I have a WW1 British pair, scored at a Sydney Gun Show for $100.
The case is marked "CASE NO.3 - PRISMATIC BINOCULAR - AITCHISON & Co. Ltd. - 1917" and broad arrow.
Binoculars are marked on one side "Binocular Prismatic No. 3 Mk. 1 - Magnification 6 No. 57250".
Other side is marked "Aitchison London 1917", also broad arrows.

Hand stencilled on the case is "H. M. Turton - Scottish Rifles". Major Turton served in the SR also known as the Cameronians. Research ongoing.

 

[GunpoorMan]

German cameras used to be popular

 

[JohnnyP]

I inherited a pair of Diglass german tanker binouculars that a uncle brought back from the war. They were very hi power. They seemed out of focus and really hurt my eyes and were very hard to look through. I sold them at a gunshow and wish I hadnt and wish I would have got them fixed.

Binoculars are two telescopes fastened together and aligned so that you only see one image. If they get out of alignment they are no longer looking at the same thing, but your eyes will try to bring the images together. If they are out by quite a bit, it is obvious that you are seeing two images and your eye doesn't even attempt to bring them together, but when only off by a small amount your eye strains to bring the image into alignment, causing eye strain and even headaches.

I bought a set of U.S. M19 binoculars and couldn't detect that they were out of alignment until I used them for a while. After using them for a while I would have a sharp pain behind my eyes. I sent them off to be collimated, and they came back properly aligned.