Sights

The sights on the Vickers machine gun were an important part of its simplicity and functionality. This page provides technical detail on the individual components and parts of the tangent sight as it was fitted to the standard guns. For information on sighting accessories, such as night sights or telescopic sights, please go to the sighting kit accessories page.

Development

When first introduced for trial, the Vickers was fitted with a Peddie-Calichiopulo aperture sight that had been developed by Vickers, Sons & Maxim Ltd. for their commercial Class C gun. It was also trialed, unsuccessfully, for use on rifles (Small Arms Committee Minute No 1133 II, 7 April 1910).

Components

Assemblies:

  • Cat No. C1/BD 0926, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Sights, Tangent, Mk. III* – Mk. II stem with Mk. II* slide
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0927, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Sights, Tangent, Mk. III** – Mk. II stem with Mk. II** slide
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0928, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Sights, Tangent, Mk. IV – Mk. II stem with Mk. III slide
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0342, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Sights, Tangent, Mk. V – Consisting of Mk. III stem; Mk. II** slide; spindle nut; and Mk. II spring
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  • Cat No. C2/BG 0388, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Stems, Tangent sight, Mk. III, – With spindle, nut and pin and Mk. II graduated plate, assembled

Foresight parts

  • Cat No. C1/BD 0924, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Sights, Fore, Mk. I
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  • Cat No. C2/BG 0322, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Screws, Foresight
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0340, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Sights, Fore, Mk. II – For Mks. IV A and IV B guns
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0341, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Sights, Fore, Mk. III – For Mks. VI, VI* and VII guns
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0358, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Springs, Foresight
  • Cat No. G1/GA 0823, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Pins, Split, Keeper, Foresight screw – To be demanded as “Pins, keep, split, 5/32-in. x 2-in.”

Plates

  • Cat No. C1/BD 0861, List of changes B3043, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Plates, Graduated, Tangent sight, No. 2, Mk. II – For Mk. VIIIZ ammunition; graduated from 100 to 3,700-yds., inclusive
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0862, List of changes B3043, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Plates, Graduated, Tangent sight, No. 2, Mk. I* – For Mk. VII or Mk. VIIIZ ammunition; graduated from 100 to 2,900-yds., inclusive; and 100 to 3,700-yds. inclusive, respectively
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0863, List of changes B3043, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Plates, Graduated, Tangent sight, No. 2, Mk. I – For Mk. VII ammunition; graduated from 100 to 2,900-yds., inclusive
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0906, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Screws, Graduated Plate, Lower – Also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0907, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Screws, Graduated Plate, Upper – Also for Plate, Sight, night, fore; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0310, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Plates, Graduated, Tangent sight, Mk. II – For Mk. VII ammunition; graduated from 100 to 1,400 yds. inclusive

Slides

  • Cat No. C1/BD 0629, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Buttons, Stop, Cap, Press, Tangent Sight, Mk. I – For Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0635, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Caps, Press, Tangent Sight, Mk. I – For Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0776, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Nuts, Slide, Tangent sight, No. 1 – For Mk. II* slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0777, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Nuts, Slide, Tangent sight, No. 2 – For Mk. II** slides; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0818, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Pins, Fixing, Screw, slide, tangent sight – For Mks. II* and II** slides; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0837, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Pins, Split, Slide, Tangent sight – For Mks. II* and II** slides; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2). See “Pins, split, front cover catch”
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0905, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Screws, Cap, Press, Tangent sight, Mk. I – For Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0909, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Screws, Locking, Cover, Pinion, Tangent sight, Mk. I – For Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0910, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Screws, Slide, Tangent sight – With fixing pin (unassembled) and pin, split, slide, tangent sight; for Mks. II and II* slides; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0934, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Slides, Tangent sight, Mk. II* – Assembled complete
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0935, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Slides, Tangent sight, Mk. II** – With aperture pillar, No. 2 nut, washer, and friction spring; assembled complete; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0936, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Slides, Tangent sight, Mk. III – Consisting of body, pinion, and spring, pinion cover and screw, press cap with stop button, screw and spring washer
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0942, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Springs, Friction, Slide, Tangent sight – For Mks. II* and II** slides; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0951, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Springs, Pinion, Tangent sight, Mk. I – For Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0995, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Washers, Slide, Tangent sight – For Mk. II** slides; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0996, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Washers, Spring, Cap, Press, Tangent sight, Mk. I – For Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0287, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Nuts, Spindle, Tangent sight – With pin

Other parts

  • Cat No. C1/BD 0653, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Mk. I, Covers, Pinion, Tangent Sight, Mk. I – With toothed segment; for Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0802, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Pinions, tangent sight, Mk. II – For Mks. II* and II** slides; also for Guns, machine, Vickers, .303-in., Mks. IVA, IVB, VI, VI* and VII (Section C2)
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0803, List of changes A3959, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Pinions, tangent sight, Mk. III – For Mk. III slides
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0807, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Pins, Axis, Tangent sight – Also for Gun, machine, Vickers, .5-in., Mk. I (Section C2 (N.I.V.))
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0860, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Pistons, Tangent sight
  • Cat No. C1/BD 0958, List of changes A7792, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Springs, Tangent sight, Mk. I – Also for Gun, machine, Vickers, .5-in., Mk. I (Section C2 (N.I.V.))
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  • Cat No. C1/BD 0970, List of changes 17639, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., MK. I, Stems, Tangent sight, Mk. II – With No. 2 graduated plate
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0304, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Pins, Nut, Tangent sight spindle
  • Cat No. C2/BG 0375, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Springs, Tangent sight, Mk. II
  • Cat No. G1/GA 0799, GUNS, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303-IN., Pins, Split, Slide, Tangent sight – To be demanded as “Pins, keep, split, 1/16-in. x ½-in.”

Sources:

  • Small Arms Committee (1910) ‘103. Sights II. *Peddie-Calichiopulo Aperture Sights for Rifles. Proposed by Messrs. Vickers, Sons & Maxim Ltd.’, Proceedings of the Small Arms Committee, 7 April 1910, Minute No. 1133 II.
  • War Office, 1940a; 1942; 1944c; 1949a

Specific source references can be provided if required.