Designed by Ambrose Swasey and manufactured by the Warner & Swasey Company of Cleveland, Ohio the M1908 was adopted by the US military as the Telescopic Musket Sight, Model of 1908. It would be fitted to both the M1903 rifle and the soon to be adopted M1909 Benét–Mercié Machine Rifle. In 1912 after testing the US Ordance Department ordered 2075 of the M1908 scopes, although it is unclear if this amount was ever actually delivered (Pegler, 2022). The M1913 was intended to resolve issues with moisture seepage and also reduced the magnification from 6x to 5.2x in order to increase light gathering and provide a sharper image. By wars end over 5730 M1913 scopes had been produced although it is believed 1530 were ever mounted to rifles (Pegler, 2022). During the interwar years the scopes would be removed from US military service.

Canada would order 500 M1913 scopes, the first half of the order being delivered between April and July and 1915 and the remaining scopes being delivered in October 1916 (Pegler, 2022). Canada would retain the scopes in use throughout the duration of WWI and WWII.

The M1913 and its mount weighed around 2.5lbs and was of a prism design. At the time of its adoption it was one of the highest magnification scopes of any military, the M1908 having a 6x power and M1913 scopes having a 5.2x power. The reticle was a fine crosshairs with a simple rangefinder on the left side. Eye relief was short at around 1.5in and the field of view was limited to 4.5 degrees (Pegler, 2022). Despite having elevation and windage controlled by external knobs built into the scope mount the and revisions in the design of the scope the M1913 continued to suffer from issues with moisture seepage causing fogging of the glass elements.

Canadian M1913 scopes can be differentiated from US scopes by the elevation wheel .

Images



Image of the M1908 scope published in the September 1915 issue of Modern Mechanix. Note the rounded edges of the body.




M1913 scope mounted on M1903 rifle.




The Benét–Mercié Machine Rifle had a dovetail on the left side of the receiver for mounting a M1908 or M1913 scope.




A partially disassembled M1913 scope showing its prism lens.




With US soldiers on M1903 rifles.




On Ross rifles with Canadian troops during WWI.




On Ross rifles with Canadian troops during training.




With Canadian sniper in Ortona, Italy.




Carry cases for the M1908 (left) and M1913 (right) scope.




1936 ad for surplus scopes. At $7.50 this was less than a third of the price of a new Weaver M330.




M1913 Reticle.








VIDEOS

Video by Forgotten Weapons

Video by Forgotten Weapons

Video by Le Feu aux Poudres

Serial Numbers

Serial	Model	Country	Images	Notes
343	M1913	CA	1
842	M1908	CA	1	Inside scope rail marked "For Rifle No. 353296.
1305	M1908	US	1	Inside scope rail marked "For Rifle No. 409495
2183	M1913	US	1	Inside scope rail marked "For Rifle No. 586025.
3536	M1913	US	1
5395	M1913	US	1
5518	M1913	US	1	Inside scope rail has non standard illegible markings.
6023	M1913	US	1
6255	M1913	US	1
6281	M1913	US	1
7824	M1913	US	1	Inside scope rail marked "For Rifle No. 711224.

References

Pegler, M. (2022). Sniping rifles in World War I. Bloomsbury Publishing.

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