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Thread: The scoped Whitworth

  1. The scoped Whitworth

    I found a good buy on a Euroarms Whitworth, and then discovered a Georgia outfit selling the parts for a Davidson scope mount. But as the mount itself sells for $400, I'm eager to hear from anyone out there who has handled and shot a Whitworth with the side-mounted scope. It seems like it might be terribly awkward, and even painful, considering the recoil a Whitworth can develop.

  2. #2
    John Holland is offline Moderator
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    Bill,

    I have no experience with a scoped Whitworth, but can you direct me to the place in GA that has the parts for the mounts?

    Thanks!

    John Holland
    44th NY

  3. #3
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    John,
    Try here http://www.bearclawstradingpost.com/whitworth.html
    They are a little pricey by my standards.

    Bob
    R. C. Hubbard Jr.
    7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry

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    Hi Oregon Bill,

    The Davidson side mounting system was developed for a reason. While placing the scope on top of the barrel is ideal, remember that most scopes didn't have internally adjustable reticles. Thus, one was limited to how high they could raise the rear of the scope for longer range shooting since the barrel would get in the way. By mounting the scope parallel on the side Davidson overcame the problem. Remember, unlike most guns of the period, the Whitworth was capable of striking a platoon sized target at a mile's distance.

    BTW, the Davidson scope did have internally adjustable recticles, but it was only very limited.

    Gary (who hasn't fired the .58 Kodiak you sold me yet)

  5. Gary: Thanks for your post. The side mount makes perfect sense considering the limitations of the scope tube itself. I'm very curious about the practical experience of shooting a scope so mounted, though, and with the Enfield buttstock configuration I wonder if some of the Confederate sharpshooters occasionally had scope cuts of black eyes.

    P.S. The .58 will keep, but aren't you curious?

  6. #6
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    Hi Oregon Bill,

    Check out The Confederate Whitworth Sharpshooter by John Anderson Morrow (goggle his name). He mentions that a black eye was common. BTW, side mounted scopes were used on the American M-1C and M-1D Garand. This was done to allow the eight round en-bloc clip to be loaded from the top.

    Gary

  7. Gary: I was just reading Morrow's book, which brought the subject to mind. I'd love to hear from a current Whitworth shooter using the Davidson-style mount.

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    At the last Shiloh reenactment, I met a Confed. reenactor (from Tenn.?) who showed me his side-scoped Whitworth that he shoots at a long-range competition in Oak Ridge, TN. Wish I had some more specific contact info for you, but I don't.
    14th Miss Inf Rgt, CSA/N-SSA, NRA Life Mbr, no longer shooting

  9. Ken: Thanks for the tip. I will contact some of the LRML guys who shoot the 1,000-yard match at Oak Ridge.

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