Sight adjusting tool For the Artillery

[Edward Tinker]

I have made this a sticky, some great information here.

[Vlim]

Some background info on the American link:

Ludwig Loewe: a report written on the 30th of December, 1870. This report was written after he spent some 3 months in the USA, studying American production methods.

(Translated from German)

"The idea our company had and that had not been implemented in Europe at all was present on a very large scale there. All important producers, a large number of them exists there, specialize in producing one system and they constantly look for the most efficient way to produce the largest volumes possible. This means they are constantly developing machinery that can perform these repeating tasks autonomously and this insures they are not depending on the good will and the technical skills of every individual worker. The technical aids they have at their disposal go far beyond the imagination of any german machine builder; from the largest machine up to the smallest tool, everything is part of a uniform system which has been optimized to the smallest detail with the upmost care.

The means, which are needed to create such an environment must be, as a result, enourmous. But the performance of these factories is equally large. Even the layman will understand this when he hears the figures; we visited a factory which produced 1,000 machines a day, several others which made 500 machines a day and some, who also produced less, up to 100 machines a day. We found none whose production was so low as the maximum of our companies, 50 - 75 machines a day, and our factory is supposed to be the largest in Europe."

Ludwig Loewe, report on his visit to the USA between 25th of january 1870 and the 3rd of april, 1870. Complete report published in "Die Rationalisierung im Deutschen Werkzeugmaschinenbau", 1924. Partially reprinted in "Die Geschichte der Ludw. Loewe & Co. Actiengesellschaft Berlin - 60 Jahre Edelarbeit 1869 bis 1929", 1929.

The Mauser brothers also had access to American products and developments. Their brother Franz Mauser moved to the USA in 1853 and worked for the Remington company until his death in 1893. A Remington representative, Samual Norris, in turn spent his days in Europe representing the company products during European trials. This resulted in a period of 3 years where the Mauser brothers worked for Samual Norris and Remington until 1869/1870.

Guenther Quandt, who took over the wheel of the DWM / Mauser conglomerate in 1928, also spent a lot of time in the USA, visiting companies and researching production methods.

Of course, Hugo Borchardt spent a lot of time in the USA, even became an American citizen before he returned to Europe and ended his days working for Loewe, later DWM.

[mauro]

Hi Gerben,
Really interesting!
Thanks

[Imperial Arms]

Gerben,

Thank you for the very interesting information you have provided regarding Ludwig Loewe's study of American production methods and development. He realizes that American factories are capable of better mass production techniques than compared to German factories. According to the extract "they are constantly developing machinery that can perform these repeating tasks autonomously and this insures they are not depending on the good will and the technical skills of every individual worker", the American factories were more 'mechanized' whereas German factories tended to produced products which were given more worker's attention and detail. Hence, I believe that the quality of German products made in the late 1890's and early 1900's were better than other countries.

The German inventors and engineers had the technology and science in their brains, but they probably did not know how to turn it into mass production. This is where they gained from American ideas and knowledge even though the Germans were complicated and very precise. While the directors and managers noticed the benefits of the American system, they probably implemented only 50% of what they learned from the Americans because their workers could have been resistant to change or they believed that these new procedures were 'foreign' to them. For a system to work efficiently, all the parts have to function at the same rate and with the same psychology.

At the start of WWI, the German factories had to change their ideology in order to mass produce weaponry for the their Army. At this time, we notice a drop in quality because mass production was the main requirement. What they learned from the Americans surely paid off at this time! Nonetheless, practicality was still given high attention so the item 'could get the job properly done' whether it was a pistol, a uniform, a helmet or a tool such as the sight adjustment tool.

This is a very interesting subject which you have generated and you have shared some valid points. My point of view as a collector is to look back to the future from today with my hobby in my heart.

Cheers,
Albert

[laoshi75]

Gerben,

very interesting and serious analysis & research, thank you !
I believed my small tool was an original one...unfortunately...

[Germanpistolman]

I am renewing the front sight blades to both my Artillery and 1916 DWM Luger 4" Barrel. Pointing the pistol away from the body would anyone know from which side the front blade should be installed.

[lugerholsterrepair]

I am renewing the front sight blades to both my Artillery and 1916 DWM Luger 4" Barrel. Pointing the pistol away from the body would anyone know from which side the front blade should be installed.

I believe the dovetail will accept the sight from either side unless you have an adjustable sight on your Artillery?

Jerry Burney

[Lugerdoc]

Albert et al, The repro fine tune adjusting tools with inserted steel pins should only be used on adusting screw that move easily. For difficult ones I use a ground down jeweler's screw driver where the "pins" are an integral part of the shaft. I have also seen some "spanner" tips now available for the chapman kit. TH

[Mauser720]

Hi Lugerdoc -

Tom, where can you get one of those "spanner tips" for the Chapman screwdriver kit?

Thanks

[Lugerdoc]

I've seen whole kits at gun shows, but hear that you can get the individual tips at ACE Hardware. TH

[Mauser720]

Tom -

Thanks, I'll check out the local Ace Hardware store!

[evrenay]

Hello,

I saw this sight adjustment tool in an auction site. I haven't seen something like this in this topic, so I thought it might be interesting to post it and ask whether it is original or not.

By the way the owner of the item told me that it is original and stamped (I don't know what for a stamp) The price went as high as 60 Euros and I suppose it go further.

[cirelaw]

Isn't the sight adjusted when the gun is tested? Under what circumstance would it need further adjustment? Maybe a big cross wind!

[CAP Black]

On some of the the artillery's the front and rear sights are adjustable (on others, just the rear sight). With those guns you may be shooting 8 or 9 hundred yards and some adjustment may be desirable. A marksman would want to make those adjustments in order to get him and his weapon dialed in and and just so-so.

[alanint]

Also consider that bullet flight is different in Summer versus Winter. Seasonal adjustments are necesary at those distances for a 9mm.