Fake Rockola Flip Sight

I’ve maintained photo folders on my computer and phone for over a decade. Anytime I come across a good example of something on a forum, ebay, gunbroker, etc it gets saved. That practice has helped me tremendously over the years.

I think many of us have been fooled at one point or another. We all learn, sometimes from other's mistakes and often from our own. I too, have a small collection of fake flip sights that I bought from an early and prominent member of the Carbine Club who first lived in Michigan and later moved to Florida. His initials were F.P. He told a believable story about carbines that were stuck in Puerto Rico that couldn't be brought into the mainland, but small parts like flip sights and early barrel bands could be mailed in. I fell for the story early in my collecting career and bought a few flip sights and barrel bands.

I don't think George of Riverbank Armory actually makes his flip sights, I think they probably come from China or India. Perhaps the various markings are stamped here state side, but likely not.

All the real flip sights don't look alike, there were different suppliers in WWII. Fortunately, most of the repro flip sights fall into a few different varieties that often only differ by the stampings on the base and aperture / leaf.

Thanks for posting the pictures.

But at least it went for the right amount of money that a reproduction sight should, between $145 to $165. If that were a real Rockola sight, the bidding would have been at $400 Plus

Same seller has another.

Since the one on your carbine rebel has been declared real and if those on ebay don't match the one on your example with the exact same letter stamping, then I would lean toward fake but I am no expert on these by any means, just my guess. You have a great tool at your disposal having a known real one already in your possession

Jond41403 wrote: Since the one on your carbine rebel has been declared real and if those on ebay don't match the one on your example with the exact same letter stamping, then I would lean toward fake but I am no expert on these by any means, just my guess. You have a great tool at your disposal having a known real one already in your possession

Not true in all cases though. For example I know of two distinct styles of legit GE-Q lettering. There's also oddball stuff, I remember a member having an IN-B that didn't fit the norm but it sure looked original and there's no way I would have changed it. Sometimes markings are stronger, weaker, partial, etc. It's one indicator not a blanket judgement, IMO. Happy hunting.

To me that sight looks like a real base combined with a fake aperture. That dark finish is throwing me off.

Rebel92 wrote: He stated he cannot tell by the pictures required.

Edited by W5USMC - Aug 27 2022 at 3:35pm

That sight is interesting. Compared to the two GE-Q sights I have, your base sure looks like it’s been media blasted and reparked. Both of mine have unmarked apertures. I can’t say I’ve seen a BR marked aperture on a GE-Q base. 

agree with CK, base looks refinished. And the pin was out based on the left side pin hole + staking deformed.
agree with RC45, peep looks repro. Here's a side by side.