When used on parade it is not unusual for specialist accessories to be used with rifles to prevent them from damaging expensive and intricate parade uniforms. Rifles are hard metal objects with many protruding parts that can easily catch and damage lace, embroidery and epaulettes on a parade uniform so special covers are often developed. The SLR was no exception and a special pressed metal cover was available to go over the front sight:
This was designed to slip over the front sight and attach to the barrel to keep it in place:
The connection to the barrel was through a stiff spring clip:
This clip was notorious for damaging the blueing on a barrel with repeated use and following advice from my fellow collectors I have decided that mine will not be going back on the rifle after these photographs were taken.
Inside the top of the cover are a pair of small triangular metal tabs that go either side of the front sight blade:
The stores number and date are stamped across the back of the cover, here dating it to 1960:
In this photograph of a corporal of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment at Buckingham Palace in 1971, the sight cover can be clearly seen on his rifle:
