The included link will take you to an illustration of the standard US Army Sniper scopes. The pages are from TM9-2200 April 1949. On the following page which i have not scanned is a paragraph on the M84 (no picture). While the M84 was technically adopted in 1945 I don't believe many were actually manufactured until the early 50's.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v21/jgaynor/US_scopes_TM2200_49-1.jpeg
The
M73 was essentially a commercial Lyman Alaskan with cross wire reticle. About 36,000 of them were ordered mainly for use on the M1903A4. Lyman was unable to obtain the necessary lenses from Bausch & Lomb so no M73's were delivered in time for A4 production. Years later, (1956) Ordnance issued a directive authorizing the use of any remaining
M73, M81 or M82 scopes on the M1903A4 rifle on an "exhaust stock" basis if either the approved primary scope (M73B1) or approved alternative (M84) were unavailable.
The M81 was basically just an M73 with a sliding steel sunshade on the objective and a rubber eyepiece.
The M82 was an M81 with a tapered post reticle.
Real M73 Scopes are quite scarce. Few were ever manufactured and many of those had the sunshield and eyepiece added. The modified scopes had the M73 markings defaced and the M81 markings added.by etching or electro-pencil.
Some Commercial Lyman Alaskan scopes were reportedly purchased during the Korean War for use on M1C's but they are not marked "M73".
The short answer to the OP's original question is any 7/8" diameter scope should fit your M1D mount. But measure the mount first some 1" M1D mounts.
Was the M73 originally issued with an M1D? Not likely. The small numbers manufactured pretty much guarantees they were all used on M1C's. M1D's were more correctly issued with the M81, M82 or M84 (if yoiu go by the book).
Regards,
Jim
PS: The M73B2 sometimes called the "French Weaver" is not a copy or clone of the Weaver 330C. It is a totally different design. The W&E adjustments are annular rings similar to those on a german ZF-41. They were manufactured for US forces in occupied France by the French Optical firm OPL. Based on the serial numbers of known examples it is believed that about 500 were made. The standard Redfield Jr mount was modified to mount the scope. Pictures of the M73B2 can be found in Senich, Sharp (The rifle in America -1947) and i think Brophy. An A4 with M73B2 sold at auction (Bruce Stern estate) a few years ago for about $12,000.
Readers interested in more info on the M73, M81 and M82 should consult the Fall 2004 Journal of the Garand Collectors Society for an artical by Bob Seijas and Johnny Bell.
PPS: Mike raised a good point about the
confusing M73 and M73B1 nomenclature. My gut feeling is that the Alaskan was the scope that ordnance really preferred. However, from the get go, ordnance knew the Alaskan was not going to be available until around the Fall of 43. The somewhat weird M73B1 nomenclature was, in my opinion, a recognition of that scope's status as a sort of substitute standard. By that time A4's had been in production since January of that year and shipping since February. As the early Fall rolled around Ordance actually sent written notice to Weaver cancelling further deliveries of The M73B1 (militarized 330C). In about a month or so Lyman had to finally fess up to ordnance that the Alaskans were NOT going to be coming (at least in time for the A4's).
Ordnance had to then recontact Weaver and uncancel the recent cancellation directive. The remaining quantities of the 1st and 2nd A4 orders would thus be filled with the Weaver M73B1 scopes. Since Lyman could not deliver and Weaver was already at capacity and the M1 Snipers were on the horizon a planned
third order of 25,000 M1903A4's was cancelled in its entirety. (see Journal of the Remington Society of America - Hansen - Fall 2004)
