dblust
FNG
In an earlier post titled “Choosing a Compass,” I talked about the three compasses I consider the best choices for the serious back country navigator. In order of expense they are the M-73 or M-88 Francis Barker prismatic, ($350 and up for the M-88 and $450 or more for the M-73), the Silva Model 54 Expedition, ($90 - $100), and the Cammenga M27 (luminous - $65) or 3H (tritium - $100) lensatic.
No one wants to spend more than necessary, and while bargains can be found on Internet auction sites such as eBay, caution must be exercised; it’s easy to inadvertently buy the wrong compass or, in some instances, be ripped off. I'm going to put up three posts on buying these compasses on the Internet - one each for the Francis Barker M-73 or M-88, Cammenga Lensatic, and Silva Expedition 54. (The reason for splitting them up is that I just found out only five images per post are allowed.)
Cammenga 3H or M27 Lensatic
The U.S. Military Lensatic Compass, shown below, originally designated the M-1950, has been manufactured by Cammenga since 1992. Prior to that, from 1975 to 1992, it was produced by Stocker & Yale. (From 1951 to 1975, manufacturers included Waltham Precision Instruments and Union Instrument Corporation.)
When it comes to this compass, it’s the real deal or it isn’t. Look for the Cammenga markings, as shown below. (Also shown below is a lensatic manufactured by Stocker & Yale.)
While a Stocker & Yale is an excellent compass, it’s going to be over 20 years old and its tritium illumination very dim. (For that matter, an eBay Cammenga might be nearly as old.) My recommendation here is to stick with a brand-new Cammenga and to classify a Stocker & Yale or older military lensatic as a collector’s piece.
In nearly 20 years of training in back country navigation, I have seldom encountered a lensatic compass other than a genuine M-1950, M-27, or M-3H that wasn’t junk. Avoid cheap imitations like the plague.
No one wants to spend more than necessary, and while bargains can be found on Internet auction sites such as eBay, caution must be exercised; it’s easy to inadvertently buy the wrong compass or, in some instances, be ripped off. I'm going to put up three posts on buying these compasses on the Internet - one each for the Francis Barker M-73 or M-88, Cammenga Lensatic, and Silva Expedition 54. (The reason for splitting them up is that I just found out only five images per post are allowed.)
Cammenga 3H or M27 Lensatic
The U.S. Military Lensatic Compass, shown below, originally designated the M-1950, has been manufactured by Cammenga since 1992. Prior to that, from 1975 to 1992, it was produced by Stocker & Yale. (From 1951 to 1975, manufacturers included Waltham Precision Instruments and Union Instrument Corporation.)
When it comes to this compass, it’s the real deal or it isn’t. Look for the Cammenga markings, as shown below. (Also shown below is a lensatic manufactured by Stocker & Yale.)
While a Stocker & Yale is an excellent compass, it’s going to be over 20 years old and its tritium illumination very dim. (For that matter, an eBay Cammenga might be nearly as old.) My recommendation here is to stick with a brand-new Cammenga and to classify a Stocker & Yale or older military lensatic as a collector’s piece.
In nearly 20 years of training in back country navigation, I have seldom encountered a lensatic compass other than a genuine M-1950, M-27, or M-3H that wasn’t junk. Avoid cheap imitations like the plague.
