The M64A1 mortar sights is used on both the M224 60mm mortar and the M252 81mm Mortar system. The sights have tritium; peripheral devices used with it, and use mills to get an accurate sight setting.
The M64A1 was used on the 60mm mortar since its adoption in the year1982. In that time the unit has gone through little or no changes really. The unit works much like a compass in that it's fine and coarse deflection scales are like that of the mills scale on the compasses that the Marine Corp uses. The M64A1 has a set of vials that tell the Gunner and Assistant Gunner (A-Gunner) when the mortar system is level, the two vials are the cross level and elevation vials. With the vials being level the Gunner and A-Gunner use the elbow telescope to sight in on the M14 aiming posts. The elbow telescope has a 302 mills filed of vision with a 1.5 times magnification. There is16 parts to the M64A1 sight unit, they are as fallows.
1 Fine Deflection Scale
2 Coarse Deflection Scale
3 Fine Elevation Scale
4 Coarse Elevation Scale
5 Elevations Vile
6 Cross Level Vile
7 Deflection Knobs
8 Elevation Knobs
9 Deflection Locking Knobs
10 Elevation Locking Knobs
11 Locking Lever
12 Dove tail
13 Holder Assemblies
14 Eye shield
15 Elbow Telescope
16 Latching Lever
All of those parts with that addition of Tritium allow the Gunner and A-Gunner to get rounds down range to suppress, and obscure the enemy and light the battle filed, to allow the 0311's, 3031's and the 3051's to take charge of the battle field and take the enemy by storm.
Inside the M64A1 is a radioactive isotope called Tritium. The half life of Tritium is 12.32 years, after that time frame the sight unit can either be "re-flashed" or replaced. The easiest way is to bring it to the armory and get a new one. The reason why it can be re-fashed and once again glow is because the way