Period optics on classic rifles

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troy fairweather said:
They made a steel tube version with better glass from what I've read and they were twice the aluminum scopes price.
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The steel bodied 80th Anniversary K4 was announced in about 2010. i've compared the two scopes side by side: The glass is same as the aluminum scopes.

Somewhere in the attic is a box of busted scopes that includes five or six original El Paso fixed power Weaver scopes that failed over about 40 years. The Classic scopes are more durable and have much better glass.
 
A classically matched union of vintage scope and rifle is this Redfield 3200 mounted on a SAKO Forester .243 Win varmint style rifle. Introduced in 1968, the 3200 Redfield (3200 being a perfect score in Smallbore prone competition.) was an immediate sensation in rifle competition circles because it combined high magnification (Previously available only in bulky, external adjustment scopes) with internal, hunting type adjustments. Making its lower profile, among other advantages, more convenient to mount and use. The SAKO Forester, introduced in heavy barreled varmint style few years earlier already had a reputation for sizzling accuracy, so putting the two classics together was and still is dream match for varmint hunters and accuracy buffs like me. With the 20X scope, it shoots like a well tuned benchrest rifle. 21A_5237 (2).JPG DSC_0043 (2).JPG DSC_0051 (3).JPG 21A_5244 (2).JPG
 
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I like the old El Paso manufactured steel tubed WeaverK4's and K6's. If you happen to have one with leaky seals or other issues there's a place in El Paso,TX that still does repairs on these vintage scopes at a reasonable cost.
 
alsaqr said:
View attachment 1064165

IMO: One can't own enough K4 Weaver Classic scopes. That made in Japan scope has glass that rivals that of very expensive scopes.

Couple years ago Weaver divested itself of the fixed power Classic scopes. i bought four for about $125-$150 each from, i think, Midsouth. One was steel the others aluminum. The steel bodied scope is on my pre-1964 Winchester model 88.
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I have three of the Weaver Classics with the Japanese glass: 1-3x20, K4 and Classic V 3-9x38. All excellent scopes.
 
I also love the old Weaver scopes and have a few. Here are a couple of vintage Winchesters, a 72A in front and a 69A in the back. Both are wearing K model Weavers with the fine target dot reticle. A K3 on the 69A and K2.5 on the 72A. Both scopes are quite clear and work very well on these old rifles. The only challenge with mounting these scopes is to keep them from rotating as you tighten down the Weaver rings.
mLLTRbV.jpg
 
Period was the 1960's, when Weatherby's rifles and scopes were made in Germany: Rifles by J.P. Sauer and scopes by Hertel & Reuss. Like everything that said Weatherby at that time, their Imperial scopes were expensive, about twice the price of Weaver and similar brands, which is why they were seldom seen except in Weatherby's fancy full page ads. This .257 Mag, MkV rifle appears never fired and according to family of original owner from whom I bought it, the rifle and 2x-7x scope were bought in NYC at Abercrombie & Fitch for a hunting adventure that never happened. The gun case that came with it is marked A&F so I'm presuming the scope was mounted (in Buehler rings of course) by Griffin & Howe, A&F's gun repair division at the time. And possibly, these two vintage boxes of Weatherby ammo. Closeup pic shows unusual top mounted adjustments for elevation, windage and focusing. I wonder what "hunting adventure" the buyer had in mind when he or she bought this pricey rig. IMG-0939 (2).jpg IMG-0942 (2).jpg IMG-0936 (2).jpg IMG-0950 (2).jpg IMG-0952 (2).jpg
 
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It was love at first sight for everyone who saw the sexy little SAKO rifles when they were first imported from Finland back in the early 1950's. A near-perfect era match for this .22 Hornet was Lyman's 8x All American scope. This is the most accurate Hornet I've ever owned and one of the five rifles I will never part with. 21A_5187 (2).JPG DSC_1090 (3).JPG DSC_1096 (3).JPG 21A_5188 (2).JPG DSC_1099 (2).JPG
 
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Dave DeLaurant said:
Lucky finds at my favorite LGS today:

2 classic K4s and a K2.5

View attachment 1121174

Nice clear optics -- two with German post, one simple crosshair. Finish on the center K4 is a little rough, but the other two are in really nice shape. All three have the old-style turret caps with the threads on the outside.
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I have both a K6 and a K8 steel tubed Weaver scope. Both have fogged until they're not usable. They may have nostalgic appeal but I will never mount another steel Weaver on any rifle of mine. I'll stick with B&L if I want a vintage scope and Leupold if I want superior optics with NO problems.
 
Patocazador said:
I have both a K6 and a K8 steel tubed Weaver scope. Both have fogged until they're not usable. They may have nostalgic appeal but I will never mount another steel Weaver on any rifle of mine. I'll stick with B&L if I want a vintage scope and Leupold if I want superior optics with NO problems.
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If you do ever consider having your old El Paso Weavers brought back to life, these guys can do a clean, reseal and nitrogen purge:

https://www.vintagegunscopes.com/pr...repair-services-offered-at-vintage-gun-scopes
 
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Sorta,kinda expanding the loading room. It was built as a nursery,which connects to master BR. Built wifeypoo a HUGE suite upstairs.... so SHE,yes she suggested I do "something" with the old BR?

Load of scopes that were on shelves in our shop.... half of these are pretty durn nice classics(Redfield, Weaver,etc),a qtr are new'ish...and several that are,well not terrible but,you get the idea. 2 standing on left are 4-12 chyna "package scopes" that honestly,aren't in the league of the rest but are pretty durn good. If anyone needs one of these for a new shooter,send me pm,you cover postage and they're yours. Apology if this sounds like I'm selling,these 2 didn't cost anything,just passing them along. I ran them through their paces on cast rifle rigs.

Screenshot_20221216-044051_Gallery.jpg
 
Old, near mint Burris Fullfied. 4X post retical. Only gun it was ever mounted on is a equally bada$$ Rem 541 sporter.

That thing sat in a dealers case,off to the side.... late 80's. At that time it as an all out race to see who could make the biggest scopes? I had just picked up the 541 and was visiting in that area.... had been doing biz with that dealer for going on 20 years. Dad used to go there...

Anyway,I stroll up in there looking for a scope for the new rig. Super nice guy behind the counter was so intrigued that someone first off,knew what it was but moreover that I wasn't looking at all the 6-18's haha.

He basically gave it to me for buying Redfield rings N bases.
 
3rd from the right;

First year,Weaver 3-9 with adj objective. Got it at a gunshow for,"parts". Some knucklehead had turned the parallax ring past it's range. Those early Weavers don't have stops like today's scopes.

Looking through it,you couldn't see the end of the guys table,haha. Soon as picked it up,knew someone had jerked around with it. So sorta,never took my eyes off the seller,yappity yappin.... without looking,got the lense ring,"centered"..... looked across the indoor stadium,75? yards... clear as a bell!

Guy wanted I think 25$... I haggled him down to almost half that. My buddy told me "you goin to h*ll,doin that guy like that" all the way home....bwahaha. Thinking 1969? Got an original Weaver ad from that year,announcing it. Put it on a 1968 Remington ADL 243.
 
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