What is your favorite vintage scope?

[Merick]

What is your favorite vintage scope? Pre-war it seems optics weren't so great, so 40's-70's are where I've found some deals. A garage sale lyman alaskan is a joy to use and I put it ahead of some unertl birds and el paso weavers. What do you think is worth searching for?

[Bullshop]

Unertal

[Janoosh]

B+L baleight....a 2-8 variable scope. It has tapered crosshairs and great glass. The only problem with them are the mounts as the scope has no internal adjustments.

[gewehrfreund]

B+L baleight....a 2-8 variable scope. It has tapered crosshairs and great glass. The only problem with them are the mounts as the scope has no internal adjustments.

The earlier "A" models were externally adjusted, the later "B" versions (Japanese) had internal adjustments and are every bit as good as the Rochester made scopes.

For target scopes, I like Redfield 3200s and 6400s. I also really like the older Weaver K8 and K10s

[M-Tecs]

+1 on the Unertl's.

[Bullshop]

B+L baleight....a 2-8 variable scope. It has tapered crosshairs and great glass. The only problem with them are the mounts as the scope has no internal adjustments.
I have one of those mounted on a Rem 700 short chambered in 6x45 in Kaharsky adjustable mounts. Good scope for the time and having no internal adjustments very stout. I had one mounted on a Rem 700 in 22/250 that rode in a PU rack in a bed canopy.
That PU had a head on collision and was totaled. The scoped rifle bounced around quite violently in the back.
When finally I got to shoot it again I found it never lost its zero. Now that I consider a stout mounting system!

[Merick]

I got rid of a k10, asides from being dim, it was so long off the mounts I was always leery of bending it.

[nekshot]

I don't have a favorite, the old 3x and 4x weavers with pop up post I like and I do have a sav99 with a balfour or something with no adjustment except in mount, I guess this is like Bullshops set up and that is neat never moves and scope is really clear. That is all the old stuff I have left hang around.

[Doc Highwall]

For target shooting Unertl's, Lyman Super Target Spot's, Redfield 3200 Scopes, and Weaver T Series scopes.

[smokeywolf]

Had a Winchester 5A that I liked pretty well.

[seaboltm]

Nickel Supra B

[ColColt]

Lyman All American Perma Center scopes along with Leupold M8's.

[country gent]

I am a big fan of the external adjustment scopes unertal, Malcomn, lymanns ect ect. I like the set ups and find them more repatable most of the time. I have a Malcomn made by MVA a modern reproduction that is great.

[texassako]

While I like my one Unertl target scope, I have to say my favorite vintage scope is a 4x Kollmorgen. I needed it because it was the only affordable 26mm tube scope I could find, but it has really grown on me as a sturdy, clear optic scope.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I'm pretty happy with my B&L 6-24. I also have a really clean Lyman 6X perma-center that is going to look awfully good on my very early OM 70 22 Hornet.

[wildwilly]

Leupold M8 3X....best hunting scope ever.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive had good luck with the old 2.5x8 and 1.5x5 bushnell scopechiefs.

[Janoosh]

Second would be Tasco. The Tasco scope with the gloss black bodies. Cant remember the model. Now,we're talking about older scopes from the sixties- seventies, correct. ??
You should be able to find these sleepers at garage sales. ...cheeep.!
My B+L is mounted on my Sako 243 and is a tack driver.

[Janoosh]

Idaho sharpshooter, the B&L 6-24 is my holy grail. I keep looking for one but the cost nowadays puts it out of my range.

[musty nugget]

Weaver K4E

[Plastikosmd]

unertls, B+L's and a couple Mitchell optics
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/guns%20misc/593f8449251be281b7d3e5e1ec24a207_zps61237569.jpg

couple closer of some unertls
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/40x/d00caa21.jpg

B+L on a Schultz and Larsen, aftermarket external adjustment
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/schultz%20and%20larsen/e2a5df333333df6f81f66ec33c84466a_zps7f973eb2.jpg

not antique but a more modern external adjust scope for fun
Mitchell
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/breisen%2069/eb3fc9ad.jpg

[6thtexas]

I have at least 4 K2.5 or K3 El Paso Weavers. The optics may not be the brightest but the eye relief is what it ought to be on a scope, and you can't kill one of these things with a hammer.

[starmac]

I have never owned any of the fine old scopes, or even any target scopes for that matter, but I have sever old weavers and an old redfiedl with the post reticle that are amoung my favorite hunting scopes. It all depends on the rifle and the use for it.

[DeanWinchester]

Weaver steel body scopes. I dunno why, but LOVE them things. My favorite I think is the K4 with a post reticle.

[3leggedturtle]

K-series Weavers in 2.5 or 3X

[Artful]

Weaver K 2.5 with thick German post reticle or my Lyman All American 20x

[skeettx]

Odd man out, Weaver K-1

[starmac]

Odd man out, Weaver K-1

Nothing odd about that, I just don't have one. dagnabit. lol

[M-Tecs]

unertls, B+L's and a couple Mitchell optics


couple closer of some unertls


B+L on a Schultz and Larsen, aftermarket external adjustment


not antique but a more modern external adjust scope for fun
Mitchell
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/breisen%2069/eb3fc9ad.jpg

Nice underhammer. What's that one weight?

[Plastikosmd]

Bit over 80 lbs

[Lead Fred]

To get ready for service, my ole man bought a 2-7 Redfield Accutrac for me to practice with.
When I got to jungle school, I already knew how to use it.
Carried the same one until they issued the first mildot scopes, and I will carry one the rest of my days

If anyone has a 1969 Gun Digest, look this scope up and post the article on it. The part where it says anything in black pajamas does not have a chance. Too bad they didnt tell victor charlie that

[texasbilly]

Redfield Widefield Low Profile, 2-7x or 3-9x

[Brithunter]

Well I have several "Classic" scopes from this period:-

Weavers:_

K3W
K4W
K1.5 all with steel tubes.

Khales 4L2

Zeiss Jena 4x in ZKK 601 mount

Bushnell Scope Chief 3x

Nikko Stirling Special and Special sporting 4x32 ............. have 4 of these from the 1960's up into the 1970's.

Carl Zeiss Diatal 4x32 rail mount scope.

Tasco #707 16x40 target scope.

Meopta 3x Prepov in mount for Brno Model 2 and ZG47.

Lisenfeld:-

Spezial 3-9x42 1" tube

Spezial 3-9x42 26mm tube

Jaguar 6x42

Also have an old Hensodlt 4x alloy tube rail mount scope.

[Lead Fred]

My ole man bought one so Id have a few years practice before I went into the Army.

Redfield 2-7 accutrange

116391

[Coffeecup]

For sheer neatness, the BalVar 24--but mine is in need of repairs that I really can't afford. For utility, these days I've moved from the old reliable El Paso Weaver K-4 to a K-6. My brother swears by the T-6 he talked me out of 20 years ago.

[catboat]

Weaver microtrac fixed power, steel tube, round objective scopes, in 2.5x to 6x- with duplex, dot, or post reticles.

Leupold 3x with duplex reticle.

This one isn't "vintage" but it's discontinued: Burris Signature fixed 4x or 6x scope. They have FANTASTIC optics, and are rugged.

[Three44s]

Another vote for the B&L tapered cross hair!

Three 44s

[beemer]

I have about 10 or so old Weaver steel tube scopes, found a K3 not long ago that doesn't appear to have ever been on a rifle.

I bought a T6 in 1978, traded it about 15 years ago and have been sick ever since.

Dave

[EDG]

I do not buy any used scope for which there is no service or if service is only available at an after market shop.
Example - I have a very nice fixed 12X Redfield. It has seal grease fogging the internal surface of the objective lens.
One of the repair companies want $150 to repair it. That is a poor investment compared to buying a used Leupold.

I do like Weaver boat anchor series (very heavy) K2.5X and K3X when I can get them cheap enough to throw away if they go bad. What I called the boat anchor series has a heavy steel turret. It it very similar to the next series which was the Micro-Trac which I also like.

My all time favorite is the Leupold 3X M8 fixed power. It is long enough for a long action receiver and has adequate eye relieve for heavy recoiling rifles.

[Tim357]

Weaver K3, followed by K2.5

[Scharfschuetze]

I posted on another thread about old target scopes about my Unertl, Redfield and Weaver target scopes so I won't repeat that here, but here are some vintage scopes that are just a hoot to use.

1. A Weaver 330 2 3/4X scope (3/4" tube circa 1941) on a Pre-War Model 70.
2. A Leopold "Alaskan" 4X scope (7/8" tube circa 1990) on a 1949 Model 70.
3. A Leopold "Pioneer" 4X scope (7/8" tube circa 1951) on a 1954 Model 70. The adjustments are in the scope base.

All still maintain their zero year after year. All are still perfectly clear, although one can easily see the improvement in optics over the years when you compare them to newly made scopes of equal quality.

While the Leopold "Alaskan" is really a youngster at 24 years of age, its 7/8" tube matches its Pre-64 Winchester perfectly. As I understand it, the Leopold "Alaskan" was a limited run scope made only in 1990. I liked the 4X version so much that I bought the 2 3/4 power straight tube scope version and later a 6 power version came along in a trade.

[John Allen]

Unertl and the fecker scopes

[FLHTC]

B&L Balvar....reminds me of my teens