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Bausch and Lomb 10x40 tactical scope

Calfed

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 3, 2009
486
642
I recently glommed this scope at an auction. I think it is one of those tactical scopes used by the Navy ...

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Well, I looked around on various forums, and have found these links. Mine looks a lot like the ones in the links...

"These are the same scopes that were on Crane M25s."

"The B&L still has a niche market with the M14 aficionados since it was the scope issued with some US Navy "Port Security" rifle."

"The 62-1040 is the Military/LE, and was a standalone model."

"I read in Duffs book Owners guide to the M14 Rifle that this scope was used on the Navys M25 sniper rifle."
 
If you post this in the vintage section, a few guys there may be able to help correctly identify it?
 
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Yep, looks like the same one I had on my M25.

According to my SEAL colleague, "Yup, we tested it for water tight by leaving it on a rifle on the bottom of a pool for three weeks."

Mine cost $750 new when I was stationed at Fort Lewis in 1990-93.

I didn't like parallax adjustment on the tube at the rear, but other than that it was very clear.
 
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Well, I looked around on various forums, and have found these links. Mine looks a lot like the ones in the links...

"These are the same scopes that were on Crane M25s."

"The B&L still has a niche market with the M14 aficionados since it was the scope issued with some US Navy "Port Security" rifle."

"The 62-1040 is the Military/LE, and was a standalone model."

"I read in Duffs book Owners guide to the M14 Rifle that this scope was used on the Navys M25 sniper rifle."

Huh, imagine that

I would have never pegged that thing to have been some sort of issue item.
 
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They had a Bushnell 1040 with a 1-inch tube that was very much an economy-line scope. Don't know anyone that bought one.

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I used to have an old Bausch & Lomb Elite 3000 3-9x50 30mm FireFly. Man, that scope was something! The glass was super clear, the FireFly reticle worked perfectly and picked up starlight and glowed green at low-light and at night. It was on my custom Model 7 .308 Win when it got stolen back in 2008. Never saw the scope or gun since... It was built by a gunsmith friend of mine when I was 16, and he's long retired, and I'll never be able to get another one. Can I build another one just like it? Maybe, but it won't be the same... 😭
 
Didn’t these become the SWFA line of optics? Looks just like the fixed 10x with rear parallax.
The OP's scope went on to become part of Bushnells Elite line after they bought out Bausch&Lomb.
That scope that became SWFA line was the original Super Sniper made by/for Tasco in Japan, IIRC. Some of the later Tascos were made in china, just before Tasco went belly up in the early 2000's.
I have a Tasco made 10x40 SS I bought new in the 90's. The internal anti reflective tube coating is starting to flake off dimming the image some but mechanically it's in perfect working order.
Anybody know of anywhere that services Japanese Tascos?
 
The OP's scope went on to become part of Bushnells Elite line after they bought out Bausch&Lomb.
That scope that became SWFA line was the original Super Sniper made by/for Tasco in Japan, IIRC. Some of the later Tascos were made in china, just before Tasco went belly up in the early 2000's.
I have a Tasco made 10x40 SS I bought new in the 90's. The internal anti reflective tube coating is starting to flake off dimming the image some but mechanically it's in perfect working order.
Anybody know of anywhere that services Japanese Tascos?
A lot of folks don't realize it, but Tasco never actually owned a factory...They just subbed out to an OEM. Tasco was just a company (name) selling optics made by someone else.
 
The SWFA SS HD 10x42 is a slightly updated Bausch and Laumb 10x40. I have the SWFA version and has worked rather faithfully for many years. It sits on a 308 I built years ago on a Yugo Mauser action. I need to dust that thing off and see if I want to do something with it. It has a warped ER Shaw barrel. Maybe I should re-work it into something else.

ILya
 
Bummer. How did it happen?

Not a clue. It was my first experiment with building a rifle quite a few years ago, so I bought a Yugo Mauser action, short chambered ER Shaw barrel, reamer and a Boyd's stock. That was my "experiment gun". I used it to learn how to glass bed stocks, etc. I put it together about 20 years ago. It shot OK, but at some point I noticed that the POI started to really move when the barrel got hot. It is not a high end barrel, so I did not give it a ton of thought. Some time later, I wanted to get the barrel threaded, so I took it to a gunsmith. When he got this thing into a lathe you could clearly see that when slowly spinning the barrel the muzzle is not spinning in place, but rather moves around in a circle. My best guess is that the barrel was not heat treated well which can potentially result in warped steel, but this is somewhat outside my field of expertise.

One of these days, I'll have someone competent rebarrel it for me. I just need to figure out what caliber I want it in. I have a nice 308 already, so perhaps I'll convert it into 6.5CM or something like that.

ILya
 
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I think Ive owned mine for 25 years or so. Great optic with a boatload of internal travel (144 MOA of elevation and 144 MOA of windage). Each revolution is 12 MOA and there is no zero stop. Its has great turrets and the glass is very good. The MIL reticle is pretty thick though. If you find one get it, you will not be disappointed.
 
My B&L 10x40 tactical scope arrived today. Looks to be in very good condition. The optics are crystal clear.


I'm surprised how much bigger and heavier it is than the Bushnell 10x40 tactical scope.


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Next to my Bushnell 10x40...


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I weighed both...the B&L weighs 1 pound 6 ounces, the Bushnell weighs 15 oz.
 
My B&L 10x40 tactical scope arrived today. Looks to be in very good condition. The optics are crystal clear.


I'm surprised how much bigger and heavier it is than the Bushnell 10x40 tactical scope.


8g3XDFD.jpg



hIbf54Z.jpg



JhNONfD.jpg



ie5fThN.jpg



Next to my Bushnell 10x40...


lQsh8r9.jpg
Holy shit I thought they were the exact same. I have the one on the bottom.
 
The OP's scope went on to become part of Bushnells Elite line after they bought out Bausch&Lomb.
That scope that became SWFA line was the original Super Sniper made by/for Tasco in Japan, IIRC. Some of the later Tascos were made in china, just before Tasco went belly up in the early 2000's.
I have a Tasco made 10x40 SS I bought new in the 90's. The internal anti reflective tube coating is starting to flake off dimming the image some but mechanically it's in perfect working order.
Anybody know of anywhere that services Japanese Tascos?
I would contact SWFA and see if they can help you out. I know it was bought back before SWFA bought the Super Sniper name, but they still might be able to help. They do have a lifetime warranty. I used to know the CS manager over there from a random meeting on a diesel forum. His name is Dylan Hazelwood. He's a good dude. Give them a call, and if he still works there, tell him a long time buddy of his from Cummins Forum recommended you contact him, to see if he could help you out. It's not a guarantee, but maybe he'll be able to help, or point you in the right direction. 👍🏼
 
Sorry I came across this a year late... this info might still be usefull to you. There were two models of that scope, the model numbers that started with 62-1040 was the military issue item number, the model number 40-1040 was the civilian item. There were also different letter prefixes for serial numbers based on manufacture date.

They were used on Army XM25 (See the m14 forum) Rifles as well various navy rifles. The other links above cover alot of the stories like the swimming pool test but this link has a copy of the manual if you want it.