Rifle Scopes What is your oldest functional scope?

[Prairie Dog Dundee]

Just curious.
I have and use a fully functional K4 Weaver that my Father bought new in 1954. The adjustments still work and it is clear and appears to have held it seal with no evidence of moisture inside. It is currently on a CZ LX 22 LR.

 

[Badshot308]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

S.U.I.T. on my L1A1. Not sure how old it is, probably from the sixties.

 

[BobinNC]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Bausch & Lomb Trophy B 2.5-8x w/tapered crosshairs, that I bought brand new in 1973. It is still on a working 22lr. I had B&L reset the parallax on it to 50 yds back in 1986-87.

Bob

 

[fdkay]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I bought my son a Savage 340 in 30-30 about 7 years ago with a functional Lyman Alaskan scope on it (still on there).

 

[rcnpthfndr]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Weaver K-4 (steel body) on my H&R Semi .22 mag

Unertl 12x low 9k serial number (glass is still crystal clear) on the family 513T (been passed down 3 generations)

Model 99 .300 Savage w/ Lyman Alaskan

 

[Spuhr]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I use a number of old scopes and binoculars.

This is a Ross, London 15X scope likely from pre 1914.
Mounted on a Mauser 420B.

Here is a BRNO m21, with a Zeiss Zielmulti 1-4X on.
This model came in 1922 and could also be ordered with illuminated reticle.
FOV is like a new leupold, but the eyerelief is constant.....

This is my girlfriends Mauser 9x57 with an Ajack 7,5x50.
Gun is from 1910-1920 somewhere and scope likely from the 30th.

Zeiss 8x60
made in the late 30th.
It has bigger FOV than any binocular today, is extremely sharp and very nice to use. Still a favourite that I use from time to time. (yes I have modern binos to.....)

Håkan

 

[Tanman]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Wow! Cool stuff Spuhr. I'm guessing some of that older stuff is hard to come by.

 

[KTDLS7]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Weaver K-4, purchased 1963, mounted on a sporterized '03-A3. Still clear, sharp reticle, and fully functional. IIRC, cost was about $25.

Kevin

 

[BERTMAN77MK2]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Unertl 4x Hawk--no caps or finish left--still works on an AR--
dont know when it was made but I've had it since my teen yrs

 

[BayouSlide]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I bought my Ted Williams (made by Weaver) 4X by mail order from Sears back in the early sixties while I was a kid. I mounted it on my Remington Nylon 66 back then and it's still on there today, performing just as well as when it was new.

 

[CSTactical]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I have an Ajack Scope that is over 100yds old.

Mike @ CST

 

[patriotoutlaw]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

K-4 Weaver

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I have a couple of the old Kollmorgen dot scopes, including on my Sako Finnbear deer rifle.

For those that don't know Kollmorgen, they have made virtually every submarine periscope since WW1... their optics are amazing. Plant in Northampton, Ma. After WWII, the orders for scopes dried up... so to keep the company operating until orders returned, they made rifle scopes, rangefinders... even glass ashtrays. Anything to keep the workforce togther until orders started to come in.

The Bear Cub design was eventually sold... and the glass was made by a new company. But if you can find a Kollmorgen scope... it was beyond amazing for its era. They must have lost $200 on each scope they sold. The scopes are old now... prone to fogging. But they are rebuildable and great on Pre-64 Winchesters and other period rifles.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[juliomorris]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

2 weaver K-4's 1950's I also have a burris that looks like its been dragged by a truck its at least 20 years old but it works great just like the weavers.

 

[alongshot50]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I have a 1942 ajack on a M41B1 Works very wellshot it out to 800m With hits on 10in plate. American snipers were very limited.My 03A4 has the weaver 330... the german glass was way better

 

[Shortdraw]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I have a Hensoldt diatal scope on an old Mauser rifle. It is 4x32 and is clear and holds zero. It will be the only Hensoldt I'll ever own, can't afford the new ones.

 

[okiefired]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Have a 4x32 Springfield that was given to me by my uncle in the 70's and it was pretty old then, I'm sure it's at least late 60's vintage. Its clear to the edges, no break in the seal and coin adj. are consistant. Would'nt give a plug nickel for a new Springfield though.

okie

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I have a Leupold VariX III 3.5x10 I got for my 13th B-Day. I will be 42 in 2 weeks, you do the math. Not ancient but it has been on numerous rifles and witnessed the demise of many deer. Still clear as the day it was purchased.

 

[Barrel Nut]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I have a Leupold VX-III 3.5 - 10 that I bought new in 1986. But about a month ago the rifle started randomly throwing about one out of every four rounds 10 minutes or more off normal POI. It may be making its first trip back to Oregon after almost 25 years...

 

[Diablo]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?



A Weaver V8 variable (2.5-8) that was on a Mauser sporter in the mid-to-late 60s.

And of course I still have my Redfield that was on the Win Model 70 .30-06 in 1970 and 1971.

 

[Xshot]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

I have a Bushnell Scope Chief VI 3-9x40 w/BDC that I bought new in the seventies. Everything works, even after falling off my ATV and driving over it... bad day! Dropped a yote at just over 300 yards a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Ranger70]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Unertl 14x on Win 52B 1960s.

 

[PittsDriver]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

A 1972 Weaver tip-off on my trusty .22LR I bought with my Pops help way back when I was twelve. Best scope ever IMHO.

RT

 

[Valken]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Man I have nothing on these guys. Oldest is a Kahles ZF95 6x42 about 15 years old. Love it wouldn't sell it, never let me down

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Can't beat Mike's 100 year old Ajack but I have two pre-WW2 Zeiss ZF39 scopes - one a x4 one a x6 - both fixed mag.

Also a 1944 dated British No32 Mk3 (about x3.5 fixed)

All used regularly (althought the x6 Zeiss is now temporarily without a rifle). All fully functional.

 

[samnev]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

A 45 year old Weaver 6X K6, still going strong.

 

[hugo121175]

Re: What is your oldest functional scope?

Leatherwood ART 600........