I know about the unertl scopes. I want to know where he came from. I have read that he was a marine sniper with a bunch of kills, but i tend to doubt it. As prideful as we marines are, i am sure we would not stop bragging about him if it was the case. I have also heard that he was a german sniper. I can't find a solid answer. thanks for the help
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Re: who was john unertl
use google-fu.....???
use google-fu.....???
Re: who was john unertl
My understanding is John Unertl was a German sniper in WWI.
He had nothing to do with the Marines, they were looking for a scope to throw onto 1903s and Win 70s, and his fixed 8 power target scope was the best one they tested.
His company wasn't really in the business of riflescopes, they were mostly involved in larger avionics type stuff.
My understanding is John Unertl was a German sniper in WWI.
He had nothing to do with the Marines, they were looking for a scope to throw onto 1903s and Win 70s, and his fixed 8 power target scope was the best one they tested.
His company wasn't really in the business of riflescopes, they were mostly involved in larger avionics type stuff.
Re: who was john unertl
In the OP's defense, the question got my interest. So I went out and did some Googling and there is damn little out there about the company or the man... Google comes up with very little that is relevant.
Company was absorbed into a holding group. No decent 'bio of the founder/scope designer. Even Wikipedia came up basically blank, other than some references to Unertl scopes being used by famous shooters...
Guess it's the old analog method next. I'll see if any of my old gun books have anything good.
Cheers,
Sirhr
In the OP's defense, the question got my interest. So I went out and did some Googling and there is damn little out there about the company or the man... Google comes up with very little that is relevant.
Company was absorbed into a holding group. No decent 'bio of the founder/scope designer. Even Wikipedia came up basically blank, other than some references to Unertl scopes being used by famous shooters...
Guess it's the old analog method next. I'll see if any of my old gun books have anything good.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Re: who was john unertl
Read on another forum recently, think it was CMP that Unertl learned his trade working for Fecker (or maybe it was Litschert) before going out on his own.
Read on another forum recently, think it was CMP that Unertl learned his trade working for Fecker (or maybe it was Litschert) before going out on his own.
Re: who was john unertl
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Anchor Zero Six</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Read on another forum recently, think it was CMP that Unertl learned his trade working for Fecker (or maybe it was Litschert) before going out on his own. </div></div>
The Litschert connection makes total sense. I have a Litschert on my Model 52 target and until you read the name, one would swear it is a Unertl. But guess I always assumed it was the other way around -- that Unertl was first. Because he certainly had the name everyone knew.
I am going to start digging... this has my interest bigtime.
Cheers,
Sirhr
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Anchor Zero Six</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Read on another forum recently, think it was CMP that Unertl learned his trade working for Fecker (or maybe it was Litschert) before going out on his own. </div></div>
The Litschert connection makes total sense. I have a Litschert on my Model 52 target and until you read the name, one would swear it is a Unertl. But guess I always assumed it was the other way around -- that Unertl was first. Because he certainly had the name everyone knew.
I am going to start digging... this has my interest bigtime.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Re: who was john unertl
Found it http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-1625.html granted this is just some random post by a guy I dont know but I remembered reading it.
Found it http://forums.thecmp.org/archive/index.php/t-1625.html granted this is just some random post by a guy I dont know but I remembered reading it.
Re: who was john unertl
I would maybe ask JBWIII. He is a scope guy and has a pretty good reference to the rifle scope's history. Of course the late JBWII would have talked a guy's ear off with the info as well
I would maybe ask JBWIII. He is a scope guy and has a pretty good reference to the rifle scope's history. Of course the late JBWII would have talked a guy's ear off with the info as well
Re: who was john unertl
at first it seems like a silly question, i know. i try to research stuff on my own usually, but this one really is getting to me.
is it at all possible that john unertl was brought here under "secrecy", during the destruction/rebuilding of germany. i am not a conspiracy theory nut, but it would make sense. idk
at first it seems like a silly question, i know. i try to research stuff on my own usually, but this one really is getting to me.
is it at all possible that john unertl was brought here under "secrecy", during the destruction/rebuilding of germany. i am not a conspiracy theory nut, but it would make sense. idk
Re: who was john unertl
I have some old reference materials on rifles, optics, and makers that is pre and early post WWII. Will see if I can find additional info. I know Unertl, and the others mentioned are there. If I find something of interest will pass it on.
I have some old reference materials on rifles, optics, and makers that is pre and early post WWII. Will see if I can find additional info. I know Unertl, and the others mentioned are there. If I find something of interest will pass it on.
Re: who was john unertl
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stormin mormon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">at first it seems like a silly question, i know. i try to research stuff on my own usually, but this one really is getting to me.
is it at all possible that john unertl was brought here under "secrecy", during the destruction/rebuilding of germany. i am not a conspiracy theory nut, but it would make sense. idk </div></div>
I doubt this, we were to busy snatching up the Rocket/heavy water/nuclear boys to bother with lens makers.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stormin mormon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">at first it seems like a silly question, i know. i try to research stuff on my own usually, but this one really is getting to me.
is it at all possible that john unertl was brought here under "secrecy", during the destruction/rebuilding of germany. i am not a conspiracy theory nut, but it would make sense. idk </div></div>
I doubt this, we were to busy snatching up the Rocket/heavy water/nuclear boys to bother with lens makers.
Re: who was john unertl
Thanks to those of you looking to find answers. I don't even really know where to look.
Thanks to those of you looking to find answers. I don't even really know where to look.
Re: who was john unertl
Jeo556- I hadn't seen that, thanks for bringing it up. Sadly John Unertl only had the one post on here over a year ago. Wish I could get ahold of him.
I have found a couple things around. Some say that John was never a sniper at all. Others say that He had like 1000 confirmed kills. I am not sure of either. If he was a sniper in germany, I would like to know how he went from that to a scope maker in america.
My guess is that he was a scope maker in germany and some how ended up here. I would just like to know the story of how.
Jeo556- I hadn't seen that, thanks for bringing it up. Sadly John Unertl only had the one post on here over a year ago. Wish I could get ahold of him.
I have found a couple things around. Some say that John was never a sniper at all. Others say that He had like 1000 confirmed kills. I am not sure of either. If he was a sniper in germany, I would like to know how he went from that to a scope maker in america.
My guess is that he was a scope maker in germany and some how ended up here. I would just like to know the story of how.
Re: who was john unertl
I could be way off base and completly wrong but unless I read it as a matter of fact I'm not buying into the whole German sniper thing.
JW Fecker (1891-1945) while of German decent was born in the US http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1946PA.....54...17F/0000017.000.html . J. Unertl seems to have worked for Fecker so unless it was WW1 the timeline dosnt add up. Unertl 8x were in use in WWII so where in the timeline could Unertl have worked his way up from apprentice to a vendor to the US goverment.
I could be way off base and completly wrong but unless I read it as a matter of fact I'm not buying into the whole German sniper thing.
JW Fecker (1891-1945) while of German decent was born in the US http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1946PA.....54...17F/0000017.000.html . J. Unertl seems to have worked for Fecker so unless it was WW1 the timeline dosnt add up. Unertl 8x were in use in WWII so where in the timeline could Unertl have worked his way up from apprentice to a vendor to the US goverment.
Re: who was john unertl
People on other forums speak "matter of factly" about the topic, but I am starting to think that nobody really knows. I am not even sure that he worked for fecker. I wish that his son had stayed on here as an active member.
People on other forums speak "matter of factly" about the topic, but I am starting to think that nobody really knows. I am not even sure that he worked for fecker. I wish that his son had stayed on here as an active member.
Re: who was john unertl
A friend of mine who is a curator at the National Firearms Museum is doing a search for me.
He'll turn up something, I am certain. I'll post when it comes in.
Cheers,
Sirhr
A friend of mine who is a curator at the National Firearms Museum is doing a search for me.
He'll turn up something, I am certain. I'll post when it comes in.
Cheers,
Sirhr
Re: who was john unertl
Anyone heard anything?
Anyone heard anything?
I have known john r. Unertl iii in the 70's. I have met his family and i can tell you that the unertl name is one of integrity. They are a well respected family with a high quality product.
They don't make scopes of this calibur anymore. Thanks john for this clarification.
They don't make scopes of this calibur anymore. Thanks john for this clarification.
"It just occurred to me, do you know the story behind the Unertl Optical Company? It's...appropriate, you might say."
"I don't," Crocker answered, glancing nervously through the binoculars.
"John Unertl was in World War One. He was a German sniper stationed on the Bulgarian border. He didn't think much of the rifle scopes that had been available then,
even the best German ones. Said he would have done a lot better shooting with better optics. When he came to the United States, he decided to fix that. Unertl Optical always made every single part of each one of their scopes. Lenses were still ground in this country, in Pennsylvania, when the factory closed i n '91 or '92. Everyone else's came from Germany or Japan. If you don't mind the three-pound weight, Unertls are still the best." His eyes narrowed. "When John Unertl applied for U.S. citizenship, back in the early '30s I think it was, one of the standard questions was 'Have you killed anyone?'"
"Did he say 'no'?" Crocker asked.
"He wrote on the papers, 'Two hundred forty-seven Bulgarians'. They let him in." Orville Crocker nodded,"
Unintended Consequences
By John Ross
"I don't," Crocker answered, glancing nervously through the binoculars.
"John Unertl was in World War One. He was a German sniper stationed on the Bulgarian border. He didn't think much of the rifle scopes that had been available then,
even the best German ones. Said he would have done a lot better shooting with better optics. When he came to the United States, he decided to fix that. Unertl Optical always made every single part of each one of their scopes. Lenses were still ground in this country, in Pennsylvania, when the factory closed i n '91 or '92. Everyone else's came from Germany or Japan. If you don't mind the three-pound weight, Unertls are still the best." His eyes narrowed. "When John Unertl applied for U.S. citizenship, back in the early '30s I think it was, one of the standard questions was 'Have you killed anyone?'"
"Did he say 'no'?" Crocker asked.
"He wrote on the papers, 'Two hundred forty-seven Bulgarians'. They let him in." Orville Crocker nodded,"
Unintended Consequences
By John Ross
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