Vintage hunting scopes: the most complete review ever
Vintage hunting scopes: the most complete review ever
A review and history of vintage hunting scopes in America: WWII to the 1980’s
Vintage hunting scopes: the most complete review ever
A review and history of vintage hunting scopes in America: WWII to the 1980’s
I love Desert Dog he tells the truth. For you guys out there. If you hunt animals 30 past sun light and 30 minutes before sun rise you can buy all the Bushnells and the Leuopolds you want to. They work great for guys who hunt between those times. But if you want real glass where you can hunt an hour past sunset, horrible weather, over cast dark days, nothing is going to beat Zeiss their Victory series. Swarovski, Schmidt & Bender and Khales and their premium lines. With rifle scopes you get what you pay for and they are worth it. Im currently typing this from a base camp in Zambia Africa hunting for 14 foot plus crocs and we’re hunting Leopard on our 11th day. The quality of scopes count more than your rifle hitting a quarter at 300 yards.
I have Leupold M8 6 power fixed scopes on my pre 64 Winchester 338 win mag, my Browning BLR 30:06, and my 300 Weatherby mag. These guns are hunting rifles that have literally put tons (thousands of pounds) of meat in the freezer. You can keep those bullshit clunky heavy 6x24x50mm scopes. Those scopes are for punching holes in paper from a bench. I don’t eat paper; Well at least not since kindergarten 50 years ago.
I have a Weaver K3 on my .358 Norma Magnum. It may not have the most magnification but it’s really about perfect for that rifle.
Who repairs J. Unertl rifle scopes? I have the Vulture model fixed 10x 43
Japanese manufacturing > us manufacturing.
This video is older, but I just found it.
Great information in this video. I always wonder how the Japanese scope became so prevalent.
I know now.
Thank you
I just got a 1953 Remington 721 and on it came a Older 4 x 30 to fix power rifle scope which I don’t believe it’s time period Appropriate. I’ll probably get a Weaver k6 To put on it but I’m having trouble identifying this particular scope. It’s got custom engraving that was done into the metal and I haven’t remove the rings yet to look for any identifying marks. It does say it was made in Japan and then it’s nitrogen filled. And it looks like it has the logo name of Eagle. Maybe an older Vortx of some type?
I have an old metal weaver G6 scope that my grandfather gave me
I have a 2.5 power redfield that is probably 45 years old.
Wtf did all these companies degrade their own product line?
got a 4x32_Bushnell on a sporterised husqvarna 6.5 Swedish Mauser , came as a package works great
If you have not read Marine Sniper check it out as it has some interesting stuff on the scopes they used….I was suprised that they actually used off the shelf Redfields
Super interesting video
I have a scope that has stamped Weaver Marksman 4x USA . Its pretty heavy at 12.6 oz . Its a regular cross hair and the glass is really clear . It has the metal 1 inch tube . Every thing still works on it . Do you know what years it was made ? It looks just like this one .https://www.ebay.com/itm/Weaver-Marksman-4x-Fine-Crosshair-Reticle-Rifle-Scope-SEE-DESCRIPTION-4127-OM/283842607176?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20201210111314%26meid%3D22d35a7971db440abc7436e58d1162de%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D114539392811%26itm%3D283842607176%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithDarwoV3BBEV2b%26brand%3DWeaver&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851
Just got a redfield wideview
it was more exciting then watching grass grow!
I have just one question, how did you amass such a vast and deep knowledge of this topic?…I understand collectors having higher knowledge than the average shooter but your information that you can recall quite easily is outstansing
I inherited a Remington 700 30-06 that was bought the year I was born (69) and it has the same Redfield 3 x 9 scope that he bought for it originally . Took it out a few years back , and with some vintage Federal Hi-Shok ammo ( in red and white box , 180 gr ) that came with the gun is still lined up about an inch off at 100 yards ! That’s probably just from me holding the rifle differently .
Great stuff was made in those days .
I remember the old steel tube Weaver steel tube 4X. Could hit beer cans free hand at a 100yds mounted on an old beat up Remington 257 Roberts I was amazed with the accuracy of old Iron. The rifle belonged to an oil field hand that kept it in his truck tool box.
Any comment on Burris Scopes? Schmidt & Bender? Great video! I have a bunch of Weaver K4’s and a few Lyman All American’s.
Leopold iii 7.5×20 is 90s but killer for its time and decent even now
Very Nice information
Another great video. You helped me walk back threw my hunting years. Thanks
What a great presentation and great info! I learned so much so thank you for doing this!!
I have an old Weaver K4 on a 30-06 sporter built on a Czech Vz-24
Mauser action.
A K8 on a Remington 700ADL in .22-250.
Love the information….you know.
Thank you for this video, Sir. It was So interesting and a wealth of knowledge !!!!!!!!!!!
When you consider that no other channel has this many vintage scopes plus another box on hand to educate us with, you’ll realize this is the best shooting/hunting channel on YouTube.
I own 4 old K series scopes. The most powerful being a K-4. The K-4 is something wrong with it and to have it repaired involves 8 months until they can get to it and more cash than buying a new scope. The others are 2 K-2.5’s and 1 K-3. The quality of these scopes cannot be surpassed today. One is on a .357 Ruger M77/357, one is on a .22 mag. and the K-3 is on what I call my pole gun. Property I own is forested with lodge pole pine and the 7×57 with a 3 power scope works well in that timber. The K-3 is the old post and crosshair reticle which takes some adjustment getting used to.
But where is Kassnar??
A wonderful video DD. You outdid even your usual excellence with this video.Happy Trails brother.
Good video. I want to add that the B&L Balvar scopes of the early to mid 1980’s were considered right at the top. I had the 2.5-10x40mm that was priced even more expensive than the comparable Leupold and side by side the Balvar was a lot brighter at dawn and dusk.
I disagree I have some Leopold scopes from the 80’s that are still good scopes today. Clear, Bright and allow me to accurately hit a target at any range I will be hunting. I don’t know what more I could ask for.
Redfield went out of business when they got caught dumping Aluminum Anodizing chemicals in the Colorado River. The EPA Fines were so large the went Bankrupt.
“You know” your videos are extremely entertaining and full of great information!
As always, I enjoyed this video. Well done! Could you discuss scope for deer and elk in the 1×5 or 2×7 power range? Not as popular today with the long distant shooting craze, but shine in terms of picking up animals at close range in the heavy brush. Maybe the pros and or cons of wide field of view with lower power etc. Thanks
K4 scope is how many x.Plz tell brother.
….. and the price comes second ( yeah , it is always more). Old quality scopes can be serviced and returned to like new and ,just because a scope is 50 years old doesn’t mean it has 50 years of wear . in 50 years of shooting and the 40 + scopes that I own,I only have bought Japanese scopes in my youth ( 3-4) , 20+ Leupolds and 15+ German scopes. Leupold is the best value for money because they cannot be faulted for the price. The German scopes are better but , generally twice the price and not twice the quality. Also , 26 mm rings and mounts aren’t cheap.
Long live Leupold.
Excellent video. How can you tell an american made redfield 3-9x from an imported one?
Great Video!
Notice that the American technology ( machinery, scopes, auto mobiles and space industry) took off just after WW2? Any thoughts as to how this happened? Notice also that Leupold is a German name.
When you buy equipment, the highest quality always gives the best performance and longevity. would you put a Chinese build pacemaker into your own body?
This is an economics lesson because the race to the bottom of quality to maintain or increase market position always ends in tears. European and Leupold scopes maintain the quality first
My 1974 Ruger m77 25-06 has a vintage weaver kv4, my 10-22 has a Tasko pronghorn 3×9. As far as hunting goes, If that’s all I had, It’s all I would ever need!
I have a unertl bv-20 mounted on 1960 winchester model 70 heavy barrel varmiter in .220 swift with a harris bipod all period correct ,it’s the gem of my collection.
I have an FN Mauser in 30-06 mounted with a Weaver KV scope on Pachmayr swing away mount. Nice piece of kit.
I have the Bausch and Lomb scope with the adjustable mount on my 1903A3 30.06, rebuilt and re-barreled in 1961 for my Dad. It is the clearest optic and precise rifle scope sitting on the most consistently accurate rifle I have ever shot.
Great video. The hard part watching for me is I’ve become a minimalist and I’d be ready to hang myself owning that many scopes. LOL
How can you value a mid 80’s Leupold?
Your most interesting video. So much history. Thanks for sharing!!!
Nice collection. I have a Tasco World Class Plus, from the phillipines, wish it was from Japan, and a Titan. Actually is more clear at longer ranges then my Nikon Black X 1000, but I run my Nikon because the 30 mm tube gives more light and the newer internal components I believe are more dependable. As you also shared.
I just purchased a Ruger American Ranch rifle in 7.62×39 and have an opportunity to buy a new in the box Bushnell 8-32×40 scope for $200.00. I’m trying to do this on a budget and wanted your advice whether this would be a good all around scope for this rifle?