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In the early 80s, I bought a new Leupold Vari-X II 2-7x scope. In 1984 and again in 86' I shot 2 very large body whitetail bucks in Michigan's Upper Penninsula at a distance of around 30 yards. I used one of my old Model 70s in .270 Win. for those 2 bucks. Think I paid around $70. for the scope.

Last month, I used that same Leupold scope on another old Model 70 .270 to kill a beautiful male coyote in back of our house at 225-250 yards.

I realize that such an old scope would only be trading material to most, but it works just as good as ever and its size is perfect for my needs. You just don't need the latest and greatest, or highest power scope to get it done. I'll bet there are others who could tell the same type of story. I'd enjoy hearing those stories as well. Old equipment can indeed still get it done. I still have the other old .270 as well.


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How about a K3W Weaver on an 06 a couple of years ago smile
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Or a Weaver V9W on a 270 smile
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That K3 looks the right size for a fwt, to me. While I use them, most 40mm scopes look too big on fwts and mtn rifles. I kind of like the idea of using what the previous generation did for hunting, maybe take us back to a better time for a moment!

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Unfortunately the previous generation for me used mostly iron sights. My hunting buddies mainly used Weaver scopes made in El Paso. There were a lot of cheap scopes then that were not so very nice, especially sighting in and then fogging up. Those old Weavers still are good scopes. I liked the lower powered ones best.


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I am an antique. I use antique rifles. I have a bunch of scopes, mostly Leupolds, several Weavers, and one Zeiss that all are dating as far back as the eighties and nineties.

There are better scopes out there (and I have a few of those) but the old ones still in use still do their job of accurately directing the bullets to targets - paper or game.

Some of the favorites are a M8 Leupold and a Weaver, both 3X, a 4X Zeiss, and numerous Vari-X III Leupold 3.5-10 AO and 2.5-8, some friction, some click.

I am certainly not against progress. It is that sometimes good enough is good enough.

Jack


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When I was getting started in the hunting game, the average working guy used Bushnells & Weavers, the white collar guys used Redfields, and the professionals (MDs & JDs) used B&Ls and Leupolds. Only the serious paper punchers and 'chuck hunters used Lymans and Unertls with external windage and elevation mounts.

The 3rd varmint rifle that I bought was a Remington 722 in 222 that came with B&L Balvar adjustable bases and a Unertl 10x Vulture without internal adjustments in B&L rings. I've yet to see another outfit that featured that scope in those mounts.

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Having fun reading this thread, hope it keeps going.

I too am very much into vintage scopes and putting them to use! I am guilty of buying an old steel tubed weaver, from say the 1950's, for the sole purpose of finding a rifle to match it!

I could claim that same scenario for some old Redfields, Lymans, Leupolds, Norman-Fred, Kollmorgen, etc..

Just too much fun out there, but not enough time!

Sure, old scopes can still get it done!

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It's been interesting to see how the definition of "old scope" has changed as I've grown older. The scopes mentioned early in this thread still don't seem all that old to me--until I think about it some!

Among those I've hunted with are at least one brass-trimmed Weaver, a Noske 2.5x, a couple of Lyman Alaskans (not the Leupold reproductions but the original 2.5x), a Kollmorgen 4x, and a Hensoldt 4x from the 1950's. Right now I have on hand a Nickel Supra 4-10x and a Lyman 5A that are "looking for rifles."


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How about this one...

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Really never thought that when I bought my first Vari-XII it would ever be considered "old". Have 2 of them, 2-7's & a couple M8's, 4x, all with 28mm objectives. Also a couple El Paso Weaver V models. For some reason I just have never found any of them wanting and they all still do what they should do!


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Mr. B: You are right: the Leupold I mentioned isn't "that old" relatively speaking. However, as I read most of the optics threads, it appears to me that the biggest share of the posters would think so and never seriously consider using one like it on one of their hunting rifles. I suppose it's my age and conservative mine-set that drives me to buy something of good quality believing it will last a LONG time, it will serve me well, and that I won't have to replace it within a few years. I realize the quality of today's optics surpassed this old Leupold (there I go again with that old thing) years ago, but that doesn't bother me at all. Gosh, I even used another similar vintage Leupold successfully last fall in Alaska. What was I thinking !!

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Maybe I'm just a little OCD but I like to match rifles up with scopes from the same era that they were made in. Even some of my newer rifles are wearing older Leupolds though because many times you can find a bargain on them at gun shows and I think most still work just as well for hunting scopes as many of the newer ones.

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My dad has had a steel tube weaver k4 sitting on s pre 64 featherweight for at least 30 years. Seems to work just fine for him

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'52 Winchester in .270 wearing a Lyman 4X in steel Redfield mounts. Still serving proudly.
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I bought this 1969/70 vintage Sako L579 Forester from the U.S. Service woman that brought it back from her deployment in Germany during that time so it has no importer mark; it carries a Pecar Berlin 2.75-7 variable scope. amzing glass for the age; better than a mid 80's era VARI-X III 2.5-8 that is on my first centerfire, a Browning BBR. I was offered $425 for the scope; but decided to keep the package and provenance together.

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I even have an early Weaver 2 1/2 - 5 that has a third dial to change the power. The curse is that it is no where close to water or vapor resistant. It lives in a drawer, but it still works.

Jack

Last edited by jt402; 05/22/15.

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Not sure how many old scopes I have. Some have to go back to the 60's or 70's. Also there is a 20x Lyman target scopes on one of my .222's. I have absolutely no idea how old that one may be. A Leupold 6.5-20x is 20 some years old.

I have maybe 4 or 5 newer Burris and Bushnell scopes. One 2-7 Burris I have on the shelf is 6 or 7 years old and has not yet made it onto one of my guns. Bought it on sale one year when I was in Alberta visiting one of my daughters.

I hate to guess how much it would cost me if I attempted to upgrade all of my scopes to current manufacture.

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I have 48 good scopes I track on a spreadsheet.
Off the list are another ~ 50 bad scopes.
Most of the good 48 are old Leupold.
Most of the bad ~50 are old Weaver.
Of the good 48, I know the date of manufacture of 32.
The median mfg date of those 32 is 1995.
The oldest good scope is 1973.
My most expensive good scope is a USO.
My cheapest good scope is a Unertl.
Of the 21 big game animals I have killed. All were killed with a scope I did not buy new.


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I can't say I'm much a sentimental guy when comes to rifles for big game hunting. Of the five big game rifles I have, three are full customs, one has been restocked twice and rescoped three times. The other is a new, very different sort of rifle from my usual bolt action sporters, an M1A semi auto.
But I still own lots of old scopes. I've got an old internal adjustment Bausch & Lomb 4X that I bought in 1972. I've got an old 7.5X AO Leupold that sits on one of the custom rifles which dates from the time when Leupold didn't use letters in their scope serial numbers. I've got an old 3X Leupold that probably was made made around 1980. It's seen service on four rifles and one light, magnum slug firing 12 ga. shotgun.
About five really old scopes in all. One is in service as I post this.
So why keep them ? They work and get the job(s) done. I know from experience they can do these job(s). Not only that, they will put up with alot of abuse and still work. That means they most likely won't even change zero if they get slamed on the rough ground.
I'm not refering to casual hunting of big game. That's not the way I hunt. I spend alot of time and money going hunting and preparing to hunt. I don't kill much. What I do is pass up alot of bucks, or bulls, that most hunters would kill in a heart beat. With alot of experience with this class of animal, I suspect I've got a pretty good idea what I need in the way of equipment.
I learned a long time ago that any half way decent buck or bull that stands around in the open where I hunt is going to get shot at by some guy who thinks his latest magnum rifle wearing a scope that costs more than the rifle will make that happen. If he's anywhere within 800 yds. of this sort of equiped hunter, that buck/bull is going to get shot at. If he survives these encounters and lives to get to be really big, he will know to avoid such spots most of the time.
At least where I hunt, this type of gear doesn't work. But a good rifle, with a simple scope does. Provided, of course, the hunter can effectively hunt him in other ways. E

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