Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Old rifle scopes still tickin' on hunting rifles.

Forty years ago, in a Toronto gun shop, I purchased a Burriis Silver Safari fixed 4X - 21mm scope. It was for my Ruger No.1 in .45-70 that later became a .45-70 LT (long throat). Then, later still, it went onto an 1895 Marlin in .45-70, then, years later I gave it to my oldest son for his Winchester XTR in .356 Winchester, and it was still earning its keep - until it gave up - broke - quit - a year ago while he was preparing for a deer hunt. The Burris had a lifetime warranty, but they don't make that one any more. So, he had a spare Bushnell 1.5 - 4 that he installed.

That was about four decades of serious abuse on heavy hitting rifles with recoil up to 74 ft-lbs on my Ruger No.1 .45-70 LT (equivalent to a .458 Win Mag in ballistics) for ten years prior to going onto the Marlin in .45-70. It was a scope someone had ordered from the shop but never picked up. I got a deal on it for about $275. The young manager knocked off $75 which at the time was still not cheap for a fixed 4x intended for an African Safari.

What's your experience?

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Great Grandad’s 2.5x Lyman Alaskan has been all over the continent, and still gets it done:



FC

...Leupold Vari X lll 1.5x5 purchased in 1987. Mounted on a Pre 64 action, chambered in .416 Taylor. Including load development and hunting in Africa I would "guestimate" the scope has endured more than 300+ rounds fired. The scope has never failed. Since my African days are fond memories, the scope has been mounted on a Ruger 10-22 and like the "Bunny" it just keeps on going, and going, and going.

It's sad when I scour the interwebs for steel tube weavers, and glossy Leupolds from the 80s, to mount on JM Marlins.....and they're called "vintage" scopes.

My oldest on a working rifle is a Zeiss Zielvier 4X, 26mm tube, I am told is a 1938 date code. The humorous part is...the elevation dial performs exactly in function the same as the "revolutionary new" Leupold CDS dial. Glass is spectacular bright and clear still. It spent the first 70 years of it's life on an Otto Bock 9.3 x 62 Mauser, so I suspect is is a hardy instrument. It is now on an 8x57 BRNO.
Honorable mention goes to a 1954 Leupold Mountaineer 4x, Leup's first 1 inch tube. This too was a hardy scope, surviving 8 years on an 8mm-06 in skiff and raft hunting in Western AK. It is starting to yellow a little, but the huge 3 moa dot makes that a moot point. A hardy lightweight no frills workhorse, and just for the record, I think they used an erector spring out of a Mack truck leaf spring. No, 'take a couple shots to settle the adjustment', nonsense in the adjustment....one and done. The original 2 shot sight in...circa 1954.

I've got some Lyman Alaskans and a couple of Weaver 330s, but the oldest might be an Ajack that came on a Swedish sniper rifle that my Father bought in the mid-1960s.

My oldest is a Redfield 2x7 Lo Pro Widefield still working. I bought it in the 80s and mounted it on my 35 Whelen. First shot at a deer one of the wires broke in the reticle and curled up. Had to send it back twice to Redfield to get it right. Never used it on anything since with more recoil than a 30-06 but it still works. I have a 1 3/4 to 5 Lo Profile Widefield on my yard 22 lr that was my first scope.I sent it back once for fogging inside. Had it on the Whelen for a while but it stopped holding zero Redfield was gone by then. it doesn't adjust right but I managed to get it zeroed on a 22 for 20 yards and the 22 doesn't move zero. I need to send it to the guy in Oklahoma and have it rebuilt. It was great for woods hunting.

Leupold Vari Xiii from '81 has been flawless.

All steel Weaver 4x on a P.O. Ackley 250-3000 Arisaka action, Birdseye Maple stock , around 1950s,

I had a 1990 or so Vari-X-III survived 30+ years of 340wby recoil. It only died when the rifle’s preferred ammo was discontinued and I attempted to change the point of impact. Although they were always a real pain to sight in, once zeroed, these were phenomenal set and forget scopes. My sense is the subsequent generations, while optically superior, have not been as robust…..:(

Redfield wide field 3-9x on my .30-06. Old man replaced a straight 1 3/4x redfield with it in the mid 70’s and it’s still going strong.

A Balvar 2.5-8 and a 1.5-6 . Weaver steel 3-9

Bausch & Lomb balvar 8 with external adjust mounts on several rifles... no modern tech, but, clear, bright, and rugged as hell... love the ultra fine tapered crosshair... love to see one of these with high end modern glass installed...

Lyman Alaskan and B&L Balvar 8 on Model 70s. Old school cool that work just fine in the deer woods.

AYE !!!!

This may not make the cut:

50's rifle with an older gloss Leupold (Varix-IIc 3-9x40):



Using pretty old brass:

Looking good buddy.

El Paso Weaver K-2.5 Micro Trac I purchased new in 1983, El Paso Weaver K-3 post/crosshair, 2 Jap 3-9x32 Tascos from the '70's, 1998 Leupold 1-4x20 vari-x II, '90's Redfield Golden 5 star 3-9x40. All still in use and working fine.

Denver Redfield 2 3/4X wide field. got it new about 1972 for a 338 mag, from there to a 308 for a long time and Now on my 30-06, been a great scope! ElPaso Weaver fixed 4X on my 22 mag. Can't remember when or where I got it. 25-06 has and old Bushnell Banner 3-9X, another one I can't remember when or where I got it!

Still have a few redfield Golden 5 stars, 3-9x on a .22WMR and a 4-12x on a .308 as well as a tracker 3-9x and 4x on older .22’s.
Old man was die hard redfield guy, all my uncles were leupold.