Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Question About a Vintage Bausch and Lomb & Lomb Scope

I recently bought a mint 1970 BLR with period scope. I about to take off the scope and mount and put on a Leupold 1.75-6 I have, but after some inspection the old scope looks kind of interesting. The scope itself, a 1.5-5x, is a straight tube with no adjustments. The mount has set screws on one side and indexed windage and elevation screws on the other, and no rings. Both scope and mount say Bausch and Lomb on them. The reticle is also interesting--tapered from wide to very thin at the center. The scope is spring loaded into the mount and can be removed without tools, leaving the iron sights usable through the ears of the mount. Is this setup worth keeping, it seems pretty nice? Or is it a good idea that failed? I've never seen anything like it before.

It WAS a nicely made system, designed under the premise that shooters would like to move their only/expensive scope around to different rifles as the need/season arose, with only having to keep an adjustable mount for/on each rifle.

Since the reality is that the mount is sighted in, and not the scope, it worked fairly well - especially given that the ring/spring portion guaranteed a plumb reticle in each different set of mount bases.

The adjustment-less/turretless scope tube also guaranteed an easier/surer seal from leaking/fogging - a HUGE problem in those days.

Later, as scopes became both less costly and more plentiful/available, B&L dropped the system for internal adjustable scopes with solid mounts.

B&L was later bought by Bushnell, who carried the line for a few years B 4 dropping it.

.

It was fairly common on nice rifles for a long time. In my experience (a couple of examples) it was also a PITA to zero.

Have one on a pre-64 Model 70 transitional model in 270. Have never shot it so can't comment on how well it works, but it looks awful nice on the rifle. If you study the mounting system you will find it's quite the piece of work and was probably pretty expensive to manufacture.

I just sold an FN Sporter in 300 H&H with a Balvar 8A, mounted up with Buehler Micro-Dial mounts. Both systems work, however the Buehler is all steel, quite a bit trimmer and better looking.

Have had several of these scopes, and not a moments trouble with any of them. They are not quite as bright as today's offerings, but tough as nails.

Ted

I hunted rifles with them from 1956 until about 1980 something.
The scopes were pretty tough and plenty bright. But I finally broke the etched reticle in one of mine and was told it couldn't be repaired.
The mounts were a super PITA to zero. The last one I had on a rifle, a Weatherby, I changed over to the Buehler Micro Dial.
I know a couple of guys that found that the mounts weren't very tough. A solid blow to the objective of the scope and the spring loaded tongue would distort. The Buehler mounts had no such weakness.
The only non Leupold I've kept over the years is an older B&L 4X with internal adjustments that has really proved it's toughness. E

I like mine, have two. I would not describe the sight-in as a PITA.... but close. I have complete trust in these B&L's to get the job done once dialed to the load. It's a hunting scope, this one a Balvar 8A on a 67 LH Savage 110 in 7 RM. +4 put me right on at 300. This shot was exactly 300.

As an old Rochester NY boy, I probably owned every optic B&L ever made. They are still a fine scope, fully equal to a VX II. The mounts were klugey but the "swap the scope between rifles" idea seemed like a good idea at the time. Actually will swap with about 1 MOA error AFTER a few shots to seat things in.
I use Leupold Adjusto Mounts on mine as they are far better looking and work very well, as long as you don't want to swap the scope around. As long as your scope is clear and clean I'd have no fear of using it. I have the 1.5-5 on my 1952 Remington 721AC 300 H&H and it continues to kill everything it is pointed at and also shoots quite well for an unmodified 57 year old rifle with a 67 year old man behind it.

Thanks for all the great replies. I guess I have to take it to the range and see how this setup shoots before switching to my faithful 1.75-6. The B&L mount does raise the scope higher off the action than I'm used to with my other BLR (7mm-08 BLR 81), but that tapered reticle looks like it would be very practical in the woods.

Does Leupold still make those mounts?

I used to own a scope exaxtly like the one you describe. One thing to watch out for is that I was told that the scope is actually a dual power scope and point of impact only remains constant at the high and low power of the scope. I think it would be worth checking to see if your scope holds POI if you plan on using it as a variable. Good Luck

No Leupold does not. Scopes w/o internal adjustments are history (except for Leatherwood). You can find Adjusto mounts them on Ebay and the Buehler micro mount is also excellent and "clean". Nothing wrong with the B&L mount or the copy by Kurashsy (spelling is wrong), they are just butt ugly.

Here's a Buehler all set up with a BalVar8 for a FN.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bausch-Lomb-2-1...9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_500wt_1182

Here's a 4X 7/8" Leupold with adjusto mounts for M70

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Le...with-Adjusto--mount.cfm?gun_id=100013731

The Balvar is a continuous variable. The earliest Weaver variable is the scope you are thing about. It was either two power or five power, but nothing between that.

Ted

A HUGE Amen.
For my first Custom Rifle, a 7mm Ackley Magnum built by PO himself in 1957, I decided to go with a B&L Balvar 2 1/2-8x scope (the one with the tapered cross wire), with Kuharsky externally adjustable mounts. They were a PITA to adjust, but once adjusted, they seemed to hold zero. Never again is all I can say however. There are far easier, better ways to move scopes around from one rifle to another today.
In retrospect, my decision to go the Balvar 8 route was a good one in concept, but, zeroing was a mortal battle. The Balvar 8 was one of the best scopes available in its day, and that's why I HAD to have one.

Yeah, I didn't think Leupold made them any more, just thought I'd ask. I like the looks of them,I've never seen them before. I've got one of those scopes with the B & L mounts, they're butt ugly. I'll have to start looking for the Leupold.

Minor point but the Weaver KV was 3 OR 5 power (and a piece of crap)

Yep, that actually sounds right. Been a long time since I had one.

Ted

Anybody interested in a BALFOR straight 4X cross hair, with B&L pre 64 Mod 70 mount. Nice clean scope but as said the mount is butt ugly. Came of a Pre 64 30-06 my neighbor picked up. I helped him mount a Leupold and he left the B&L here. Have no Idea what to ask for it. any thoughts? --- Mel

If it's almost as new IN & OUT, it will bring $130-180 on Ebay.

Thanks, a good starting point. --- Mel