Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best of the 60s vintage fixed power fours or sixes?

I still have the first rifle I ever bought, a Remington 700 BDL that I bought mail order from Sears in 1967. I shot it a couple years with open sights before I could afford a cheap Universal 3-9, that I used until it fogged up in 1992. Then I put a Leupold VX2 3-9 which is still a fine scope, but after borrowing my buddies early 70s Weaver K8-1, I thought I might go with something similar to keep it period correct. Of my four rifles my favorite scope is the Balvar 2 1/2 - 8 that came on my Burgess 98. Scope and rifle are 1964 vintage, but since my 700 already has Leupold bases and rings I don't want to hassle with the external adjustable mount required of the Balvar.

So my criteria are 1) internal adjustments. 2) Fixed four or six power. 3)Period correct for a 60's rifle. 4) Good optics and overall quality for then. 5) Looks good on a rifle.

I have a Lyman All American fixed four, it is fine optically, but the black has worn off the aluminum tube and it looks a little ratty. My buddies Weaver is clean and classy looking with that blued steel tube. Did B & L make any internal adjusted scopes back in the day? I love my Balvar. So between Redfield, Weaver, Lyman and Leupold what was best? It will be fum to ebay shop a bit.

Thanks,

John

Lyman Permacenter 6x with fine crosshairs and dot..I still use and like mine..It gets it done..

Santiam is right on the money. I have one of those scopes, only with AO, and it's just a great, high quality, optical device.

This one's for sale.
Weaver V4.5-IIW USA MicroTrac widefield gloss duplex in great shape. Works good.
$110 shipped

GlacierJohn: We are talking about the time period when I first began using scopes on my Rifles.
I would go with the Leupold Pioneer which is that vintages 4 power scope.
I have foolishly sold all my Pioneers but still have 3 of the Leupold Westerners which are of the same period but are fixed 8 power scopes with adjustable objectives.
Best of luck in your quest.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Kollmorgan Bear Cub?

John, you don't say what the rifle is chambered for... that's a bit of minutia very important to rifle loonies in determining the EXACT scope to recommend.

For me, I'd put a Weaver on top... they're my favorites. A 4X or 6x, but definitely NOT a variable.

I've got a Redfield 6x. I can post pics if your interested. Price----$100 shipped via US Post Office.

It's a .270. It's a very accurate rifle but I've only used it once or twice in the last 20 years. I have another .270 Kimber BGR89 Super America that I like better. I also built up a .257 Roberts on a 700 action that I put a fixed Leupold six that will be my east of the mountains rifle. I'm leaning toward four power since I hunt a lot of timber out here in NW Montana. It's not that thick but I haven't shot a deer over 100 yards in years.

^^^^^^ This. An old school El Paso Weaver would be the only way to travel for me.

Thanks for the scope for sale offers, I will definitely consider them, but for right now with hunting season past, and the holidays upon us, this is an exploratory mission in trying to narrow down a consensus best quality 60s scope.

Weaver is making anniversary model K4s that would be both period correct and Brand new....

That's interesting. The bluing from those days is great,
and how about the coatings, I do hope they will be upgraded
to current fully multi-coated specs.
Let us know, if you have more on these.

Maybe a bit newer than you're looking for but we've got a couple of Bushnell Scopechief's that we bought in the 70's. They still look good and work just fine, my dad hunted nearly every day of the Pa. deer season that just closed with his.

Dale

What Wyoming said, or get a new fixed 4, 6, or 8 Leupold. I see nothing wrong with modern glass on old favorites.

Best wishes,

Jack

Same scope as a new Classic K4 only in a blued steel tube for twice the $$$...

Search for Kollmorgen riflescopes.

I don't have one as I wrote here! I have edited this post.

The scope I have is an old Redfield Bear Cub made by them in Denver. It looks good on an old M70 Featherweight in Buehler mounts.

The Lyman Permacenters are excellent scopes with clear, sharp optics. A 4X or 6X would work well on your .270; make sure you get a later one with the Permacenter reticle. Here's a couple.
Bob

4X on a Win 70:


6X on a Rem 700:

How about a Weaver K3

You might be right maybe I should just leave well enough alone. Here's the rifle with the 1993 vintage (I bought it new and mounted it then) Leupold VX II 3-9, it looks fine.


Actually it doesn't too big in front, and too modern.