A couple of years ago I purchased a very nice 99 RT in .300 from 99 Guy. (Shoots great!) The rifle came equipped with a Redfield 80 receiver sight. That is the only Redfield 80 I have seen in person on a Model 99 vs. many, many Redfield 70s. Stroebel's book assigns the same value to the 70 and 80. Given that the 70 was made from ~1940 to 1964 (24 years) vs. the 80 from 1957 to 1964 (7 years) and that the 80 was introduced at the time that scopes were becoming more common on sporting rifles, I would think that the 80 would command somewhat of a value premium.

I'd be curious what thoughts you guys might have on the scarcity/value of the Redfield 80. Thanks.

Good morning Jack. Don't know my Redfield 80's but your logic seems sound if they aren't substantially flawed in some way. You know, like Ford Pintos are rare but that doesn't make them valuable.

What are the differences between the two, if you don't mind me asking?

Per Stroebel…..The No. 80 was introduced in 1957 and had the same features as the No. 70 with the addition of the ‘Quick Removable’ windage staff. The No. 70 was introduced in the early 1940’s.

As Pocono Jack said the quick removable feature is the difference. To me it's a copy of the Lyman 57 SA push button feature. I wonder if Lyman had that patented and Redfield copied it when the patent expired?

I always preferred the 80 to the 70 when I could find them.

However, that being said, the Lyman 56 is still my favorite receiver sight.

Interesting question. I thought I had an 80 but appears I don't. I would say there were several things that would drive the value of an 80 Redfield.

1) the sight was not used by Savage that I know of vs the 70 which was an option for the 99R so less demand by 99 collectors.

2) if you liked to remove the upper part of the sight when not in use I would think you would be willing to pay a premium over the 70.

3) given the 80 was made for few years and during a period when receiver sights were in less demand a sight collector might pay a premium for one.

4) I have heard that there was a scope screw hole (80LSH) vs a tang screw hole version (80LH) made. It would have been an even shorter production run, harder to find and worth more to a collector. Does anyone have any info to back up the 80LSH version...Redfield catalogs 1960-1964?

Also, another thing of note, if I recall correctly, the 70 had two set screws on the side of the sight and the 80 only one...

I posted some pictures in another thread of a couple different Redfield's I have, not knowing what number they were , one must have been an 80 and the other a 70. I think they offered different types of knobs as an option on these, hunting or target, so the knobs may vary on the same model.

The one on the right is a Lyman 56.


There is a difference in the clearance of the two Redfield's with the one that is probably a 70 (middle) not clearing the wood on the gun I tried it on, details & pictures here - re-i-s-o-lyman-56-s#Post16712308

I'm a big fan of the 70. Its far less bulky and seems ton be a tighter made sight than the 80. However, I think the 70 was made to compete against the Lyman 48 (which I won't argue is the better of the two) and the 80 was made to compete against the Lyman 57/66. I'll let you draw your own conclusions from that however the 80 is certainly up to its intended task as a hunting sight and beats the pants off the open sight on the barrel.

The 70 and 80 were both sold till 1964 and the 70 was about $2.50 (around 25%) more than the 80.

Found my 80LH (tang version).

Nice to know the 70 I put on my 1948 99EG is the " proper vintage" for the rifle.

Rick, I have not seen an 80 scope D&T version so far. Redfield came out with the Trophy LS version (alloy [maybe aluminum?], detachable stem, scope D&T holes) after the 80.

I haven't either.

Found a Shooter's Bible from 1963 and 1964 which shows that the 70L and 80L were still being sold as well as an 80 version for the Top Safety Sav 99 listed as 80LS. I'm guessing that sight might be worth big dollars to a sight collector. Note that no 70LS is listed.

The 1960 catalog does not acknowledge the Top Safety Sav 99 yet. No 1962 or 1965 catalog available.

Shooters Bible and other big listings were usually a year behind the actual mfr's catalogs. It took too long to lay out the new book to be current.

I had an 80LS once. Might still have it. Still haven't got everything unpacked.