Does anyone know the proper way to loosen up the rings on a Lyman Super Targetspot so that the scope can be fitted to another rifle?

Also, the objective bell feels a little tight and gritty. Can I unscrew the bell to clean out the threads? Suggestions on a quality lube to use here?

Thanks to everyone willing to share their expertise!

Does anyone know the proper way to loosen up the rings on a Lyman Super Targetspot so that the scope can be fitted to another rifle?

Also, the objective bell feels a little tight and gritty. Can I unscrew the bell to clean out the threads? Suggestions on a quality lube to use here?

Thanks to everyone willing to share their expertise!
THINK you are in need of a set of target blocks...these scopes do nout mount like other scopes. The base are special little blocks that the scope's rings dovetail onto. Need a set of target blocks in order to mount the swcope.

Rings should have wheeled nuts on the right side...these are slotted and have a screw doen in teh center. Normally, that center screw is NEVER touched...just the slotted large diameter knurled part. Looking on the inside of the mount, when that knurled nut is tightend, a bit of it sticks out into the dovetail...the bases that are attached to the barrel have little semi-circular cuts to accept that little crecent.

Wihtout the bases, you will not mount that scope. Bases are simple, but as designed, are return to zero and firmly attache the scope with just hand pressure on the nuts.

The rings themselves never leave the scope...those target rings are sping loaded to the tube and can slide back and forth. When mounted, the scope is free to slide back and forth in the rings.

Most of them had a return spring mounted to the tube that bears on the forward ring...is a set ring that locks the rear and affods the tension. IDea is that the spring returns the scope forward. COuld order them without the return spring. A lot of the high power versions were springless...short eye relief...recoil would push the rifle back, scope woule slide forward (OK...inertia...the scope would stay still and the rifle would side back, but it LOOKS like the scope slid forward). With out the return spring, the high power versions could be used on 30-06's without ending up the the occular lense stuffed in your eye.

They never were nitorgen filled...I'd hesitate at removing the objective lens, but if you decide to go for it, you won't be losing any gas...but will probably end up with more dust floating around on the inside and may strip the fine threads it's mounted with.

Do notice that there is a lock ring on the objective...have to loosen the first ring in order to adjust the objective (there is a vernier scale in yards...takes a LOT of revolutions to go from 50 to 100yards).

So long as I'm at it, willalso notice a little ring ahead of the threads for the occular housing...this ring usually has the csope's power printed on it. That ring has two set screws..loosen them and you can ltrun the cross hair to vertical after the scope is mounted (whihc is only useful if the taget bases aren't put on dead level).

Bases attache by way of two scres each..usually tapped into the barrel but some have the rear base tapped into the forward part of the reciver. Believe standrad spacing was 7 1/4" to give the advertised click value. Longer spacing gives smaller click values (but lessw toatyal adjustment).

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There is a service that rebuilds these old scopes...which is somthing to consider as there is very little that can go worng with them that can't be fixed; with care and the occasional rebuild, can out last several shooters. The 30X I doug out for this post has been on top of five rifles in it's life time (about 40yeards) and, God willing, I'll have it on top of another five befor passing it on to the next guy.

ribbonstone, thanks for all the great info on the scope. I will be mounting this onto a CMP Winchester 52D which has dovetail barrel mounts installed. I was worried about scratching the tube when I moved the rings so I backed off all the way on the elevation and windage screws. There is still a little ring tension against the tube but not enough to scratch the finish. I will pay for tweeking the ring when I do the sighting in. Probably have to turn the knobs a hundred clicks. No recoil spring furnished with this scope. Is it worthwhile to put this on? Heard both pros and cons about this so I planned on using it a while before having to consider it. I did manage to get the objective lens unit out and I cleaned the threads out with a toothbrush and applied a very light coating of silicon grease. I saw some faint spots on the lens when I held it up to the light so I plan to wipe it with a bit of alcohol tomorrow to see if this will take the spots off. I found out the hard way about that lock ring on the objective. The thing wouldn't adjust with the lock ring tightened down. Probably the reason for the tight and gritty feeling when I tried to turn it. Good to know about how to adjust the crosshairs. I was wondering about that grooved ring with the set screws. I ran across an optical company called Parsons Optical where I can get the scope serviced if need be. Lyman doesn't do this anymore. Your 30X would probably bring in enough to put a downpayment on a new car. Hang onto it and put it on another five rifles! Thanks again for all the great advice!

One of the guns that 30X was on was a 30-06. Now that scope has less than 2" of eye relief...but as the scope is free to slide in the mount (stand still while the rifle slides under it) it never touched me. Switched to a 12X Unertl with a return spring...with the return spring set to do it's job, it would jab me in the eyebrow at each shot.

Personally, I don't use the return spring on the ones so equiped. Usually a shooter will reach up and grap the occular and tug the scope back, giving it a littl twist at the end so that any "slack" in the system is taken up the same way each time. Get use to it and you'll find yourself trying to tug back the non-target scopes. On a uesd target scope, often found the only blue wear is on the occular...now you know the reason.

Now the down side. The one fault with these old scopes is that the lens elements in the objective tend to cloud and sometimes seperate...if you hold the scope's front lens at an angle to good light, may see an "oil-slick-rainbow"...this is from the glue of two elements of the lens system degenerating. Back then, they didn't concern themselves with UV proof glues (either there is something to this ozone layer thing or they just didn't have the UV prrof adheasives). The old K-weavers, Lyman Alaskans, and scopes of that era often shown the same fault.

All isn't lost if that is the case...send it in for repair or lens replacement. May see expensive, but considering that the value of these scopes is increasing (not many you can say that about) it's wroth keeping it in good repair.

HAve fixed one in a physics lab by putting it in a heating coil, and putting the coil and lens in a bell jar, pumping it down to vaccuum and then turning on the coil...seemed to re-adhear the elements without ruining anything.
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Back in the early 1970's, benchresters couldn't get rid of the Lyman and Unertl target scopes fast enough. Considering the weight classes of the time, once the short light reciever mounted scopes came into being, could put that weight savings where it would do the most good (these old target scopes are heavy).

Really were designed not to be transported with the scope attached...the mounts repeat to less than 1MOA if you take the time to mount them with the same force each time, and target shooters would "warm up" on fouler targets before shooting for real.

Picked up several in the early 1980's at $100 each...usaually the ones in the nice wooden box were $20 more. OF those, still have the Lyman 30X as well as a Unertl 12X and a little Unertle "gallery" 6X. That 6X is still looking for the right rifle to get on top of (yep...often hold onto scopes, then look for another rifle for it to wear).

Add to that the bedding problems...nearly 2 pounds of sliding glass and steel bolted directly to the barrel makes bedding a bit more of a problem...is one time when a full free floated barrel may NOT be the answer.

Parson's scope service repaired a Lyman Super-Targetspot of mine. He did a great job at a reasonable price. He has parts and manuals.

Gentlemen,

I stumbled across this thread discussing Lyman and Unertl scopes and have a question.

I have an Unertl 1 1/4" Unertl target. 14X. I have been looking to buy a Unertl 2" target in perhaps 20 or 24x. So far what I have found are selling for more than what I would like to put into it at this time. There are some Lyman Super Target Spot in 20x for sale and seem to be priced a bit less. They are, I think 1 1/2 in objective.

The magnification is what I am looking for but how will the brightness compare to my 14x 1 1/4 in. Unertl?

How does the quality compare between the Lyman and Unertl?

Would I be correct to assume that the Lyman 20x would be a step up from my 1 1/4" 14x but not quite up to the level of the 2" Unertl?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and comments.

Duey

Duey,
The objective lens itself on my 20X Super Targetspot is closer to 1 1/4" but the Lyman brochure lists it at 1 1/8". This is possibly due to the internals reducing the diameter slightly. The objective housing itself is slightly larger approaching 1 3/4". Not having a Unertl scope to compare with, I cannot give you a definite answer regarding which scope is brighter however I will venture to say that the Targetspot provides adequate brightness. As to quality, here's a quote from the brochure: "The Targetspot is designed for the target shooter. Mechanically and optically it is made to the highest standards." I am using my Targetspot on a Winchester 52D with which I shoot smallbore bench rest at 50 yards and do not feel that I am lacking for competitive equipment. I can definitely see my shots at this distance and Lyman states, "Permits spotting shots up to 100 yards under reasonable lighting conditions." I would expect better brightness from a scope with a 2" objective however as you already know there is a price difference. Super Targetspots and Unertls are undergoing a resurgance possibly due to the last odcmp offerings of fine vintage Winchester and Remington target rifles so prices are continuing to rise as supplies dwindle. Would suggest you shop around before making any decision. There are usually some of these scopes posted on eBay for a price comparison. Best wishes and hope this helps.

Thank you Marshal for the information. It is helpful.

Thanks again.