I'm looking for a period scope and rings for my 1954 Win. Model 70, 30.06, that would have been a "good choice" in the '50's. Fixed scope, (2,4 or 6 power) would be preferred, expense account < $1000, any recommendations and where to locate? Thanks!

Welcome to the forum wever. Rules are simple, be nice and join in. If you have the time please read some of the stickies and especially check the rules in the trading post section if you want to post items for sale.

As to your question Redfields and Weavers come to mind and there's lots of those around. Had a hunting partner whom has a pre-64 with a B&L 2 to 8 in Stith mounts. These old B&L variables did not have any internal adjustments and needed a mount that did. They were really bright and clear for the time in the early 60's.

Wever, look for rings & mounts from Buehler, Redfield or Weaver. The scopes I would personally consider would be the following. The Leupold Pioneer, Mountaineer or Westerner: Lyman Alaskan, Challenger, Wolverine or old All American; Kollmorgen Bear Cub; Bausch & Lomb; Weaver K-series. Some of these scopes have 7/8" tubes, some 1" & others are 26mm in diameter. Hope this helps.

I'm looking for a period scope and rings for my 1954 Win. Model 70, 30.06, that would have been a "good choice" in the '50's. Fixed scope, (2,4 or 6 power) would be preferred, expense account < $1000, any recommendations and where to locate? Thanks!

Bob & 3d both advised you well.

For a pre-war or transition model I would suggest a Lyman Alaskan scope in a Griffin & Howe side mount as the "classic" best fitting a Model 70 -- also good on your slightly later model.

Something else that might interest you -- magazine ads from that time. Guns Magazine has their 1955 through 1957 issues available on CD-ROM, and the current month's issue from 1958 available for download here http://www.gunsmagazine.com/1958issue.html
You can see what was being sold then, when you rifle was just a few years old, and maybe come across an article including one. Just a thought.

With your budget you should be able to find something from the recommended scopes & mounts. Gun shows would be a place to look, or the on-line auctions. If the old Bausch & Lomb scopes and mounts interest you, there is a dealer in Pennsylvania specializing in them.


Let us know what you find. . .

The Old Guy

Good for you!

Agree whole heartedly...the look of a matching scope pleases me. Old scpe/new rifle or new rifle/old scope might work fine, but it lacks the visual appeal. been a few times I've found a great old scope and there looked around for the right rifle to put under it.

the Alaskan in a side mount might be classic...it's waht most shooters of that time WISHED they had (but most of them probably had a K-4).

OF the old scopes, have nothing but good to day about Bausch & Lomb's optics...those were first rate scopes for their day and worth considering for your project.

Thanks guys, good info!

From my very recent research, I think I've somewhat narrowed the search to B&L, Kollmorgen Bear Cub, and the Lyman Alaskan, (the B&L is there because my wife's B&L inexpensive binoculars are better than my more expensive Steiners). TOG, who is the Pa. B&L specialist? (I downloaded the April '58 Guns Magazine issue and will be looking thru it asap).

I don't know who the B&L specialist is but I do know a little about the scope. It was called a Balvor 8 I believe and had no external adjustments. The Stith mounts had windage and elevation adjustments and are becoming very scarce and somewhat pricey. The scope was a 2 to 8 or 2.5 to 8 and you could with a good moon see to shoot it. It had tapered cross hairs that worked very well.

Once these mounts are set up and on the rifle they were kind of a bummer to adjust with not near the precision of modern adjustable scopes. Once set up though they did not loose their zero. The scope sat in adjustable cones on this very beefy mount. A hunting partner used one for years on a Win model 70 that started out life as a 300 H&H and ended up as a 300 ICL Grizzly (a 300 weatherby mag clone) so they handle the recoil of a big boomer well.

I found and purchased a Kollmorgen Bear Cub from ebay. It was advertised as "NIB, never mounted". After I received it, it was apparent by the ring marks that the scope was previously mounted.

That doesn't bother me as much as the box it came in. I assumed it was an extra box the seller used for shipping because it was marked "Sportrite Riflescope Nitrogen Filled Fully Coated 4x32 Made in Japan".
However, I can't find any info on Sportrite Riflescope, so "Made in Japan" leads me to believe that it may be a counterfeit scope (like the Leupold Mark 4's that hit the mail order market last year). What do you guys think? Any info on "Sportrite Riflescope".

Lots of stuff being sold over the internet that's not what it's advertised as. An old Kollmorgen Bear Cub scope is pretty easy to identify. Post some pix if you can. I'd try to find someone locally that could identify the scope for you. The Kollmorgen scopes were really great optics. The plant was kept in business after the second world war to retain the lens grinders whom made periscopes.

Redfield was a TOP brand when I was a young man. 2X -7X Widefield was considered high dollar back in late 60's and early 70's. This time frame doesn't match your quest but the older Weaver K2.5 and K-4 were mediocre by today's standards. I would not purchase an old Weaver.

TR

The Lyman Alaskan would be a great period scope for you. Don't know what the availability is now, but the 7/8ths tube is a true period scope.

The Lyman Alaskan would be a great period scope for you. Don't know what the availability is now, but the 7/8ths tube is a true period scope.

And didn't Leupold come out with a slightly modified Alaskan scope (for the nostalgia buffs among us) a couple of years ago?

Dunno about the G&H mounts, either. I seem to remember the old Griffin & Howe being sold when Abercrombie & Fitch went into bankruptcy, maybe 10-20 years ago. Unknown whether they're still around, nor whether the current shop still makes the old detachable side mounts. Sure would look great on that old Model 70, though.

I've got a Kollmorgan Bear Cub Master 6X in a Stith Master Mount on mine, a transition era Model 70 in .270, and B&L mounts on my Remington 721 ('06) and 722 (.222), and a handful of B&L scopes I swap between them as my mood dictates.

Bob, the BALvar 8 was just one of a series of scopes. The BALtur (2X), BALfor (4X), and the original BALvar (2X or 4X) were all straight 1" tubes, and there was a BALsix (6X) with a larger objective lens in an end bell. Great scopes, all!

The Old Guy

TOG you are correct Leupold made an Alaskan around 10 years ago.

Does "Sportrite Riflescope" mean anything to you guys? Were the 50's era scope "Nitrogen Filled and Fully Coated" as the box says?

I checked the tube and it's a 26mm, (1.02"). After looking for vintage rings and bases I took the easy way and ordered rings and bases from Leupold. Incidentally, all markings look accurate, i.e. "Bear Cub made in U.S.A. Kollmorgen Optical Corp. Northhampton, Mass. Pat. Pending"

Can't recall when nitrogen filling came into vogue, but the fully coated lens are a relatively new feature.

Does "Sportrite Riflescope" mean anything to you guys? Were the 50's era scope "Nitrogen Filled and Fully Coated" as the box says?

I checked the tube and it's a 26mm, (1.02"). After looking for vintage rings and bases I took the easy way and ordered rings and bases from Leupold. Incidentally, all markings look accurate, i.e. "Bear Cub made in U.S.A. Kollmorgen Optical Corp. Northhampton, Mass. Pat. Pending"

Can't help with the "Sportrite Riflescope" but as you mentioned, the box was probably from something else unless your scope is a counterfeit -- and even then I would think they would have been smart to counterfeit a box, too.

My Bear Cub also has a 26mm tube and coated lenses, so that fits with what yours purports to be.

B&L's ads from that time period stated that if the scope were sealed properly there was no need for nitrogen filling -- and proposed a test of immersing a scope in very hot water to look for bubbles coming through lesser quality seals.

As for coated lenses, my USMC Unertl sniper scope (from WWII) does NOT have coated lenses, as I have read that the Marines were concerned that coated lenses would become scratched in combat conditions, so my guess would be that coated lenses were in use before the war, or they wouldn't have had to specify otherwise. But I have already told you a little more than I know. :)

The Old Guy

Nitrogen filling dates back to around WW2.
'Fully coated' , depending on exactly what the maker means by that.... ( we take it today to mean every element is coated). In Thee Olden Days, 'fully coated' may not have meant the same thing. Anyway, coating lenses was done on some expensive German optics before WW2 (just), but lens coating is essentailly also a post WW2 thing.

I'm looking for a period scope and rings for my 1954 Win. Model 70, 30.06, that would have been a "good choice" in the '50's. Fixed scope, (2,4 or 6 power) would be preferred, expense account < $1000, any recommendations and where to locate? Thanks!

Hi, are you still looking for a period scope for your early Model 70? I have a very early Leupold Pioneer 2 1/2 x 20 scope, 7/8 tube with Leupold rings and mounts that came off of a Model 54. The lens is crystal clear, however is a wear mark on the left front side, otherwise it is in excellent shape. If interested I would gladly send pics.

I have several pre-64's with original scopes on them. They don't have a lot of meaning for me and I don't care about them one way or another. PM me for a list. They'd be cheap. I know I have a Bausch & Lomb for sure. Have to look at the others.

Here's an original old scope with a pre-64 but I don't want to break it up. Obviously, it's the varmint model and not what you are looking for.

Thought you guys might enjoy seeing this old setup. This is a .220 Swift. The scope is a Balvar (Bausch & Lomb Variable).

Cheers,
Richard

A little off topic, but I also appreciate pre 64 model 70s and period scopes.

Last week I purchased the 220 Swift from Richard (450NE). Buying something over the internet is always an uncertain undertaking and requires some faith, so as soon as my FFL received it I went to see it and start the transfer. I was not disappointed, the rifle and scope is a beautiful piece from a great period, just as Richard had described it.

Thanks,

George

A little off topic, but I also appreciate pre 64 model 70s and period scopes.

Last week I purchased the 220 Swift from Richard (450NE). Buying something over the internet is always an uncertain undertaking and requires some faith, so as soon as my FFL received it I went to see it and start the transfer. I was not disappointed, the rifle and scope is a beautiful piece from a great period, just as Richard had described it.

Thanks,

George When our GS was alive he refinished & customized Pre 64 Winchester Mod 70's always using the latest Leupold Scopes,these weren't rifles for show these were working rifles that were used all over the world on very costly hunts for exotic species so they had to be reliable & so did the optics the newer the better.Once a scope has been installed on a rifle the value drops markedly.