Best vintage 4x scope?

saunders278

saunders278

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
24   0   0
Hi,

I'm setting up a vintage lever-action rifle for a friend. He wants the option to hunt deer with it so I'm going to mount a scope.

I bought an old Marlin 30AS in 30-30 WIN, and I'm looking for an old 4x scope. He won't be taking shots past 150-200 yards so it doesn't have to be excellent, just something with a reasonable field-of-view that will hold zero.

The old Weavers, Bushnells, and Redfields seem to be common and low in price ($60-120). Does anyone have a preference on any of these? Or recommend something else?

I'm not set on 4x but would like something with fixed magnification. And I'd like to keep it under $200.

I'm going to hold off on a base and rings until I have the rifle and scope, but advice on mounting would be welcome as well. I've mounted plenty of scopes but never on a vintage firearm. The Marlin is drilled for a base.

Thanks.
 
I bought an old Japanese made Tasco 4x off the EE and IMHO it is a great scope, very nice glass and it is surprisingly bright in low light.
 
4x scope - I have used several older Weavers and have several Leupold M8-4X. Older Weavers - about "best" will have the words "MICROTRAC" on left side of elevation turret - will likely say "K4-I" or "K4-II" just in front of the eye piece - "made in USA" - older ones, like K4-60C, K4-60B will say "made in El-Paso".

For a lever action in 30-30 - do not overlook the Weaver K3's or K2.5's - same variations as described above for the K4. An acquaintance and I have mounted several on 303 British rifles - seem to work fine - not sure the earliest ones were sealed or not - so, might fog up going in and out of warm truck on cold hunting day. I have owned several with various reticles - plain cross hair, like a "Duplex" cross hair, and a "tapered post" with cross hair.

Re: Tasco scopes - they must have had two dozen or more models made at various times - ranging from cheapest imaginable crap to about the very best in the world at that time - depends what model - not all "Tasco" are the same - at all.

FYI - a CGN guy bought a Weaver K3-60B from me about a month ago - had me mail it to Trace Scope Repairs in Alberta for a "check up" and "clean out" - the buyer had arranged that Trace would mail the scope to him, when they were done with it.
 
Last edited:
Potashminer said:
4x scope - I have used several older Weavers and have several Leupold M8-4X. Older Weavers - about "best" will have the words "MICROTRAC" on left side of elevation turret - will likely say "K4-I" or "K4-II" just in front of the eye piece - "made in USA" - older ones, like K4-60C, K4-60B will say "made in El-Paso".

For a lever action in 30-30 - do not overlook the Weaver K3's or K2.5's - same variations as described above for the K4. An acquaintance and I have mounted several on 303 British rifles - seem to work fine - not sure the earliest ones were sealed or not - so, might fog up going in and out of warm truck on cold hunting day. I have owned several with various reticles - plain cross hair, like a "Duplex" cross hair, and a "tapered post" with cross hair.

Re: Tasco scopes - they must have had two dozen or more models made at various times - ranging from cheapest imaginable crap to about the very best in the world at that time - depends what model - not all "Tasco" are the same - at all.

FYI - a CGN guy bought a Weaver K3-60B from me about a month ago - had me mail it to Trace Scope Repairs in Alberta for a "check up" and "clean out" - the buyer had arranged that Trace would mail the scope to him, when they were done with it.
Click to expand...


If you want a vintage scope that will last contact Trace as mentioned above; they refurb their scopes and purge with nitrogen for a modern "classic" scope.
 
I have a few fixed scopes, Leupold M8, Tasco, and a Zeiss(old one) and they are all good! I would love to find a k4 with no1 reticle!
 
DGY said:
I have a few fixed scopes, Leupold M8, Tasco, and a Zeiss(old one) and they are all good! I would love to find a k4 with no1 reticle!
Click to expand...

I would too! Unfortunately, Weaver never did offer that reticle. The closest is the narrow post and crosshair, and it is a good one!

Many older rifles were set up for hunting with that scope, and it was easily a 400 yard outfit on big game. My older 9.3X62 has one, easily produces very close to one inch groups at 100 yards with 286 gr bullets at 2400 fps, and never whimpers.

Ted
 
I like the older Weavers. I keep buying them if I see one at a decent price. I think I have 4 or 5, K4 microtracs, steel tubes. I know I have three different recticals , fine crosshair, post and thin center with thicker outer edges. Everyone is clear and works well. Once sited in I haven’t had any problems. I also have an older Redfield 2.5 on a 44 mag Contender carbine that works well.
 
Why not? said:
I would too! Unfortunately, Weaver never did offer that reticle. The closest is the narrow post and crosshair, and it is a good one!

Many older rifles were set up for hunting with that scope, and it was easily a 400 yard outfit on big game. My older 9.3X62 has one, easily produces very close to one inch groups at 100 yards with 286 gr bullets at 2400 fps, and never whimpers.

Ted
Click to expand...
That would work too!
 
I had Phil at Trace clean a Bushnell Scopechief VI 4X32 a few months ago. He said those are real gems and better than 90% of the fixed power scopes out there. He knows his stuff so I didn’t argue!!
 
264magnum said:
I had Phil at Trace clean a Bushnell Scopechief VI 4X32 a few months ago. He said those are real gems and better than 90% of the fixed power scopes out there. He knows his stuff so I didn’t argue!!
Click to expand...

Totally agree ^^^^ BUT must be a Scopechief (the other models are well ... junk) The Lupy M8 is a very close second, Weaver and Redfield are also great options.
 
The BEST 4x would be a German or Austrian brand, there are several that are more or less equal, not just Zeiss/Swaro/S&B/Kahles

Second choice would be an M8

Third choice would be a Japanese scope like a B&L no matter who markets it. In this category buy the scope and not the brand, they weren’t all created equal. These can have great glass but usually don’t take a beating like the others above.
You can put a good Japanese Tasco on a 303 and be better equipped than some people with a 1000$ budget.
 
I have a couple old Bushnell Scopechief 's with the command post that are very nice vintage scopes. I like the option of selecting post or crosshair.
 
I found an old Bushnell command post on my last outing.
Not sure what the $$ would be iff’in a chap was gooder at arm wrestling with the chap.
He might still have it.
 
Last edited:
jes said:
The old B&Ls can be very good. I find them brighter than the Weavers, condition being equal.
Click to expand...

Old Weavers are not bright... most other scopes are brighter... a Bushnell Scopechief is an excellent scope..

Bushnell made 3 grades of scopes at one time... In the 60's the Scopechief was the best with a 20 year warranty, then the Banner with a 5 year warranty, then a Sportview with a 1 year warranty. They were all bright scopes... Eventually Bushnell offered a lifetime warranty on all 3 models... I used Scopechiefs and Banners with success.
 
Last edited:
264magnum said:
I had Phil at Trace clean a Bushnell Scopechief VI 4X32 a few months ago. He said those are real gems and better than 90% of the fixed power scopes out there. He knows his stuff so I didn’t argue!!
Click to expand...

Been downsizing, so I have one of those in the safe un-used. They very nice scopes.
 
Weaver just looks right. A K4 would be great on a lever gun. Find one for ~$75 and touch up the bluing. You can remove the black paint on the brass and shine it up for a different look.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom