Rifle scopes, from the 1800's?

[Bobby Ironsights]

Hi, I was recently looking through the catalogue for a place that sells black powder and noticed that they have "period correct" wm Malcolm Telescopic Rifle scopes from the late 1800's?

I've always been curious about old riflescopes, even though I never used them myself, but cannot find any articles on them, not even any information on wikipedia, on the origins of, and history of telescopic sights.

Does anyone here have any info, or can point me in the right direction?

 

[colinjw]

A number of years ago I read an article about the civil war.

They were using snipers with large barreled slug guns equipped with scopes to try to pick off Generals & other targets of opportunity . If I remember correctly, they were supposed to be surprisingly accurate .

 

[diopter]

1977 Gun Digest deluxe edtition

Article by Dan Flores, Sharpshooter's in the civil war.

 

[catnthehatt]

Hi, I was recently looking through the catalogue for a place that sells black powder and noticed that they have "period correct" wm Malcolm Telescopic Rifle scopes from the late 1800's?

I've always been curious about old riflescopes, even though I never used them myself, but cannot find any articles on them, not even any information on wikipedia, on the origins of, and history of telescopic sights.

Does anyone here have any info, or can point me in the right direction?

Tasco also makes a replica scope of brass, 3/4" tube , 4X.

Cat

 

[josquin]

Leatherwood Optics in Montana are making repros. Mike Venturino has written favourably about them in Rifle Magazine, I believe. No idea if anyone is bringing them into Canada, however.

Stuart

 

[Trevor2Toes]

They make small mention of scopes here...
http://www.sixguns.com/range/sharps45110.htm


And I found this...

In 1880, August Fiedler (Stronsdorf), forestry commissioner of Prince Reuss, managed to build the first telescopic sight that really did work

.

The first verifiable use of a telescopic sight on a pistol dates to 1834, but attempts to create a workable riflescope were unsuccessful until 1880.

That year, August Fiedler, a German forest commissioner, developed an adjustable telescopic sight for Prince Reuss IV of Riesengebirge. This was the predecessor of all modern riflescopes.