Vintage scope search.

NOT LOOKING TO BUY SCOPE FROM ANYONE!

Mornin guys,

Picked up a very nice ol Winchester 43 in 218 Bee. It has been drilled and tapped I haven’t checked SN to see age but it’s well cared for and assumed fifty + years of age.
It “came” with a nice Nikon 2x7 Matte scope. It's size seemed right but it’s been bothering me for some time. Nice ol’timer needs a period/vintage optic.

Id rather not drill any more holes so as cool as a ol Unertel or Lyman would be. I’m not going there. I’m thinking Steel Weaver, Ol Lyman or maybe Redfield.
I grew up in New England farm fields beside my Grandfather with his Winchester 43 Hornet. Also my start reloading on the kitchen table when Grandma was working with his Lyman JR turret press losing those hornets. Ahh those memories I can remember it well. As I right this my coffee wafting smell harkens me back to my grandfathers cup as we loaded those shells almost fifty years back....

Any how. I have a few sets of ol Weaver rings with the large flat disc “nut” just need a scope to mount.
I pulled that Nikon and mounted a Lyman 4x Perma Center. I had a Weaver K4 but didn’t like the hair reticule. The Lyman is also a hair but bolder than the Weaver. The gun shoots pretty well liking my1680/50g loads.
But I’m not liking the scope.
Last week I pulled out my H&R K-Hornet. It has a cheap Bushnell 4-12 Banner. But even those optics are far and away nicer than that ol Perma Center.
My Gramps 43 wore a old 3/4” Redfield 6x and it just seemed right.

What do you guys think might be a nice scope for this application? Probably won’t shoot this one a ton and doubt it will ever see a sunrise or sunset where super quality coatings can brighten and extend hunting times. Probably will see 98% targets and may see a coyote hunt now and then. Maybe a chuck sit couple summer afternoons.
CW

My vote would be a straight 6x Leupold. Old model duplex reticle.

If you want period correct find an old Lyman Alaskan or other 3/4" scope. My Savage 23 32-20 wears an ancient Weaver K4 with the exposed adjustment knobs. My Savage 23A 22lr wears a Wollensak externally adjusted 3/4" scope. There are older scopes on Ebay all the time. Guys like Dewey Grenier (IIRC) makes a business of selling good quality vintage scopes. It all depends on what you want for a scope and what you are willing to spend. An Alaskan, although period correct, it going to go around $500 to start last I looked. Some of the older Stith and other makes run less but often require proprietary rings. Truth be told a lot of those old timers had a Weaver 330 or something like that or even a Mossberg scope.

I think my 43x218 Bee wears a Tasco. The 43 was produced from '49-57, so it's at least 63 years old.

Another option is the Weaver J4 3/4" scope. They came with two sizes of crosshairs and a Lee dot. One inch variable scopes look way over powering on that small rifle, but that is just my opinion. The little Redfield 3/4" scope in 4X would work just fine in Weaver rings and not have to pay the premium for the 6X.

Thanks guys. I’d like a 3/4” just cause that’s what gramps had too... I’ll see what comes up. It’s not a rush just a want.
Thanks for the dates Bret!
CW

I have a 3/4" Redfield 4X on a 1950's Anschutz model 64 in 22L.R. , it's the only 3/4" scope I own. I also have a steel tubed El Paso Texas Weaver in a Fixed 10X it's a 1" but something like this might look alright. One of the old Lyman target scopes in 8X or 10X power wouldn't look out of place either.

I just found a Steel Elpasso K6 Weaver for too cheap and couldn’t walk away.
I have a few sets of period Weaver rings with luck the heights will work.
May not be “THE” one but we shall see soon!
CW

I was always fond of the 12x Weaver & Redfield fixed! My buddy Ed has both and uses them! Super clear optics

I had a 12x Leupold that I liked allot. I was worried it would be too large a optic for the lil 43 action. Those bosses for the ring mounts ain’t very far apart.
CW

Thanks man! That’s EXACTLY what that Leupy was for!! PROVING ACCURACY!!

Hahaha. Last gun I had it on was ironically a MARLIN 1894 CL 218 bee!! Talk about silly lookin!! BUT I gotta tell ya. 2400 and a then new Speer 46g FP shot bug holes!!! I shoulda never sold either one of those!!! ;(

I have bought a few blank base material. And cut a few slots too! Last one I did was a full length rib on my Lil Bastard Chiappa. They come with plastic rails. Took that trash off and drilled the base to the factory tapped holes. Then mounted permanent to the barrel. I can use at flip up sites or a dot or a scope. I have a trs-25 on it now.

Yea, I’m thinking those tip-off rings. Just for ascetic and iconic looks. They work, sure but PIA to get aligned and straight. The gun will be mostly a range toy & something to bring me back to pops.

Tracking says the Redfield should arrive today and the Weaver by Friday, so I’ll get it/them mounted up and hit the rangeIf I can find the rings. Went to where they should Ben las night and came up empty. I put them away for good keepin.... and forgot where that might be.

Last thing last night I tumbled a coffee can full of super speed Winchester brass. Treated Walnut sure makes them gleam!!

I have powder and couple boxes of appropriate fodder including some Lee Bators to try.


CW

Just stay conservative with the 43. They are well known for setting the lug recess back. Mine has a definite set back you can feel with you close the bolt. So don't try to make it a 222.

Yup!! Respect the elders!
This one gets mid loads as top loads. It shoots pretty well too!
The Redfield showed up last night. VERY nice scope. But as feared it’s pretty long looking because the rings are so close together. I mounted it but not completely. The Weaver should arrive today and once I check things out I’ll decide.
I also found the Weaver rings!! I had all heights too!! (That I had forgotten) years ago, I bought a few boxes not knowing entire contents when I found a gun shop closing. You could look in the box to make a bid but not rummage thru. 60$ IIRC got me a couple boxes. I don’t remember the “good stuff” I saw to make me bid. But I remember about a hundred Lyman shell holders and dozens of Redfield Rifle bases and many Weaver ring sets. Where hidden from view. It was a good deal no junk at all as I remember. I probably quadrupled my costs at various annual club swap meets.

cW

Lucky guy! Old bases, especially the less common brands like Redfield, Lyman, Noske, Stith, etc often commanded premium prices. Something else odd is the $ some folks will pay for just the parts for bases and sights. I had a small parts case at one time, filled with the old insert blade front sights from (IIRC) Lyman, Redfield and maybe Winchester. Haven't seen it it decades, but on "the bay" they go as high as $50 each.

That’s something else that was in there a bunch of Lyman front sites “ivory “ beads plastic in sure. But a bunch of them!! Haha

Momma just txted me the Weaver K6 was just delivered.

Pics tonight or tomorrow. I’m thinking it will be shorter and if so I’ll likely mount the Weaver over the Redfield unless something bad going on with the Weaver

new problem... I really liking that reticule in the Redfield and I’ll looking to see what might “need” that scope. Haha. Musical scopes just might ensue here pretty quickly.

cW

WEAVER FOR THE WIN!!



thank guys!
CW

A Deluxe 43 !

WOW! Way, way nicer than mine! I think it looks fine, very "'60's".

Last ones were made in 1958 or 1959 , I can't remember for sure which . Mines a later basic smooth stock .218 Bee .

Nice looking set up. With your reloads you might look into the Hornady 45 grain Hornet bullet instead of the 45 grain flat point bullets from Speer and Hornady. Flatten things out a bit for you. Wasn't the model 43 considered the poor mans model 70 back in the day? These days it's top of the line and make nice little varmint walkers.

I was able to zero this today. It has always been a good shooter. This bullet has been shooting very well for me. I bought a “few” boxes” many years back when I Needed to use them in my Marlin CL. It does offer a lil beet extra with the lil meplat . The lil BEE is best suited inside 300 and ironically this is about the distance we see a appreciably advantage to a streamlined bullet.
This scope zeroed in three shots. (After aligning reticule thru the bore.)
Then I shot a three shot group.

This was only fifty yards as my knee wasn’t walking out farther. BUT targets of opportunity showed them selves out to 265 yards and another nice suprize was at this zero, the top of the bottom post is dead on at 250!

I like a 40g Vanzetti in my K Hornet but haven’t tried it in the BEE. The lil Speer 40g pointy bullet also is a good shooter that I used before the 45 FP was offered.


Super happy with how this came out. Buying a used optic over the internet is always a gamble. Looks like I did ok this time
CW