An acquaintance of mine has a Zeiss Diatal-C 4x32 scope that he says is in very nice condition and he's offered it to me at "market value". Only problem is I can't find any for sale to judge what this is. I'm hoping that someone could help me out with...

1) What would be a fair price for both of us?

2) Is this a really nice scope?

3) Does anyone know what it weighs (Google did't help)

I would plan on using it for general big-game hunting in Colorado

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

From what I can glean, the Diatal C range were the first generation of Zeiss scopes with image-movement and rubber eyepieces and were imported into the USA between 1982 and 1985 or later. They seem to sell for more than the older reticle-movement scopes but are IMHO worth less because of those developments.

Nick Stroebel valued them between $450 and $650 around 2008 but I think things have softened since the GFC. Check ebay for others - I think a price around $450 might be representative, less if it has a rail (which will already have been drilled and needs exotic mounts).

Being a Western Zeiss, it should be as good as any and better than most other brands in the modern decadence but lack the field blending and (probable) ruggedness of the older Diatals.

The word Diatal indicates the body is made of dural or similar aluminum alloy, so it should be lighter than a steel scope.

Within the limits I have pointed to, it should be OK for your purposes, if little used in the past.

Hello Eddiel. Yes, they are really noce, and if correctly a Diatal-C, a true 1" tube.

It weighs very little and is quite compact. I know this because I have owned two and shot and used them.

They are image moving and Made in Germany.

I think that Sambarman has greatly, at least what they make here in UK, their value.

Being very much "old school" (and all the better for it) they don't have any desirability with the 4-14X or 10-24x aficianados.

So, in UK, you pay about UK £ 120-140 and maybe if in really, really excellent condition UK £ 160.

What I would say is that the 6x32 Diatal-C that I also owned is a bit too much magnification for big game...it's more of a hill stalking (think USA beanfield distances) 100-200 yard 'scope.

As to ruggedness the second one of the two I had had been glued into its rings with Araldite glue leaving a glue ring around its tube. So got it cheap. I put in into the freezer for three days to "crack" the bond and chip Araldite ring off with my thumbnail.

The 'scope wasn't fogged at all. As clear as when it went in. It's a well made tough cookie. And made from proper lead glass that Zeiss stopped using in the mid 2010s.

They are great scopes as tough as nails. I have one in 6x42 and it would be the last scope I would ever sell. I paid $350 for it and I think that was a bargain.

The C in Diatal C indicates that it was made for the US market, which means it has a 1" tube. I don't have a 4x but I have used the 1.5x, 6x, & 3-9x and they are REALLY good scopes.

Thanks so much for all the usefully info. Happy Thanksgiving to all...