I have been somewhat interested in acquiring a Redfield Accu-trac Low-Profile (on both ends) 3x9x40. A couple have showed up on eBay lately. The first one sold for about $660.00 and the one I stopped bidding on (my top bid was about $100.00 more than I thought it worth) sold for about $407.00 if I remember correctly. Question: What in the f*ck makes this scope worth that much....to anyone? The little range finder gizmo is about as in-accurate as it gets. Thanks and good shooting! Mike

you got me - most of the older redfields are in the 2-250 range and the accutrac was never much of a seller to begin with.

Here's a 6-18 with the superior round lenses that hasn't broken a hundred bucks yet.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Redfield-6x18-AO-Accu-Trac_W0QQitem...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

quote:

Originally posted by FourTails:
I have been somewhat interested in acquiring a Redfield Accu-trac Low-Profile (on both ends) 3x9x40. A couple have showed up on eBay lately. The first one sold for about $660.00 and the one I stopped bidding on (my top bid was about $100.00 more than I thought it worth) sold for about $407.00 if I remember correctly. Question: What in the f*ck makes this scope worth that much....to anyone? The little range finder gizmo is about as in-accurate as it gets. Thanks and good shooting! Mike

I currently have two of the Redfield 3x9 low profile AccuTrac scopes. I have been using them for 30 years. I have been using them for big game and coyote hunting and also for sniper use on an M21 and on boltguns. I have also used a couple 2x7s and currently use an Ultimate pretty much the same way.

"What in the f*ck makes this scope worth that much....to anyone?" To those who know how and use them correctly they are very good hunting/sniper scopes. By removing the stop screw in the turret cap and adjusting the base mount correctly the 3x9 will "trac" from a 200 yard zero through 1000 yards in 7.62/.308 using M118 or equivelant loads. Used correctly the range finder is accurate to 1200 yards.

The range finder in the AccuTrac is based on the mil system and is as accurate as using mildots. However the Accutrac is much quicker in use. Bracket the target (using the duplex "point to point" distance to 600 yards and "point to crosshair" distance from 600+ to 1200 yards doubling the range reading), read the range (the range turret should be marked with the actual ranges as found by test firing at known distance), dial the range in, hold for wind (if left at the power the target was bracketed then the reticle gives a known distance in inches for hold off or lead) and shoot.

To give an example; 3 years ago i was hunting elk in NE Oregon on the breaks of the Imnaha River. A spike was spotted on a bench at about 1200-1400- yards. My parter and I made a stalk and after low crawling the last 50 yards found our selves over looking the bench with additional elk (cows and calves) to our left, right and below us) We could not get any closer. I ranged the spike with the AccuTrac and it read right at 450 yards. While I was doing that my partner range the spike twice with a Bushnell 800 YardagePro; it read 456 yards. I left the power ring where it was for the bracket and set the elevation 450 + 1 click. There was a 5-8 mph wind blowing up out of the canyon (broke off 30 yards in front of me and went to the right around the bench the spike was on) and I estimated a 8-10" drift. I let the spike turn until he was slightly quarting away facing left. I was in a rock solid prone position and held level with the heart and put horizontal crosshair not quit 1/2 the distance between the crosshair intersection and the left duplex point (this subtended the 8" at the range the spike was) over the spike's heart and smoothly pulled the trigger. The 180 gr Hornady BTSP at 2700 fps out of my '06 entered the left leg took out the left edge of the heart and exited through the brisket at the junture with the right shoulder. The spike dropped to one knee and then turned to the right and moved about 30 yards out toward the point of the bench. The spike was dead on his feet but since it was 3/4 mile down off that bench to the river I decided to shoot him again. The second shot took him through the right shoulder, through the heart and exited through the entrance wound of the 1st shot. The Spike stumbled about 20-25 yards sideways toward the middle of the bench and fell dead. That was about 0730 in the morning. Since we were over 3 miles into a road closure it wasn't until about 1400 that my partner and I got the elk (quartered and carried out in two trips) into the pickup.

That's how the Redfield AccuTrac works. Of course these days with lazer range finders the AccuTrac isn't so necessary but it's nice to have because batteries have a tendancy (Murhy's law) to always go dead just when needed. I've a couple Leupolds that use the duplex to range with also and a Burris that ranges and adjusts the crosshair/dot for the range (based on a load that has a 200 yard zero and 50 minutes of drop at 500 yards). I also have a Zeiss 3x9 Conquest that is looking good. Let me say I do not make it a habit to shoot big game at long range. In 45 years of big game hunting I've only made 5 shots at big game (1 elk, 3 deer and 1 sheep) over 200 yards. I have personally killed 16 elk with a rifle and many, many deer and prefer to get as close as I can. However, I am well practiced and have the equipment to make a shot out to 500 yards (my self imposed max range for deer/elk) if I can't get closer and the conditions are favorable.

Anyways, the 3x9 Redfield AccuTrac is a good compact light weight scope that does the job. That is what "the f*ck makes this scope worth that much".

Larry Gibson

Larry, Live and learn. There's no such thing as a dumb question. Ask and you shall receive....When setting in the grade school gymnasium next to an unknown eldery lady one shouldn't be overheard saying, "The little girl with the wings will never make it off the ground." And, it appears you still have the copy of the owners manual for at least one of your accu-tracs. If you have the original box to go with the scope, I'd give you $285.00 sight unseen for it. Thanks for your input and good shooting! Mike

quote:

Originally posted by FourTails:
Larry, Live and learn. There's no such thing as a dumb question. Ask and you shall receive....When setting in the grade school gymnasium next to an unknown eldery lady one shouldn't be overheard saying, "The little girl with the wings will never make it off the ground." And, it appears you still have the copy of the owners manual for at least one of your accu-tracs. If you have the original box to go with the scope, I'd give you $285.00 sight unseen for it. Thanks for your input and good shooting! Mike

Yes I have the manual and the box. Sorry, not for sale.

Larry Gibson

The other thing that bumps up the price is the fact that is was issued on the original M40.