I live in Oregon and hunt a fair amount on the west (wet) side. I recently picked up an older Remington 700 30-06 for a spare elk rifle for now and maybe a "project" down the road. I've had a Weaver K4-W laying around for years that I pulled off of a project and have never used it on anything. Thought about putting it on this '06 for now, but was wondering just how fog/waterproof they are? Also, how about brightness and internal durability? Any other thoughts?

If it's a marginal scope at best, maybe it's time to put it on Ebay and let the next guy tinker with it???

Thanks in advance!

Just take it in and out of a warm house in cold weather and see if it fogs up.

If you decide to sell it drop me a PM, I am always looking for older model scopes in good condition.

Yeah, I'd been thinking of doing it anyway, so I just took it outside and hosed it down with the garden hose and left it laying in the grass. It's raining out now, so we'll see how she looks in a few hours.

How reliable are the internal adjustments, etc. on these?

I can only speak about the ones I own and use but I have a bunch of older scopes (Weaver, Unertl, Lyman) and have never had any problems with them. They’re rugged and have great resolution which is about all I need or want in a scope.

Let's just say it didn't pass the garden hose test. It will probably be fine for someone in a drier climate, but not here in the rain forest. Thanks for the help.

It's pretty gutsy to leave a steel tubed scope laying outside in the rain, but I guess you found out what you needed to know.

Although I don't know where your scope leaked, I would assume that the "TV" screen lenses are more difficult to seal than round ones which makes the W model even less desirable for wet climate usage. That, along with its steel tube (which is subject to rusting) makes your decision to go another route a wise one.

Moisture leakage was one of the worst faults of the Weavers. However, their internal mechanisms were precise and durable, and their steel tubes made them tough as nails. Optics were so-so, but you could typically see a deer or elk through them (so long as they weren't fogged.)

Stonecreek,

Are you talking about Redfields or Weavers having “TV Screen†lenses?

quote:

It's pretty gutsy to leave a steel tubed scope laying outside in the rain, but I guess you found out what you needed to know.

Leaving any scope out in the rain isn't something I'd normally do, but it would have been a whole lot gutsier (is that a word ) to hunt all day in the rain with it and expect it to work without testing it first. I oiled it up before I hosed it down. It was going to be used on a backup rifle, but I think I'll sell it and find a used Leupold.

Thanks for everyone's input!

quote:

Originally posted by fyj:
Stonecreek,

Are you talking about Redfields or Weavers having “TV Screen†lenses?

Copying Redfields ill-fated move, Weaver tried to revive its marketing by introducing the -W series that had a "squashed" ocular and objective lens and provided a somewhat rectangular sight picture. Both Redfield and Weaver passed into history (that is, their production ceased and their tradenames were sold and resold to various conglomerates) shortly after trying the fadish TV-screen scopes. Ironically, if you follow scope sales on ebay, the TV-screen scopes which were (rightfully) rejected by most shooters actually bring a premium over a regular Redfield or Weaver these days.

I suppose that one of these days the cartoonishly-shaped Leupold VX-L will bring a novelty premium on ebay, but it will be a long, long time. In the meantime, does anyone know where I can buy one of those clever see-thru scope mounts?

Finally some informed observations on the old K series Weaver scopes. When those scopes were made they were the price leader and had poor optics.

They were very popular however and widely distributed. Due to our being close to Lyman in more than one way my late dad favored them and it was a good thing for me. The other premium brand that I knew was B&L. I have had a Unertl for 40 years but we never had seen a Leupold in Connecticut then.

I would not trust any old scope, even a Lyman, in severe conditions. If you bring the rifle back into the house each night most scopes will survive if put up dry.

I believe that all of the K-series Weavers made between 1947 and 1973 had round objective and ocular lenses. I know that starting somewhere in 1973 Weaver offered a wide view model of the K-Series with friction lock adjustments rather than click adjustable ones, but you could still get the regular round lens models if you wanted.

I have a weaver k4w on a pre 64 m88. it works well & holds it's point. These were the last USA made weavers.

I used to buy old USA Weaver K4 for $20 at gun shows, but now the prices have gone up to $60, I pass.

I have shot enough 30-06 with a K4.
It works.

Stonecreek, why don't you like the Redfield Widefield line of scopes? Are they any less reliable or bright than the round lens models?

quote:

Originally posted by BMR:
Stonecreek, why don't you like the Redfield Widefield line of scopes? Are they any less reliable or bright than the round lens models?

I suppose that it is primarily taste -- but that is an infinately variable factor as I don't happen to think that Angelina Jolie is all that pretty, either.

Outside of taste, there are some basic optical problems with truncating a circle (the Widefield is simply a larger round objective with a portion of the top and bottom of the circle cut off.) Then there's the issue of what you're actually getting, ie. does the Widefield actually offer a wider field of view than a round objective scope of similar magnification, or does it simply offer the same field with the top and bottom of the picture cut off?

At any rate, the design appears not to offer anything of value to the shooter, and as no one is still making such a model, the market apparently agrees with this assessment.

Amen, stonecreek!

Another example of something that probably sounded like a good idea at the time but didn’t quite work out the way the geek engineers and marketing guys planned.

The next on that list will be that ridiculous Leupold scope that looks for all the world like the barrel got too hot and the objective just melted and sagged around it.

I asked a Leupold tech about that silly thing and he admitted that they had to add in a lens group to correct the aberrations caused by the goofy shape of the objective. I would assume that the old Wide Fields had to have the same thing.

I had a Weaver K-4 on my 30-06 for years. Weaver had seen fit to cheapen their product and replace the steel rings at the very front and back of the scope with plastic ones. I had bought WEAVER lens protectors. Went on hunting trip and when I removed the protector,it broke the plastic ring. Scope fogged. Sent scope to Weaver(still in El Paso at the time)with the protector in place so they could see it was their product that did the damage. They came back with estimate. I wrote letter that their protective equipment had wrecked the scope and I should pay??? No word from them,it appeared my scope was being held. After a long time I broke down and mailed a check. The day the postman picked up the check,he also dropped off my repaired scope. Guess I got in a hurry but more than ample time had elapsed. They apparently cashed my check--it wasn't returned.

Stonecreek-excellant call on Angelina.