To me, modern optics/mounts look very out of place on vintage guns. Am I just the only one? Do you think there is a viable market for new vintage looking blued steel tube optics and mounts (with modern internals of course)? Old Mausers just look cool with those old Weavers.

A used market maybe. I can't see any manufacturer coming out with any scope that doesn't comply with all the "Tacticool" features of today. This includes the stupidly short tubes, oversized ocular, giant levers, dial-to-miss turrets and huge logo's. Not to mention the christmas tree reticles.

I think there ought to be a market, not only for scopes that look old but use the old mechanical aspects as well.

You probably know that I'm talking about reticle-movement or, even better, scopes with no internal movement like the old B&L and the Leupold Pioneer.

This matters most for dangerous-game hunters using rifles of heavy recoil. Why? Because modern scopes have all their guts suspended on spring(s) that can break and deform under recoil and field stops that steal FoV and give tunnel vision antithetical to the DG hunter's needs.

These scopes take more effort to mount, of course, but anyone who can afford the rifle and safari should not begrudge the skilled gunsmithing needed. With eccentric ring swivels like Burris Signature's, doing it yourself is no longer any big deal, either.

Existing makers are unlikely to take up the challenge, though, because doing so would be admitting their existing production is second-rate.

Bobster, I hope there is a market and somebody fills it! I was mad when Leupold dropped their gloss scope finish. I have an old Mannlicher Schoenauer that I'd like to put a modern 3/4" tube on. But as GSGanser says, I think I'm in the minority. Still, I'm hopeful it's a big enough niche that someone will fill it and be successful. The William Malcolm scope were sort of an attempt there, I think. I don't know how they're doing. They apparently had some QA problems.