I'm trying to figure a fair price to offer for a Swarovski Habicht 4-16x50 scope with front focus. I realize that they are no longer made but Swaro has a great reputation for good glass.

I can't find any ring marks on it.

If it is one of the original reticle-movement models, you might get it for less than it's true worth. I didn't know they made big variables back then, though, but the image-movement models seemed to cost about 20% more when they overlapped in 1979.

Stroebel does not show any big variables were imported to the US before 1985, though, so I suspect yours is a Nova with rubber eyepiece. Back in 2008 he priced the Nova 3-12×56 between $1000-1800. While I think his values for European scopes were a bit rich then, they would probably have got there by now.

Make sure the knobs and focuses move OK before you buy.

Thanks!

John-A few pictures and telling us the year it was made (serial # will tell you this) will help get you a more accurate estimate.

I'm going to try and get the picture up this time.

The serial number is P751473890.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/39784233@N08

It was made in 2005. So in that series, it has the very latest in coatings. Prices ping-pong on the internet quite a bit, but those that actually sell usually go for around $825 to maybe $850 on the top end. Those scopes were very well-made.

The lowest I have seen a near-new 4-16x50 sell for is $650, and a few years ago, one on auction went for something like $905.

I guess Bobby has nailed it.

As to the matter of showing photos, though, it helps if you remove the scope caps. When estimating scope ages, the first thing I look at is the eye pieces, as many of these have changed drastically over the decades.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
As to the matter of showing photos, though, it helps if you remove the scope caps. When estimating scope ages, the first thing I look at is the eye pieces, as many of these have changed drastically over the decades.

Why would he need to do that? The serial # on his particular scope tells you precisely the year it was produced.

Fair enough, Bobby, but as a general rule if you want to show people something, obscuring bits of it is counter-intuitive.

It annoys me when advertisers show some rifle for sale without including the bolt in the photo. Does it actually have a bolt or do you get just what you see? With some brands, seeing the bolt shroud will reassure the buyer of which model it is.