I have a German made scope a Nichols Supra. I have had it for about 45 years it seems like a well made scope. Anybody know anything about these.

Check the spelling, 257 ...

If it says Nickel Marburg with an oval Supra logo in the middle, you have one of the great German brands, close to the quality of Zeiss/Hensoldt and possibly better than the early Swarovski, S&B, Pecar and post-war Kahles scopes.

I may have seen a scope branded Nichols somewhere but know nothing about it. My guess is it would be analogous with a Bordeaux red labelled Chateau Laffite (the real Premier Cru has only one f).

Nickel did make 4x36 scopes, which are very good in poor light because of the large front lens. If it is a real Supra (from before Hertal & Reuss bought the firm and added a constantly centred reticle and rubber eyepiece), you will notice very little tunnel vision when you hold it at the correct distance, about four inches from your eye.

I did spell it wrong it is spelled Nickel. The crosshairs are very fine with about a 1 moa dot in the center. The reticle is constantly centered. Thank for the reply.

Thanks 257 ...
There is, however, a brand called Nichols made in Japan, it seems. I only know this because one popped up today on eBay. They wanted $49 for it and I suspect the price was full-up at that

Your Lee dot-type reticle does sound a bit old, though, and I know the original Nickel firm at Marburg did offer such a thing back in the 1950s or '60s.

How far did you wind the knob to decide it would not leave the middle?

Mine is German made. I did not turn the knob to see if the cross hairs move off center I will try that.

I checked the reticle and it is not constantly centered. Being as the reticle is so hard to see without a light background would it be possible to have it changed to something more user friendly? Is there a demand for a scope like this would I be better off selling this and buying something more suited to what my uses would be. would you know a ball park figure for the value of a scope like this?

I have heard that Nickel did make scopes with user-replaceable reticles but the one I pulled to bits was not one of them, having just a hole for the elevation screw to press on the reticle assembly below. Even if you did have one of the changeable models, you might have trouble finding that other reticle. I know a place in England sold some for Pecars but I don't think they had any Nickel reticles.

Nick Stroebel (Old Gunsights & Rifle Scopes - Gun Digest Books 2008) valued the ones made between 1953 and 1974 at between $400 and $750, just before the financial meltdown.

While I find Nick's values for US scopes reasonable, I've seen plenty of German scopes sold in Europe for less. However, prices have been rising a bit over the past couple of years and if your scope has no rail, those prices may once more be applicable. The dot reticle might limit the appeal, though.

Thank you for your reply. I would not try to replace the reticle myself I would have to find someone that could do that for me. If this scope is worth even close the the value you have said than a good cleaning and reticle replacement would seem worth while.

The one thing your reticle could have over others of the time might be strength/resilience because the wires (or, possibly, spider web) stretch right across to be tethered twice; the dot may be a blob of glue that binds them together to give further strength.

All brands of scope can break down, hence people in the repair business may have old Nickels they could cannibalise to get another. I've got one from an old Supra I cut up to look at the mechanism - but made the mistake of letting people at a gun show (while promoting my book) press it down in its dovetail to feel the strength of the spring beneath. Unfortunately, one punter misunderstood the test and pressed his thumb into the fine bars of the #1 reticle! I poked them back with a pen but they'll never be the same again, so I won't offer that one to you. The fragility of such reticles is one reason I like etched-glass graticules, where the aiming mark is often sandwiched between two lenses cemented together, giving even more strength.

Yes I think I will just keep the way it is. Thanks so much.