I have two Balvar 8 scopes that have artifacts in the field of view. I cleaned the ocular and objective lenses, internally and externally, to no avail. These have etched crosshairs (the Balfor does not, as I discovered to my chagrin). It seems the problem is inside the erector lens assembly. Does anyone service these? Or have instructions as to how to do further disassembly for cleaning?

Russ,

You may want to call these guys https://www.vintagegunscopes.com. I've never used them, but they may work.

Ken

I have dealt with Iron Sight Scope Repair 918-445-2001.
They repaired a vintage Redfield for me.
First rate work.

"Nooo, we don't work on those" (Iron Sight people).

too bad. There is no adjustment hardware inside the scope. probably no parts avail.

You might try posting this on the optics forum.

The best way to clean old scopes is to trash them and buy newer optics.

The tinker in me says "what could be so hard"? Humans put this thing together, no alien technology. So I am going to give it a try.

These scopes intrigue me as they are particularly simple (external adjustment via B&L V block mounts or Buehler Dial Adjust); they are light; they are QD return to zero; they have extreme eye relief; they have v good optics for the vintage; and they have tapered reticles.

Sorry to hear of your 'artifacts' in one of the most weatherproof lines I can think of. Do they have dendritic fungus growths, a transparent blot or something like tea leaves?

A variable is less water resistant than a fixed power but the problem may be some reflection-deadening paint or coating that has flaked off the cylinder walls.

Leupold claimed that etched graticles were prone to blots that would not trouble their metal reticles but I think that if the blotting growth is in the scope, it will find a lens to besmirch somewhere, but maybe not in focus.

Conversely, I put the better of my two Unertl Hawks on my 'new' 9.3x62 but the first shot launched a bit of paint that lodged right at the centre of the crosshairs. Fortunately the next shot knocked it off again and it hasn't been seen since.