Unertl Scopes

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AJMD429
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Unertl Scopes

Post by AJMD429 »

I saw the post about a spring for one, and I've always been interested in how they are mounted. It always seemed like it would be better to have the scope fixed and the mount adjustable so you didn't have all that intricate delicate stuff inside the optical tube. Anyway decided to read more about them since I've never owned one and came across this thread on another forum. If you go to the 46th post in the thread, the grandson of the company founder gives a brief history of the rise and fall of the company.
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/th ... tence.364/
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marlinman93
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by marlinman93 »

Unertl scopes and other optics equipment have always been highly regarded as the best on the market. I tend to agree, but also will say there are others that were just as good, or very close to Unertl. John Unertl started the company when he left Fecker, and that was around 1936. JW Fecker was an equally fine telescope, and actually one I prefer to Unertl. Not any better quality, but equal. The one thing Fecker had that Unertl or any other target scope didn't have was the center adjustment instead of adjustment being out at the objective lens. Center adjustment meant you could sit at the bench in shooting position and adjust your parallex without stretching out to the end of the scope to adjust. This one feature put Fecker above others for me.
I've got a lot of old external adjustment target scopes, including a first year Unertl that's still better than many newer scopes by other makers. The quality of those pre WWII target scopes is crazy good for the period! Well above the average scope of the period. Today's various hunting and target scopes have very fine optics, but not the same as those old Fecker, Unertl, Litschert, Lyman, Stevens, Winchester, etc., etc. Of course today's are fantastic quality, but the equipment to build them makes this much easier to do. Not nearly the amount of hands on fitting and finishing those older scopes had in the process.
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by Ray Newman »

marlinman93: know of anyone who clean/repair/adjust Unertl 'scopes?
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by Sixgun »

Like Marlinman, I've played with more than a few of the old scopes from back in the day...not to his extent but enough to make a somewhat decent comparison. The old scopes bring crazy money and were a major plus on the value of an old gun if it was all contemporary.

But like all progress, the old scopes don't come anywhere near to the quality of brightness and durability of today's finer scopes like the Nightforce, Schmidt & Bender, etc.........the modern scopes are part of the reason why today's snipers are busting people out to a mile away.

My BIL had a U.S.M.C Unertl scope on an old pre war model 70 in 220 Swift......which I tried many times to buy......his wife recently sold it for $3500....just the scope.----6

Ray.....Parsons Scope Service repairs the old scopes but I wouldn't bother with him.....I called him a month or two ago and it looks like he is about a year behind.....
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6pt-sika
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by 6pt-sika »

Never owned or punched paper using a Unertl but I have sold a few for folks . Only thing close I ever had was a 10x Lyman Targetspot thst was mounted on a rather nice old Remington 513T I got from a friend in Doylestown PA almost twenty years ago .
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by AJMD429 »

I have to wonder what would happen if you took today's incredibly high-quality optics and made a secure fixed-crosshair scope, then combined it with precision-machined external adjustments, would you not have the best of both worlds?

Without the need for tube-penetrating mechanical adjustments, you could have a completely sealed optics system, and your mechanical adjustments could be both precision and robust, being able to be outside the tube.
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marlinman93
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by marlinman93 »

AJMD429 wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 4:06 pm I have to wonder what would happen if you took today's incredibly high-quality optics and made a secure fixed-crosshair scope, then combined it with precision-machined external adjustments, would you not have the best of both worlds?

Without the need for tube-penetrating mechanical adjustments, you could have a completely sealed optics system, and your mechanical adjustments could be both precision and robust, being able to be outside the tube.
What you'd have is an MVA or DZ Arms scope like both companies make and sell today. They have wonderful glass, and superb external mounts, and are a very good option. But they cost as much or more than the vintage scopes, and I prefer to buy the vintage scopes as I think they'll continue to increase in value.
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by marlinman93 »

Ray Newman wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:02 am marlinman93: know of anyone who clean/repair/adjust Unertl 'scopes?
I have cleaned, repaired, and done crosshairs on mine, but I am retired and don't want to take that on for anyone else. I'd simply say take it apart and keep the pieces in order on a clean terrycloth towel. Clean the lenses with quality lens cleaner, and wipe with good quality lens cloth. Crosshairs and repair or cleaning aren't tough to do. Might need to make some spanner tools to remove internal threaded retaining rings. I make them from wooden dowels and old hacksaw blades to fit the notches.
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by Ray Newman »

MarlinMan93: thanks for the information. I think I will pass as I have self imposed rule: "If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it."
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by AJMD429 »

Ray Newman wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 6:52 pm. . . I think I will pass as I have self imposed rule: "If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it."
Well shucks, that would have kept from doing purt durn near anything over the years.... :lol:
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marlinman93
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Re: Unertl Scopes

Post by marlinman93 »

AJMD429 wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 8:08 pm
Ray Newman wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 6:52 pm. . . I think I will pass as I have self imposed rule: "If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it."
Well shucks, that would have kept from doing purt durn near anything over the years.... :lol:
Amen! I have a self imposed rule too. It's cheaper for me to buy or make the tools, and try it, even if it takes several tires. In the end it always works out easier and cheaper than paying somebody else to do it, and if I do it I know what was done, and how to do it the next time!
Done this on everything in my life, and it's been a wonderful adventure, and I've learned a lot along the way! Plus I've got lots of tools accumulated over the many decades that help me do all sorts of repairs.
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