Retro scopes for a vintage build... M40 clone boomstick

[FancyFreddy]

All,

I am trying to decide on the optics for my M40 clone. Its not going to be 100% exact reproduction since I am not starting with a vintage 6-digit Rem 700.

I have the Silverhill stock and 16601-3 buttplate all setup. (LOTS of work getting that fitted)

But now I am debating how to proceed with the optics. I learned enough trying to resurect a Weaver K2.5 on my 1903a4 build that I don't want something from 50 years ago. (dealing with mold removal on that project just about made me eat the last bullet I fired from the rifle ... 100% frustration)

So, I am looking closer at the following 3 scopes
1) Redfield re-issue M40
2) Hunting down a Leupold VX-II M40
3) Waiting for the Leatherwood/Hi-Lux M40

I'll probably spring for a set of badger rings/mount.

The other thought was if I go with Leupold rings/mount, and have them parkerized, I am thinking I might just get a nicely used VX-II and send it off to Leupold to be refinished instead... see if their custom shop can annodize it like the M40 re-issue if I can't hunt one down.

Thoughts?

 

[FancyFreddy]

Yeah, that is one of the drawbacks to the Leupold, unless I can track down an M40 edition VX-II.

I already have one of the newer 3x9x40 Redfield Revolution scopes on my other 700, excellent glass. Absolutely ZERO complaints.

But, I just can't fathom getting $600 into a marginal set of 50yr old glass with this project. Not when I am planning on sending out the action to be blueprinted and the barrel chopped to 24". (started out life as an SPS-V 308 ADL)

I just cringe at the thought of going through what I did on my Springfield.

 

[lmhans4440]

I bought one of the new Redfield M40 scopes that is temporarily on my M40 clone. The crosshair is a mil-dot. It looks fairly close to the older redfields, and the glass is much better.

I have a first and second generation accu range at celtic rifles getting rebuilt, and re anodized green and flat black. I have all the stuff to build another M40 clone, and these scopes will go on them.

When I contacted Leupold about re anodizing a scope, they told me they could only do it in the same color. They said you couldn't change color, or finishes, like gloss to matte, or vise versa.

That said, I am excited to get the two older scopes back and see how they work. If I have to I can put the new Redfield on for hunting.

Good luck with the build, and post some pics.

 

[tokiwartooth]

All,

I am trying to decide on the optics for my M40 clone. Its not going to be 100% exact reproduction since I am not starting with a vintage 6-digit Rem 700.

I have the Silverhill stock and 16601-3 buttplate all setup. (LOTS of work getting that fitted)

But now I am debating how to proceed with the optics. I learned enough trying to resurect a Weaver K2.5 on my 1903a4 build that I don't want something from 50 years ago. (dealing with mold removal on that project just about made me eat the last bullet I fired from the rifle ... 100% frustration)

So, I am looking closer at the following 3 scopes
1) Redfield re-issue M40
2) Hunting down a Leupold VX-II M40
3) Waiting for the Leatherwood/Hi-Lux M40

I'll probably spring for a set of badger rings/mount.

The other thought was if I go with Leupold rings/mount, and have them parkerized, I am thinking I might just get a nicely used VX-II and send it off to Leupold to be refinished instead... see if their custom shop can annodize it like the M40 re-issue if I can't hunt one down.

Thoughts?

Redfield won't reissue the M40 scope that looks right. The current one is horrible.

It looks like Leatherwood delayed their repop scope... again. It looks really good, outside of the turret housing being marked wrong.
I'm interested to see those just to tear it open and see what improvements they made inside, and seeing if I can swap parts off of original scopes to make it a bit more
original looking.

Buy a Redifield 3x9 accurange and get it anodized. If you want the gold/green, you need Gen 1 (1" tube marked on turret housing) or a Gen 2, which is correct done in satin black. I've done a dozen of them already for myself and others. Wanna go a bit cheaper, just buy a crosshair version and re-anodize that.

Let me tell you. I didn't know SQUAT about these scopes 4 months ago. I wanted to get my AR TEL refinished, and I looked into it. It was too damn expensive. So, I bought a broken Redfield Gen2 scope (same as the AR TEL) and took it apart. The hardest part is freeing up the damn glue they use, but heat guns are amazing. I bought Seyfrieds book on fixing old scopes. Discoved that Acetone is the miracle chemical for these tings.
You need a camera lense spanner, small screw drivers, and a ring compressor spanner (sold in auto parts stores for the pin hole based rings). The rest is history.
Vintage Weavers and Redfields are easy to work on. I'm getting ready to take a Lyman Alaskan apart but one thing I will NEVER do is an M84. To much stuff inside. Also, i was debating an ART II, but changed my mind.

Starting researching anodizing.... Not too hard. Burned up some pants in the process, but hey, stumbed onto Caswell plating for dyes. I know these scopes better than Ironsights now. I use High Vacuum grease Silicone grease, boiled down Lanolin (to get it sticky/waxy), epoxy, and cosmoline to seal em back up. Also, nitrogen purge them, although these things are FAR from being air tight.

I scored this one BRAND NEW in the BOX for $169 on E-Bay a couple of months back. Wasn't sold as accurange, guy had NO IDEA. Right into my ano tank. It's my build scope.

Same with these two. The green one I made with extra parts and an accurange reticle out of a 4x7. The ranging isn't exactly right, but close enough, I just add on 30%.
The black one is a Gen2 I did in satin. I added the stadia lines to a crosshair reticle and stole a tombstone ring from a busted 4x12.

 

[aur0ra145]

That's it, I'm religiously watching ebay until the acccu-range fairy bestows a scope upon me.

 

[wilecoyote]

... I bought Seyfrieds book on fixing old scopes...

Tokiwartooth, could you specify here the complete title of the Seyfrieds book ?
(if available, it will be my next buy,of course)
Thank for any info about that !

 

[BobC]

Guide to Riflescope Repair by J. W. Seyfried . Good luck. It will cost you.

 

[tokiwartooth]

Guide to Riflescope Repair by J. W. Seyfried . Good luck. It will cost you.

It's about $100. For a beginner, it's good, but I already know about 75% of the content. It did fill in a number of "empty spaces" for me, with regards to how to break glue bonds, fix lenses, adjust parallex, etc. I have a bunch of content I want to ADD to it on some tricks I've come up with, for instance, how to re-crosswire a scope if there are no witness marks on the ring(next to impossible), using everyday socket sets as mandrels for removing dents, using heat and other methods to free up impossibly tight bonds, etc. The book really only covers Weaver and Redfield types scopes. I've recentlly pulled apart a Lyman Alaskan and it was a pain, broke the cross wire in the process (not a big deal), but now I know I need to keep the 5 parts that make up the erector assembly pushed together when re-installing

 

[aur0ra145]

It's about $100. For a beginner, it's good, but I already know about 75% of the content. It did fill in a number of "empty spaces" for me, with regards to how to break glue bonds, fix lenses, adjust parallex, etc. I have a bunch of content I want to ADD to it on some tricks I've come up with, for instance, how to re-crosswire a scope if there are no witness marks on the ring(next to impossible), using everyday socket sets as mandrels for removing dents, using heat and other methods to free up impossibly tight bonds, etc. The book really only covers Weaver and Redfield types scopes. I've recentlly pulled apart a Lyman Alaskan and it was a pain, broke the cross wire in the process (not a big deal), but now I know I need to keep the 5 parts that make up the erector assembly pushed together when re-installing

Where are you seeing it for $100, cheapest I can find is $200.

 

[A300fe1]

great thread. I have a Redfield Accu-range that I picked up a few years ago for an M40 build. It has the proper reticle and tombstone, gloss black finish. It's amazing to think what the guys in Vietnam did with these scopes and with the M40's. Not sure if I'll ever get to the build or not. I turned an old ADL stock into an M40 stock, it was a fun time and a lot of work. If I decide to sell the scope I will sell it here on the Hide. Keep the pics and info coming!

 

[rlm8541]

I currently have a Green Contract Redfield. But it came with no turret caps when I got it. It ha a set of black ones on it now.....Anyone know of someone that would be willing to anno. them for me?
Understand that it probably wont be cheap to have done, but then again, nothing on these originals are cheap.

 

[lmhans4440]

Rlm8541, try Connor over at Celtic Rifles. He has two of my accu-ranges for rebuild and re anodizing. I've seen pics of his work and it looks great.

 

[tokiwartooth]

I currently have a Green Contract Redfield. But it came with no turret caps when I got it. It ha a set of black ones on it now.....Anyone know of someone that would be willing to anno. them for me?
Understand that it probably wont be cheap to have done, but then again, nothing on these originals are cheap.

Got your email. Send them to me, with a pic of your scope, and I'll do them for free since you're active military.
Tok...