Henry Rifle Forums

This old scope was my dad's when he was young and doing a lot of shooting. He had it on a custom built 30-06 with springfield action. I shot it quite a bit 30 years ago and really liked having a post instead of full crosshairs. Anyways I'm going to give it a try on my BBS .41 mag which I just ordered a base and hammer extension for. It seems to have held up real good over the years and was always accurate when I was shooting with it. I know absolutely nothing about this brand of scope and wondered if any of you guys or gals know anything about it or the company. It's going to be kinda cool to me to use something dad used many, many years ago. The only markings as far as possible company name is red arrow. Thanks for looking, Dave

It's a new one on me, Dave, but that "Japan" flash tells me that it will be totally fit for purpose. They certainly know how to make good optics.

I really can't find much on their history, which shows just how old they are, but like Les said, those old and new Japanese optics are made very well. Hopefully this one is still in good working condition and will serve you well. I have an old Japanese Armsport 3x9 scope on a .30-06 and the scope was made around 1970 and sold then for $45.00. It still is clear, waterproof and fogproof and holds zero. I see no reason to replace it. It has helped me take many whitetail deer.

I did a lot of research on the net and came up with nothing on this scope, that's why I posted here. With the smaller objective profile I'm hoping it looks decent sitting on top of a lever action. I just can't get a clear sight picture with open sights since I went to bifocals a year back so I guess it's time for scopes. With pistols I'm fine since the sights are farther from my eye but back sights on rifles are a blur. The last time I shot this scope on the 06 was last year and it was still dead on after 10 years in a gun safe. If it could handle the recoil of that 06 all those years I'm sure it will do great on a .41 Henry.

Very cool that your dad used it too.

if it worked on an '06 it should stand up well on your Henry .... I agree that it would be really nice to have a scope passed down from my grandfather or father

Well, I got the scope mounted over the weekend but haven't had a chance to really dial it in yet. I took enough shots to get it close at 25 yards but need more time and a range with a bench to see what it will actually do. I tried taking a picture of the reticle which was a real challenge but wanted to share what it looks like. I really like a post vs. crosshairs. Hopefully you can see it when the picture is enlarged.

good photography .... I've never used a scope with a post .... that looks interesting

JEBar wrote:good photography .... I've never used a scope with a post .... that looks interesting

During WWII the military used a lot of posts and they are sometimes called a military reticle. They fell out of use after the 50's but obviously they were still made into the 70's.

Wow, that's a beautiful old scope! I like that post recticle.

Bumping this thread up. I was going to start a new one, but this is exactly on point. I have kind of a thing for old scopes, too, specifically, low power straight tube types. You know, the kind almost nobody (except Leupold?) makes anymore . I think this style best serves a carbine type hunting rifle, especially in the "short range" calibers. Over the weekend, I picked up a very good Redfield fixed 2 3/4X with a post reticle at a gun show. I already have a 2 1/2X Weaver post, also picked up at a gun show a few years ago, and a 2 3/4X Burris Plex I found at one in April. One of them will go on the Henry single shot 45-70 that's now overdue, and I'll fit the others to a couple of old rifles where they'll be appropriate. But the Henry gets first dibs .

I know that a lot of vintage El Paso made Weavers used that same post reticle. Was very popular as a brush gun scope reticle, back in the day.

After I posted about the scopes with posts , I got to thinking about it a bit more. I believe the original idea was to give shooters an image like they were used to seeing with peep sights. Originally, post reticles didn't have the horizontal wire, that was added as a point of reference to reduce canting the rifle, as I understand it. My favorite hunting reticle is a 3P #4 (German) style, but those old post and cross hair are close. It's remembering to aim with the top of the post that can mess with ya .

I think the post may have been more durable in the early days also.

Also, people looking for low powered straight tube scopes are probably buying red dot or even night optics.

People looking for low powered straight tube scopes are probably buying red dot or even night optics these days, except maybe lever gun owners

And single shot shooters . I admit to being a curmudgeon when it comes to high tech optics. I removed a red dot from a turkey gun, because I looked at it, instead of through it (too much clutter around the tube); went to a "turkey scope" instead. I just prefer the clean image seen through a scope. I like the idea of peep sights better than the practice, though I have a couple of peep fitted rifles, just in case. I guess that's what shooting with a scope for 50 years will do to ya .

(sorry I'm late) The German post reticle works great on a hunting rifle, easy target acquisition, i.e. running deer. I have a couple of them, older Redfields and Weavers, I really like them. Not necessarily designed for shooting tiny groups, but work great for hunting.