Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Unertl ?

SP45
What was the objective lens diameter of the USMC marked scopes 1 1/4 or 1 1/2"?
0

Comments

2 comments

Date Votes
  • sandwarrior
    SP45,

    I can't say what the true technical dialougue used back then was, but it seems that diameters went in inches back then in the U.S., not milimeters, as they do today. So, in short, Those diameters are what they are. The technical specs would be 1.250" and 1.500 respectively. In milimeters that is 31.75mm (32mm rounded off for marketing purposes maybe?) and 38.1mm. The latter could go either way as a 38mm for marketing or called 40mm for short. Those changes would have come sometime in the fifties or sixties. I know my dad's old Weaver K6 was called a 2" objective not a 50mm. Later K-6's were 50mm.

    My understanding of how Unertl, and every other scope maker did it back in the day, was that was measured as the glass lens you could see not the edge/lip that was cut around the lens used to hold the lens in place. Meaning 1 1/4" of glass was visible, but the lens was 1 3/8" to allow for a lip to hold the lens in.

    Edit: I noted just after I posted that you said USMC marked. My understanding again was those two scopes marketed by Unertl were not yet designated as military scopes only, rather commercially available scopes. Unertl didn't begin selling strictly to the military until WWII, in 1942 or just before.* The scopes you mention were sold beginning in 1934 and 1937/38. {Edit II:} Post WWII he remained largely in defense work. But still produced mostly target scopes for the public. The USMC scope that his company exclusively produced began during Vietnam.

    *note, Unertl sold to the military almost as early as he got into business in 1934. He didn't begin exclusive sales to the military until 1942 as noted above. But so did a lot of companies have their products exclusively purchased by the military. The company then went back to public sales in post WWII
    0
  • kimi
    7.8 x 1-1/4" objective, 24", Unertl Target scope with 1/4 or 1/2 minute clicks and anodized Duraluminum mount.

    http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_firearms_rifle_m1941usmc.php
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity