DOW ZF39 Scope Reticle

[hatrick]

Can someone tell me if this reticle looks correct for a WWII DOW ZF39 scope? I have never seen one before with this type of bottom vertical reticle bar. Everything on else on the scope seems 100% correct so I have to imagine this is the original, factory installed reticle.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[gergnotwen]

Can someone tell me if this reticle looks correct for a WWII DOW ZF39 scope? I have never seen one before with this type of bottom vertical reticle bar. Everything on else on the scope seems 100% correct so I have to imagine this is the original, factory installed reticle.

Thanks,
Eric

How about some details on the scope, type, markings & photos will get the experts looking at it for you!

 

[gill120]

Dow scope reticle

The DOW scope reticles are painted on the glass lenses, over the years they kinda self destruck. Lense separation, cleaning, ect. What you are seeing is the deterioration of that process.

 

[gergnotwen]

Had a ZF41/1 that did that as well-a CXN as I recall...

 

[hatrick]

Thanks for the replies... if the reticle is indeed deteriorating, wouldn't it be more random? Everything looks so perfect and symmetrical with the thin side lines and the horizontal lines near the tip.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[Valleysniper]

Dow reticle

AFAIK the dow glass reticle was made just like a mirror was made. On a circular glass disc approximately 15.50 mm by 2.10 mm thick the reticle sidebars and post were first silvered onto the glass disc and then covered by special paint. If you remove the glass reticle from scope and look at reticle facing eye it is Black and if tilted in light you will see objective end is silvered. These reticles are very fragile when comes to cleaning, as chemicals tend to break down reticle image as well as over zealous cleaning afterwards. Best if you need to clean one use nothing more than gently rinsing with distilled water and if necessary GENTLY brush with clean dry sable broad brush. Dry and polish with cotton Q tip and use dust blower afterwards. Even cleaning this way can damage reticle image as so fragile.

Glass reticles whether etched or mirrored are more prone than metal reticles to dust sticking to them and shattering with recoil forces which is all right with today’s modern sealed for life Nitrogen filled and shockproof scopes. However for WW1 & WW11 scopes of limited waterproofing/sealing the metal reticle was far stronger recoil wise and less susceptible to dust contamination as 2 less glass lens faces available to contaminate. The British experimented with etched reticle with their WW1 Aldis Brothers scope but it never made it to service use and neither did the Germans like British adopt commonly a glass reticle on their more common WW11 sniper scopes with exception of course of dow & ZF41. I think the only reason an etched reticle was used in ZF41 scope was because of how horrendously microscopically small the actual glass reticle is. The Australians also used a crystalex etched reticle in the Australian built model 18 scope introduced in 1944 but many of these seen have now actually got metal replacement reticles in them.

Your reticle Eric looks over zealously cleaned but seen far worse and I have a dow here in collection that is going to need reticle made with brass circular frame with metal side bars and vertical post made. Have asked around over the last few years if companies can make a replacement etched as opposed to mirrored glass reticle to try and retain a bit of originality. So far cost has been prohibitive for small runs unless perhaps could get a group buy together to bring cost down if anyone else out there also looking for a replacement? Perhaps Meopta factory could be persuaded to do a run of replacements, anyne got any contacts?

 

[mjn]

Thanks for the replies... if the reticle is indeed deteriorating, wouldn't it be more random? Everything looks so perfect and symmetrical with the thin side lines and the horizontal lines near the tip.

Hatrick,
I see what you are saying – the vertical post appears to have long, thin, symmetrical cutouts on the sides, with symmetrical “dots” near the point. Because your photos are low resolution, it looks like the reticle has been smeared and damaged from cleaning, but I think this is just the pixelation caused by enlarging a small photo file. Try taking a higher resolution photo and re-post the image so the reticle can be viewed in sharper focus without the pixel problem.

 

[Dave Roberts]

If the Scope is 100% Original , I know a member here that lives in Czech Rep. that knows an Old Man who worked at the Original Dow Factory and he can repair Your Reticule to Original Condition . My friend and member here has had 2 or 3 such Reticules on DOW Scopes repaired by this Master Craftsman and he said it was Perfect . Best Regards