So this just ended on ebay, educate me, is this civilian or military Carl Zeiss scope?

[waw44]

Trying to learn more about the general group of scopes under the ZF39 name. As far as I read so far, these Carl Zeiss scopes were the initial scopes to define the type. Also trying to understand the market, which is all over the place.

For example, this one just sold on ebay for $260 with a case and covers. Is that the going rate? Seems cheaper than others I see at $400+ What is different here? A civilian scope? Maybe because the auction gives no info on condition, so likely damaged?

 

[Dave Roberts]

Its a Civilian Z4 with Civilian Objective Type Rings .

 

[waw44]

Its a Civilian Z4 with Civilian Objective Type Rings .

Thanks, but that really is not meaningful to me. Any online resources you can point me to to understand the difference between this and a military scope, how to spot them, etc?

 

[Absolut]

The Zielvier scopes were commercial scopes. Some of them were purchased officially and used by the military and/or Police. The very first Military appearance were the Reichswehr sniper scopes, these were in the low 20.xxx serial range. They are easily identified by the 100-1000 elevation markings and should carry Reichswehr scope rings. There were also foreign military contracts with the Zeiss Zielvier: Argentine, Russian, Finnish, Czech, ... just to name a few. In WWII you can find reused Reichswehr Zielvier scopes, but you can also find ones that were purchased and pressed to military service. These then carry 1-8 elevation markings.

If you want to identify it then the first look should always be towards the elevation markings. If it doesn't have 1-8 or 100-1000 then most likely it is commercial. The second then whether the serial would put it to a range where military ones are known. And then finally you could nevertheless check whether it is a hunters donated scope, meaning it has the 1-2,3,4 markings, what would then had been used in SSR.

 

[Dave Roberts]

Thanks, but that really is not meaningful to me. Any online resources you can point me to to understand the difference between this and a military scope, how to spot them, etc?

Here are a few examples of Range marking found on Zeiss 4X Scopes and last Scope is Zeiss 6X also notice that some not all the Range Dials have a stop screw located on the side of the scale ring just past the 8 which indicates 800 meters .

 

[waw44]

Thank you experten!