Third Party Press

ZF41 Study

kentomon

kentomon

Senior Member
Hi all, this is my first time to post a thread in this forum.

I had been studying especially on ZF41 scopes.
My website:
http://zielfernrohr.b.la9.jp/index.htm

And had been collecting data of them (serial# and markings) and compiling them into a list. After working on for about 10 years, now I have managed to show almost every marking patterns connecting to serial numbers on each manufactures.
List of ZF41:
http://zielfernrohr.b.la9.jp/ZF41database.pdf

For further study, I would like to share information I have got and express my thoughts and hear your opinions or acquire new information.

I would start with basic facts on ZF41 scopes.

External appearances
Except for the difference of the markings, 3 type exist. ZF41 Type1, Type2 and ZF41/1.
See how to distinguish those types.
zielfernrohr15020701.jpg

"Longer ocular tube" on ZF41/1 means by that you can see its end out of the rear rainshield. It also means the main scope body is shorter, so the total length of the scope is same.
zielfernrohr15020702.png

ZF41 Type2 and ZF41/1 are similar in appearance but VERY different inside.

I knew Luc from Belgium. I have talked with him at an other forum, before his website. He had seen my website, but somehow did not understand the difference between Type2 and ZF41/1. He called ZF41/1 as Type2 too.

I will write about inside, the optical components of ZF41, in the next posting.

Ken
 
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Really nice work.
It a great source of information, specifically as a small thought of buying a ZF41 in forming in my mind at the moment.

Thanks a lot for posting this. The is now part of my reference library..

BR
Scharfschuetze
 
Thank you for your comments. It is really good to get replies when thinking a bit that perhaps no one will be interested. Now, I will continue with pleasure.


Optical components

There is a large difference between 2 types, ZF41 and ZF41/1. Between Type1 and Type2, the difference is only the size of the objective lenses.

ZF41 has 9 elements (lenses) in 6 groups. 2+1 in objective cell, 2+2 for erecting lens, 1+1 for ocular lens. The main objective lens is a doublet (2 lenses as one), while all other lenses seem to be single lenses. The main ocular lens is buried into the ocular tube and cannot be taken out. 2 erecting lenses are separated by a spacer and held in their positions within the erector cell.

ZF41/1 is a simplified version of ZF41 and has less lenses. It has 7 elements in 4 groups. 2 in objective, 2+2 for erecting, 1 for ocular. I do not know what exact difference is made with 2 less lenses than ZF41, but I am sure that the quality of view is poorer.

I had been long thinking of making drawings of both types to show the difference of the optical systems, but I had not enough time and ability. So here is one (ZF41/1) from wartime US ordnance report (dated 14 Feb.1945).
zielfernrohr15020703.jpg

I have to say, I have disassembled only a few scopes. And I also know there are transitional or experimental variants whose systems I realy do not know. So new informations are always welcome.

Next time, I would like to write about the production of ZF41.

Ken
 
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It's amazing how much information you have amassed on these! Very nice work and great presentation.

I encourage everyone with a ZF41 to submit the data. I will send my data, I only have 1 scope.
 
Great work! I remember coming across your site years ago but I think was very little English at that point.
 
Ken, we spoke a number of years back by email , spoke mainly about the 4X Scopes . IMHO I have found that the collecting of ZF41 Scopes & Mounts appears to be a much larger collector base for these in Europe than the USA. I believe it has to do with the availability and abundance still in Europe and there affordability as well . The Information You have posted just proves that the ZF41 Scopes & Mounts are a collecting field unto themselves . Thank You for sharing Your info and I commend You on your effort to bring to light this very informative informations . I myself had no idea how intricate these ZF41 Scopes truely are and the differences between the types . Keep up the great work. Best Regards .
:thumbsup:
 
Thank you all for your kind words. I would always appreciate your help.
What I really want to write is from now on. Things I have written in the past postings are facts you can believe. Hereafter I would like to express my thoughts and hear your opinions.

Before going back to ZF41, I have to write about the lubricant markings found on optical equipments.

Lubricant markings and production years
As you know, scopes are not dated but most of them have lubricant markings. I have thought studying on these markings might give more information on the scopes. The meaning of the markings are well known. It indicates the type of lubricant applied to the scope. So I have focused on the date referring to each lubricant types.
1.”K.F.” (Invarol)
Adopted on 27th May 1940 (From Allgemeine Heeresmitteilungen).
2.Light blue circle (Vakuumfett 1416)
Date of adoption is unknown, but appeared in the first version of the manual for winter warfare dated 5th August 1942.
zielfernrohr15021101.jpg
3.Light blue cross (Instrumentenfett 1442)
Appeared in the revised version of the winter manual dated 1st November 1942.
zielfernrohr15021102.jpg
4.Light blue triangle (Lubricant unkown)
It is said that the marking appeared in the late 1943 but I have found no date yet.

If you look through cxn on my database, you can see these markings coming right in this order. From these, I have estimated very roughly the production year of the optic relating to the markings.
K.F.: 1940-41
Circle: 1942
Cross: 1942-43-44 (mainly in 1943)
Triangle: 1943-44-45 (mainly in 1944)

I know this is far from perfect, but I believe it would be interesting clue on this subject together with further study.
(For more information, see my webpage: http://homepage3.nifty.com/zielfernrohr/zielfernrohr_039.htm)
 
Hi
Have you ever seen an ar K98 ZF41 with flat rail in the L block of 1942 ? If not , how do you explain cxn first type ZF41 with blue circle on original L block mount with flat rollers ? just a thought.
best regards
 

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This is very helpful! For your records, I have cag 41/1 serial number 5697 with a cross. It is in an unnumbered late 214 mount. It came in an unnumbered tan-painted case.
 
Xavier,
Thank you very much for your comment. Really beautiful rifle and scope. I have little information on the rifles. So the 42 rifles with flat rails are not seen. It is easy to say perhaps the blue circle is already from 1941 since no confirming document is found yet. But I have thought the circle was one result of winter war in 1941, so I would think the other way. I guess they produced only flat railed K98k-Zf41, no normal railed one made together in the same line in 1941. If the scope was mated at the same time, they should all have flat rollers. Now digging up my data for flat rollers, I see very early ZF41 with K.F. and also several blue circles. I know my data is not enough, but what I see is the lowest serial# for flat roller circle is 71k and highest 88k, which means at least 17k scopes were produced. And they are not only flat rollers but also normal rollers mixed together. This means at that time, both flat and normal railed K98k-Zf41 existed, which means it might be a bit late from 1941. Remember, they had to prepare for the next winter, it is possible to think they have tried to switch the scope if the new scope is available.
 
Hi Ken
the L block from Borsigwalde (AR) is a late block of 1941, I agree. K98 DUV of 1941 with flat rail do exist as well.
I have never seen a K98 ZF41 of 1942 with flat rail but that does not mean they do not exist in the beginning of 1942.
best regards
Xavier
 
Hello,
have this fzg+ ZF41 serial#3592 in my collection. Seems to be a very high serial for a ZF41.
Thanks
 

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Hambone,
I am glad if this will be someone's help, because I have learned a lot from others and is still learning!

Amberg,
thank you for the data, nice scope!
 
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