wollensak scope & Crackshot

[firefly1957]

This is a bit odd Nothing I posted yesterday is available today?

My first vintage scope was bought for $2 at an auction the auction was from a estate of a upper peninsula Michigan man they moved the items to Lapper county to get more for them . I went to the auction to get a deal on welding equipment but that used (well Used ) stuff went for more then it was new! There was a junk box had a double barrel 28 gauge bankers pistol I told the auctioneer it was a NFA nightmare but he sold it as junk . The only other thing I bought was a metal box with lathe bits many of them new carbide tipped.

The scope put me on a quest for a reasonably priced period gun some years later in the 1990's Leaving a gun show at the Davison Michigan K of C hall I saw a old man walking in with a single shot rifle. Talking to him I found it was a Stevens Crack shot with a terrible bore and bad chamber. I welded the filed dovetail in the action in and put a Parker Hale barrel liner in chambering it for .22 long rifle . I also filed up some mounts for the scope rings and drilled and tapped the barrel before instilling the barrel liner in the gun . I still need to work on the extractor as the "V" shape of it can allow a rim to rupture on firing but it is very rare .

[marlinman93]

I love old scopes, and old single shot rifles. The scopes like your Wollensak are pretty good scopes, if the optics are in good shape. Tough to find them that are both internally and externally in great shape these days.
In the 1980's I bought numerous old scopes like Wollensak, Lyman, Winchester, and Stevens scopes for $10-$20 in nice shape. Now some of those same scopes are getting $300-$500 today!
I collect old single shot rifles, and old rifle scopes, and some of the top end scopes, or very rare scopes can cost more than the guns they're mounted on!

[firefly1957]

I forgot to mention the scope had been painted black as the anodizing was wore off . I just cleaned off the paint and left it in brass .

I know what you mean about scope prices I used to see old steel tube Weavers cheap not any more ! I have a Weaver K-3 with heavy post reticle I got for $10 at a gun show that does great duty on a early Ruger 44 carbine.

[marlinman93]

I forgot to mention the scope had been painted black as the anodizing was wore off . I just cleaned off the paint and left it in brass .

I know what you mean about scope prices I used to see old steel tube Weavers cheap not any more ! I have a Weaver K-3 with heavy post reticle I got for $10 at a gun show that does great duty on a early Ruger 44 carbine.

The original finish on your Wollensak wasn't anodized, as that method wasn't around back then. It was called a Japan finish, which was similar to paint, but tougher. Most inexpensive brass tube scopes like these had the Japan finish on the tubes.

[firefly1957]

Thank you for the information I will look into it .

[marlinman93]

Thank you for the information I will look into it .

I've polished out brass scope tubes and then restored the finish using brass black, which is a sulfur solution. It works pretty well, and leaves them looking antique, but not brand new.
This is an old Tasco full length scope a friend rebuilt for me, and I blackened the tube. I wanted it to look appropriate age for the Ballard I put it on, so stopped before it looked too new.

[firefly1957]

I did have some brass black but it dried up long ago I was using it on air brake fittings I made into a chess set at work . It really did a poor job later I found out the brass was not really brass but Manganese Bronze I am not sure if that is why they blackened poorly .
That is a great looking gun & scope does it shoot well?
what caliber is it?

[marlinman93]

I did have some brass black but it dried up long ago I was using it on air brake fittings I made into a chess set at work . It really did a poor job later I found out the brass was not really brass but Manganese Bronze I am not sure if that is why they blackened poorly .
That is a great looking gun & scope does it shoot well?
what caliber is it?

It is a Ballard #2 in .44 Long, with a perfect bore! It shot wonderful, but I sold it some years back. But I kept the scope and it's on my engraved Hepburn in .45-70 now.

[firefly1957]

Thanks .