quality of vintage redfield scopes
 

I really like the looks of the 70-80s redfield wide view low power scope they look period correct on the old marlin 336,you can still get them in good shape but how do they compare to the new scopes,for those that have the old redfields?

A couple of years ago I thought I'd "go nostalgia" on my beloved 1968 336RC 35R (gdad bought it new then handed down to me when I was a teen in the mid80s.) I also have a 1978 Redfield 3x9, can't remember the obj dia & it's the oval "TV vision" version that was all the rage back then. (It came off a 1978 Rem 700BDL 30-06 my now deceased step-father passed down to me) So anyway I thought, "No skool like da ol skool" so I put the rig together & eagerly hit the woods with it that fall... only once tho! :eek2:

The ol scope is tough, looks & "fits right" on my ol 35 but man I couldn't stand the lack of clarity & glare that old scope had! It was "Amber" by comparison to all of my high line scopes (Swarovski, Zeiss, Leupold vx3 etc) & was easily surpassed by even the lesser scopes I have (Nikon Prostaff, Leupold vx1 etc). I yanked that ol Red off & put a 2.5x8x36 Leupold vx3 on the Marlin & that's where it'll stay til they throw dirt on me! A couple years ago I bought a new Redfield Revolution 2x7x33 for a 45/70 Guidegun, this summer I traded that Remlin for a 7mm-08 & the Revo now lives atop the 7-08. It's a GREAT scope, especially for the $! (It's owned & lifetime backed & built in America by Leupold) There are two other Redfield Revos I my deercamp (best buds Savage muzzleloader & his sons Ruger American 7-08) they likewise have been flawless.

We're I not actually hunting with my prized Marlin I'da left the ol Redfield atop it but I hunt a lot with this rifle & demand much better optics than the ol "black oval" is capable of delivering. "Back in the day" I suppose we never knew what we were missing because everything was likewise the same. But like many other things, today's technology has WELL SURPASSED the performance abilities of 30-40yr old technology.

I just sold a "quality" Redfield 3x9x40 like the one you describe on eBay for $60. Was just updating my Optics.

I gotta tell you I echo everything what was said above. Even a cheap $99 Weaver Nitrex will blow it out of the Water Optic wise. It's,like,you want to wipe the lens clean because you think there is film or rain on there.
I sorta get wanting to keep a classic look. But yet I don't.

Even my Vintage Leupold Vari X III of all things don't seem nearly as clear or as sharp as my Leuoold VXR or VX3.

Glass has come a long way in 15 years,. Go back 30 years and you reall have a relic. Sure it will function but damn.