which scope would be the best choice for A4?

[Col. Colt]

Serial number and date/age would help here. If old enough (pre-War) it could be one of the prototypes! If the only thing numbered was the screw on caps, they are too easy to change from another scope to prove anything by themselves. And I thought the military covers were numbered on the top, not the side? CC

[jgaynor]

Jim, Why would you say that the crosshair reticle scope would be more like the M73? I've seen M73's with both reticles and since the post and crosshair scope has drawing numbered caps, I'd highly suspect that it is a genuine (but unmarked) M73. Granted, the majority of USGI M73's had fine crosshair reticles. Rick

Rick only that I can readily document the cross wire reticle where as the combination horizontal wire and post seems to have come in with the M84.

As far as the caps go there are at least five different styles including at least one w/o GI Drawing numbers (7nnnnnn).

Regards,
Jim

Regards,
Jim

[jgaynor]

Serial number and date/age would help here. If old enough (pre-War) it could be one of the prototypes! If the only thing numbered was the screw on caps, they are too easy to change from another scope to prove anything by themselves. And I thought the military covers were numbered on the top, not the side? CC

Col. they are seen numbered on top on the sides and no numbers at all. GI scopes may also have drawing numbers on the W&E turrets, and other components as well.

Regards.
Jim

[Johnny in Texas]

If you are asking which one is closest to a military contract scope it is #5333 I have scope s/n 5199 and it is a commercial Lyman Alaskan NOT marked ALL-WEATHER with high dome caps and marked TELESCOPE-M73 on the turret block. I also have scope s/n 5260 it does not have the ALL-WEATHER has the same small s/n and has the high dome caps but is NOT marked TELESCOPE-M-73 probably made in '43 same as the others. These scope were made up for the M1903A4 in '43 and later remarked M81 for use on the M1C. There are some Canadian military Alaskans in the 4890 s/n range.

The high dome caps and the small s/n and lack of ALL-WEATHER markings are what would indicate '43 production. I have a scope like your also can't remember the s/n but in the mid 5XXX range.

[rickgman]

Jim, I recently saw a parkerized Lyman Alaskan with drawing numbered caps that had a post and crosshair reticle. Since the parkerizing generally indicates that the scope was rebuilt by an Army depot, I have a pretty good feeling that this was a genuine USGI scope.

[Johnny in Texas]

I have seen Lymans Alaskans and Weaver 330's that were in bad condition and were Parkerized to give them a fresh military look. Don't go by that finish alone. I have parked lots of things that needed a new finish from lantern parts to tools and yes a Lyman Alaskan and an M82. They are simple to take apart with the correct tools.

[rickgman]

Johnny, the parkerized finish combined with the drawing numbered caps seems to be more than a coincidence but that's just my opinion.

[Johnny in Texas]

Numbered caps were used in Lyman commercial production post war. It would be cool looking but USGI I doubt that. If the s/n was in the low 5K range maybe. People had been trying to Militarize Alaskans for years and that is one way to do it.

[pelago]

you going to shoot it? that might make a difference to me, which one has best optics, pretty scope that you can not see anything would not make sense