Scope Repair

[Buzzard Bait]

Gentlemen I have an old, 1970's or 60s era weaver 22 scope I believe it is a V22 6 something like that. It is a total safe queen, looks like new. So fast forward to now I decided to put it on a older 22 rifle and use it and it will not adjust point of impact up and down I looked on line and weaver has repair service for them but minimum price of repair exceeds the value of the scope. Question is has anyone ventured into repairing a scope at home? I have never even thought of opening up a scope or know of anyone who has. I fix about everything else I have so I'm no stranger to do it your self repairs. But a scope??????????? What says you guys? Is there a economical repair place for scopes? It's not much good as is.
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[g.willikers]

As much as scopes have improved in the last forty years, and how inexpensive some very good ones are these days, it would seem that it's hardly worth the bother to fix it.

 

[Jim Watson]

Agreed.
Scope repair is a skilled profession and such folks no longer work cheap.

Confucius say: Knowledge comes from taking things apart, but wisdom comes from putting them back together.

 

[Jay24bal]

Confucius say: Knowledge comes from taking things apart, but wisdom comes from putting them back together.

Great quote, I love this.

In all reality, I would agree with the previous posts that it will probably be easier and cheaper to replace the scope. While I value doing things myself and fixing most thing instead of replacing them, this would seem to be an area where replacement may be warranted.

Scopes are precision pieces of equipment and I would imagine one needs special tooling to work on them. Then you get to other issues such as that most scopes are nitrogen filled, and do you have the means to re-introduce nitrogen into the sealed tube when you put it back together?

Especially on a 22 as is the case here where you do not need 1,000 yard precision, AO, etc, you can take advantage of modern technology for $100 (or much less depending on what you want).

 

[BumbleBug]

I'll agree it's not worth your time & effort & the probable outcome may not be so good.

But if you really want/like to mess with it & the scope only has an elevation adjustment problem, you might get it sighted in by messing with the mounts. You don't have much to lose.

FWIW

BTW: I like old scopes too & hate to see them go on the scrap heap.

 

[PetahW]

it will not adjust point of impact up and down

Just a thought............ A 3x-6x variable Weaver V22 was one of the first scopes I put on a rifle, a llooooong time ago.

I had trouble making the adjustments, too.

The scope had streamlined, teardrop-shaped adjustment turret covers, and I was twisting/turning the streamlined cover to expose what I thought were the adjusting screws.

NOT ! !

The screws I exposed were actually ones that Weaver used to attach the turrets to the scope tube.

I accidently discovered that the streamlined turret covers should have been turned to the side, alright.

BUT.... then found that I should have used the small tip of the turret cover (now extending off to one side of the turret) as a lever to pry it completely "off" the adjustment turret(s), thereby exposing the actual adjustment screws.

I may be all wet - but R U making the same mistake I did over 45 years ago ? .



.

 

[Murphster]

You might give these guys a call:

http://www.ironsightinc.com

 

[Lemmon]

click, click, click

You know your scope has a problem when you invert it and you hear the lenses falling down the tube going click, click, click.

Lemmon from Rural South Carolina.....

 

[Scorch]

I agree with most of the other posters here: a scope that cost $15 40 years ago is probably not worth fixing. If you want an old Weaver, I have a couple of K4s in my shop, I will sell you one. Or you can pay shipping and I can send you the old Texan 22 scopes I have in the junk pile.

 

[kduffy]

It doesn't work now, what have you got to loose? I have used dog hair for cross hairs, (note a black labs hair is too thick), I found a lead retainer loose and had fallen in on a Weaver V10 that I worked on/played with. This is the part that held the cross hair/adjustment tube in position, the flat springs had lost their set, after a little respringing, they seemed to be good, I didn't have enough of a soldering iron to re-fuse the lead seal, so the scope went to the side for future fun. There was nothing to save, or hurt, so I ventured into it. I think that I could if I had to, make it as good as new, but as was said above, almost any cheap scope has better optics now days. It was completely investigation. I have saved a straight tube .22 scope for my old Mossberg, it works as well as you would hope after cleaning. As far as purging, if you have welding gas, CO2, Argon, Nitrogen any should work, paintball or SCUBA air would be quite sufficient as well, you are looking for dry, not lack of air.

 

[WardenWolf]

I honestly have to agree with g.willikers. Modern optics and manufacturing techniques mean that even a cheap Simmons rimfire scope will be superior to the old Weaver. Not saying I don't have respect for the classics, and they certainly do look good on certain guns, but he's right: optics are one thing that don't age well. Back then bifocal glasses were huge, heavy affairs. Now they're available in thin featherweight lenses, with much better clarity and consistency. The same goes for riflescopes.

 

[semi_problomatic]

IMHO, it is better to attempt yourself a repair on a scope not worth fixing rather one that is...

 

[WardenWolf]

Most likely you will wind up with a spring explosion of some sort if you take it apart. You'll probably never get it back together properly. I strongly recommend you don't try to service it yourself.

 

[Buzzard Bait]

Thanks

May just find another scope I am trying to keep the rifle sort of period correct and mount a scope of the same era of the rifle
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[myg30]

Post it for sale with the details of the problem you have with it. Some one will buy it for cheep.
Some guys do like old, and prefer old.

Good luck, Merry Christmas to all.

Mike

 

[Toolman]

Try this

You might try tapping on the side of the scope with a small screwdriver handle when making adjustments. Some of the erector springs on older scopes need that.

 

[Buzzard Bait]

Thanks

Thanks tool man will try giving a little tap tap tap and see what happens. May get a chance to mess with it over the hoidays

 

[Tom-C]

This all came up before in 2009. There's a great little book "Guide to Riflescope Repair" by J.W. Seyfried, published by University Optics, Inc. You can buy the book direct from UniversityOptics.com for $10 plus shipping. The scope they use as an example in the book is the Weaver V-22.

My problem was the power turret was too hard to turn. From what I saw inside, the power ring moves two brass blocks that slide in close fitting slits and move the lens to change the power. From further research, it appears that the grease of choice in optical instruments has been MIL-SPEC Avionics and Instrument grease. A tiny drop of Kroil on the hard grease in the slots inside the scope and it is good as new.

The chances that this scope retained any of the original nitrogen charge after 45 years is nil. Since this is not going to be a hunting or defense scope it will not be a problem anyway. If you heat the scope slightly with a heat gun you will reduce the relative humidity inside. If you really want to put nitrogen in the scope, you can get little cans of canned nitrogen for about $15 to $20 at a wine specialty store.

I help coach a High School Rifle Team and I have lots of experience with wonderful modern (inexpensive) spotting scopes. I have 2 or 3 fall apart every year and to date I have been able to fix all but 2. Lenses and prisms come loose and tripod mounts strip. I had a BSA 15 to 45 Catseye that broke in half when the scope stand fell over. I made wood blocks to hold it in alignment and JB welded it back together. It is still going strong 9 years later. If you are putting lots of scopes on the shelf, you might as well try and fix them, what do you have to lose?

 

[Buzzard Bait]

Thanks everyone

I'm staring to feel guilty since I posted this I have not had a chance to look at that scope again. When I do get the chance I am going to give it a try after all not working it's not even a good tent peg so why not.
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