I prefer gloss scopes also.
All my rifles have gloss Leupolds on them.

 

Love those H&Ks. 👍

I generally like to put period-correct glass on a rifle if possible.

Pre A M52 with slightly newer Unertl

M69 with a glossy 4X Redfield (80s?)

My SL6 with a big ol Meopta. Not period-correct or glossy- but they're both European. Lol.

Annie with a glossy Lupy AO.

 

I agree. A Blue steel walnut stocked rifle needs a gloss scope. The only problem with a gloss scope is there aren’t any that I know of that have a decent hold over reticle. I like mildot, G2B and others for my long range calibers so I have to put a matte scope on a blue rifle. I wish they made scopes like that I think there are plenty of people out there that would buy them.

 

Can you find new gloss scopes anymore? All the scopes I've researched for my new .22 hobby have been a matte finish.

 

I don't believe that any are being manufactured now. It will take take looking for used or the occasional lucky find of a older new in box scope. The end of an era.

 

Nice rigs all around in here! I have as close to period correct gloss Leupold on my Remington 541S, all three 541Ts and my 582s. The way it should be!

 

Nothing but gloss finish (steel tube blued actually) for my rifles. I might have one gloss finished aluminum scope.

 

Nothing but gloss finish (steel tube blued actually) for my rifles. I might have one gloss finished aluminum scope.

OK marlinguy.......you got me curious........in the pic with all the Schutzen style rifles, bottom left....
the butt of a gun is sticking out.....the shape and the swivel have me dying of curiosity........really gotta know.....
what is it?????????

 

Yeah sure seems to have gone out a while back. Only one I got now is a Redfield Tracker from the late 70s or early 80s. Miss em myself. Never realized cost was a factor for companies. Not a fan of matte bluing finishes on guns today either. Dull and unattractive in my book. One reason I bought my Ruger American rimfire. At least it has a glossy black oxide coating. Heard they banned some chemicals in the old bluing we used to see.

 

I agree. I just bought a used M8 4X Leupold for a 10/22 Ultimate Sporter "build." I want the rifle be a blend of old and new. The glossy black M8 is going to be the cherry on top.

 

I currently have four rifles with "Gloss" scopes (Leupold & Redfield) mounted on them.

 

You dont have to buy used, a Ballistol wipe gets rid of that dusky skin.

 

I prefer gloss scopes also.
All my rifles have gloss Leupolds on them.

I have several Leopoldo scopes that are Gloss, mostly the Rimfire ones, I love them!

Thanks, I'll check them out. How is GruBee for quality? I've never heard of them.

Gru Bee is a Chinese copy of the old 3/4 in Redfield. It is a nice scope for a rimfire ,but I think they only make a 4x model. Quality is good but not stellar IMHO

 

I have several Leopoldo scopes that are Gloss, mostly the Rimfire ones, I love them!

Gru Bee is a Chinese copy of the old 3/4 in Redfield. It is a nice scope for a rimfire ,but I think they only make a 4x model. Quality is good but not stellar IMHO

Thanks for the heads up. I might go crazy and buy the Leica. I'm in the "spending the kid's inheritance" phase of my life.

 

I have the 3/4" Redfields one is made for Brwning and the other is the 'Baby Redfield' both gloss and nice. I don't have the smaller rifles they were on anymore.

 

Nice.

 

Im with you on the gloss finish. especially on the older rifles.

 

I took this "big girl" out to the range a couple of weeks ago:

The local attendees were expecting "smoke & fury" but didn't know I had equipped it with a Crossno .22LR insert:

(Photo from the Shiloh Sharps site)

I got a few "what the heck" stares.

Mike

 

I love the stock on that pump!

 

Totally agree. I understand the manufacturing side and the ease of offering only one type of finish. But it leaves us gun owners to relying on the used scope market to try and find what we want. Same can be said for silver finish scopes. Why none of the top companies offer them anymore, especially in the world where stainless is so prevalent, is beyond me. It seems anymore that the only chunk of the market they listen to are long range, PRS, ELR, etc... I have no desire for complicated reticles which seems to dominate all the top tier optics. And I would pay significant funds for a classic blued steel scope but with modern quality. A modern matte scope just does not look right on my vintage rifles.

 

The Leica has a simple duplex illuminating reticle. I found a company that has a decent price compared to retail, including the tax and shipping which the no added tax is huge living in Maine. There is one left. Leica Fortis 1.8-12x42i

 

The Gloss Baby Redfield and the Browning SA are the perfect combo.

If the rifle has bright bluing it should have a gloss scope.

 

I too miss the glossy scope option. I liked to put a glossy scope on a glossy blued gun. However as the choices of glossy diminished, I moved to a less dogmatic view. I will use a matte scope if I can get matching matte rings and bases. My one exception is with collectible firearms I may use in a display. They will get period scopes and mounts.

My main rationale was that the lens coatings on newer scopes is just so much better than older glossy scopes, especially for variables. Then as someone already mentioned certain newer reticles are also reasons to switch. My 2 matte stainless rifles use matte black rings, bases (if needed) and scopes. Short of a brief run of stainless steel tube Weavers, stainless scopes never come close to matching the stainless gun finish, so black matte it is.

 

I also love gloss scopes, I buy them whenever I see them for a good price. Here are a couple of mine

Mossberg 46MB

 

What about buffing a matte scope until it is glossy? Would that work? If not, I think the idea to use a glossy clear coat has merit.

My first bigboy rifle purchase as a young adult was a Weatherby in .270 Winchester. I had always been swayed by the advertising in gun mags and TPW magazines as a lad. In high school my best friend and I always lusted for a Weatherby. I finally got one and the walnut and bluing are both beautifully glossy. I would never dare put a matte scope on it. On the advice of one of my good friends my wife purchased a glossy scope for me for Christmas way back when. She's a keeper (and my friend is pretty good, too!)

 

I've thought of spraying them with black epoxy paint. In the past, I had a gloss scope with a number of heavy scratches in the tube. I took a real fine paint brush and dabbed some black epoxy paint onto the scratches, filling them in. Later I carefully buffed them out with 600, 800 and 1000 grit sand paper. Afterwards, the paint blended in with the original finish. Unless looking really close, one could not tell they had been touched up. Durcoat black gloss and an air-brush would work.

 

I’ve seen a few scopes that have been cerakoted in gloss black and they look far better than they would if they were spray painted. I heard they also have a clear finish that glosses things up as well. Doing scopes requires someone with experience as you can’t heat them as much as plain metal parts.
My personal solution is to just buy good gloss Leupolds and add them to the stash. I collect Oregon made Kimber rimfire rifles and it’s absolutely mandatory they be scoped with Oregon made gloss Leupolds so if I get ahead on the scopes I have an excuse to find another Kimber example of claro walnut and gloss blued steel.
I will tell you that the supply of good gloss Leupold scopes is gradually diminishing so if you have the wherewithal you should get them when you find them.

 

At my age if it helps me see the target better the scope can be a swirl of hot pink and Fluorescent green.

 

I'm with you on gloss tubed scopes. I'm even worse than you because I prefer straight tubes also. I only have one scope left & it's a 1.5X5 Leopold gloss. I'm saving it for a special .22 for the bumper crop of great grandchildren. It'll eventually end up on a 5-teen Remington or a Mossberg.

I could kick myself when I missed a K3x Weaver with gloss tube that was on the Sell & Swap of the Cast Boolit Forum for $150.

 

I guess I'm just old fashion, as I have a thing for blued rifles, walnut stocks and gloss rifle scopes. I have several older rifles that I have re-stored and rust blued. I've also made several of my own walnut stocks for them. I can't see putting matte finished scopes on them. Since all scopes are made today with matte finishes, cheaper for the scope companies; I've resorted to buying used rifle scopes. I've purchased numerous used Leupold, Burris and Redfield scopes. I like the Burris mini or compact rifle scopes. I have three mini 4X scopes currently mounted on carbines. And a fourth is being shipped to me at this time. It would be nice if companies would start making gloss rifle scope again.

View attachment 610546
Marlin 27s .25-20

View attachment 610547
HK 630 .223 and 770 .308

View attachment 610551
Ruger American Rimfire .17hmr
View attachment 610633
I forgot this one - WSL 1910 .401. I mounted a Burris mini 4X on last fall. Sorry no pic. I will have to take one.

A small optics company (non-Chinese), like Tract, might be persuaded to create a scaled down model of their 4-12x40 EFR AO but anodized in gloss. Taper the size down to 3-9x32 and have the inscriptions in gold or silver as option.

To ask them of variations in size and shape would be too ambitious, I think, so the above-mentioned should be a good enough compromise.

I’m in for one and willing to do a deposit if need be to turn this into a reality.

If someone here is willing to be an ambassador, then….

 

A small optics company (non-Chinese), like Tract, might be persuaded to create a scaled down of their 4-12x40 EFR AO but anodized in gloss. Taper the size down to 3-9x32 and have the inscriptions in gold or silver as option.

To ask them of variations in size and shape would be too ambitious, I think, so the above-mentioned should be a good enough compromise.

I’m in for one and willing to do a deposit if need be to turn this into a reality.

If someone here is willing to be an ambassador, then….

..or a 2-7x28 with a 50-yard parallax and duplex dot reticle.