Scopes with small eye bell?

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Mauser lover

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Why do all the scopes out there on the new market have eyepieces of massive proportion? An eye piece does not need to be an inch and three quarter diameter to work!

I'm looking for something with an eye bell no larger than 1.550 diameter. What's out there in a 3x9 or 2x7 or so variable?

Trying to clear a bolt handle without having the rings up somewhere in the stratosphere. I always get good help, so thanks in advance!
 
Mauser lover said:
Why do all the scopes out there on the new market have eyepieces of massive proportion? An eye piece does not need to be an inch and three quarter diameter to work!

I'm looking for something with an eye bell no larger than 1.550 diameter. What's out there in a 3x9 or 2x7 or so variable?

Trying to clear a bolt handle without having the rings up somewhere in the stratosphere. I always get good help, so thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

IMG_20190404_144657186

IMG_20190404_144657186


This is what I'm running on my .223. it's a Leupold rifleman it's a 4x12 I have it mounted pretty low and I think you can get it in a lower power.
 
I was looking for this the other day, my CZ 527 bolt has very tight clearance with a 3x9 and I was seeing if there's anything with a smaller bell.

Best I could find is a Leupold VXII Ultralight, which has a 1.4" bell. The thing only weighs 6.5 oz, and Leupold glass is pretty good stuff IME, so I'm kind of considering it. Fixed 2.5x power gives me pause though, and I'm shooting a 100 yard rifle. You'll probably need more than that.

https://www.leupold.com/scopes/rimfire-scopes/fx-ii-ultralight-2-5x20mm
 
Midway lists the eye bell diameter of the Leupold scopes as 1.56 inches. My Minox is just a shade less than that (my measurements on the Minox, so there could be some slight variation between the two).

Any other ideas? If not, stratospheric (well, maybe slightly sub-stratospheric) optics might just be what I have to go for!
 
I see folks recommend buying vintage Weavers, how good are they really? Anyone have experience comparing them to something modern?

The vintage look would actually probably go better with this one too, for whatever that's worth!
 
Mauser lover said:
I see folks recommend buying vintage Weavers, how good are they really? Anyone have experience comparing them to something modern?

The vintage look would actually probably go better with this one too, for whatever that's worth!
Click to expand...
Compared to a equal quality scope from today the old weavers arnt really that good, they arnt bad, but I'd buy a new Classic K or V instead of an old one.


I'd actually forgotten the Weaver Classics, have smaller bells than most other modern scopes. They are also at least as good as similarly priced leupolds. To me they are actually better.
 
Do you know the diameter? Midway doesn't have these, and they are the only retailer I know who list actually useful spec. sheets.
 
I've used many different scopes on many rifles and only had one issue with the scope handle clearing the scope and that was with a Steyr. They use an oddly shaped bolt handle that curves upward. I almost always use low rings even with 40mm objectives. And even with lows I could make it work on the Steyr. But over time it would have left a mark on the scope. What type of rifle are you having trouble with?

2C01D50059B6E6BAEFE624B468F9C3C192E316ED.jpg
 
LoonWulf said:
Compared to a equal quality scope from today the old weavers arnt really that good, they arnt bad, but I'd buy a new Classic K or V instead of an old one.


I'd actually forgotten the Weaver Classics, have smaller bells than most other modern scopes. They are also at least as good as similarly priced leupolds. To me they are actually better.
Click to expand...
didn't weaver make the classic in steel a few years ago. i thought i remember reading they made them and the aluminum.
 
Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe all Leupold scopes share the same size occular housing. My Buttler Creek covers fit my Mark AR 1.5-4x’s, my 3-9x Mark AR, a 3-9x VX Freedom, and a pair of VX-2s.

I discovered this when one cover broke and I needed a quick replacement for the season and grabbed one from my spare scope. That means with Leupold you won’t be limited to lower magnification so long as the objective isn’t too large.

4-12x and 6-18x VX-2s.
2B7E3A6E-A2CC-4432-98DB-03F3F2D19F34.jpeg
 
jmr40 said:
I've used many different scopes on many rifles and only had one issue with the scope handle clearing the scope and that was with a Steyr. They use an oddly shaped bolt handle that curves upward. I almost always use low rings even with 40mm objectives. And even with lows I could make it work on the Steyr. But over time it would have left a mark on the scope. What type of rifle are you having trouble with?

View attachment 835002
Click to expand...

It's a sporterized Mauser. Bolt has been bent. I've got medium rings on it right now, and while I CAN work the bolt without touching the scope, it CAN also hit the eyepiece if I try to make it hit. Would rather not move to the high rings, because I don't think they will really help that much.

The Minox has a 1.550 inch eye bell diameter. Plus or minus a few thousandths. Didn't use the micrometer, just the dial calipers, and took the measurement really hastily. So plus or minus a few thousandths.

The Leupold scopes seem to actually be bigger than what I've already got, and I can't seem to get a dimension on the Weaver Classics. I've "asked a question" on Amazon and Natchez and am waiting for an answer. Anyone here have one handy?
 
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Leupold and Weaver classic V's are probably your best bets. I prefer Weaver's. For a while Nikon's were huge, but I think they slimmed back downsome. With their current generation.
 
Mauser lover said:
It's a sporterized Mauser. Bolt has been bent. I've got medium rings on it right now, and while I CAN work the bolt without touching the scope, it CAN also hit the eyepiece if I try to make it hit. Would rather not move to the high rings, because I don't think they will really help that much.

The Minox has a 1.550 inch eye bell diameter. Plus or minus a few thousandths. Didn't use the micrometer, just the dial calipers, and took the measurement really hastily. So plus or minus a few thousandths.

The Leupold scopes seem to actually be bigger than what I've already got, and I can't seem to get a dimension on the Weaver Classics. I've "asked a question" on Amazon and Natchez and am waiting for an answer. Anyone here have one handy?
Click to expand...
Ill go measure my Leupy when i get cleaned up. I actually just got home.
Weavers are slightly larger than leupolds, but still smaller than most any other scope besides the pre-plastic cap nikons....OH, ive got a Nikon buckmaster (the older better one) that has a pretty small ocular that im not using. I can go measure that.
 
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Leupold vx-f 2-7x32 ocular is 1.56"
Nikon 2015 Buckmaster 3-9x40 ocular is 1.45

im beginning to think that a weaver Classic V might actually have a smaller ocular than a leupy.

I also have a 4x redfield that i forgot to measure, but its got about the same size ocular. MOST older scopes, pre 2ks, actually do.
 
In my experience most all scopes eye pieces are pretty darn close to the same size. And always have been. I think the OP is looking in the wrong direction. He is using a rifle designed to work with iron sights that has had the bolt handle modified to work with scopes. My guess is that the problem is still with the bolt handle needing to be further modified rather than looking for a scope that will work with the bolt handle.
 
jmr40 said:
the problem is still with the bolt handle needing to be further modified
Click to expand...

Likely the best, cheapest, and easiest solution.

From the OP’s original description of what’s happening, it sounds like the bolt is loose enough in the raceway to tap the scope intermittently but really that shouldn’t matter. Shooting with gloves might be a hindrance but most times it is anyway.
 
Skylerbone said:
From the OP’s original description of what’s happening, it sounds like the bolt is loose enough in the raceway to tap the scope intermittently but really that shouldn’t matter. Shooting with gloves might be a hindrance but most times it is anyway.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's exactly what's going on. I think I'm going to grab one of those Weavers and gain that little bit, because I'm not in the mood to modify the bolt handle any further. The previous owner had a set of low rings on it! No idea what scope he had, but I think those scopes from the '70s were a little more compact.
 
A few I just measured from 1420-1429 CST (literally just measured). Nothing so vastly different as to make a significant difference IMO.

1.475” on the Simmons (opened up a tad while taking the pic) but I don’t recommend a Simmons anything where it matters. That picture doesn’t show the pink Savage Rascal it’s mounted on.

Tasco, 3-9x, Japan 1970’s?
62E6D3A5-93BD-43F3-93BB-23873D293E83.jpeg

Simmons .22 MAG, 2013
F87BDD7B-BCF0-4462-AB9C-87A727D94697.jpeg

Nikon Rimfire Prostaff 3-9x, 2017
6FFB9D43-5583-4D57-82E0-D072E937A4F6.jpeg

Leupold Mark AR 3-9x, 2010?
AB8D0526-7F07-4441-A99E-4442A7ECF743.jpeg

Leupold VX-2 4-12x, 2018
7A84DB4D-6D7C-4DE8-B835-82E8B66D9666.jpeg

Same dimensions on Leupolds with exception of the focus ring on the end.
597DD94F-E10F-490A-B3F7-35D4C9F5695C.jpeg

Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4x, 2017
6D4B6EA5-64DC-48A7-87C9-77236DD230ED.jpeg

Nikon Team Realtree APG 4x, 2010?
1C6E789D-E6B2-4CE7-A29D-912C8FE0C341.jpeg
 
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