1900 to 1918

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Here is a pretty rare French manufactured Lebel model 1886 M93 fitted with an original A.P.X. 1916 scope. The Lebel M93 used to be the French main sniper rifle during World War I. The APX scopes evoluted from APX 1915 to APX 1917.

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Below are three black & white pictures, taken in the trenches, showing French snipers using Lebel M93 rifles mounted with APX scopes.

A French sniper with Lebel rifle and A.PX Mle

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Skoparette 4x scope, made by Voigtländer in Braunschweig, was one of the main models used by Bavarian snipers during WW1. The rear mount bears the logo of the Gebruder Merkel manufacturer in Suhl, Germany.

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Here is a WWI Enfield SMLE rifle fitted with the scarce Whitehead mount and a Winchester A5 scope. A one of a kind configuration in the collection world but not the best sniper setup of its time, from an engineering point of view.

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1915 Periscopic Prism Company Ltd. Sniper scope, used on Enfield SMLE (serial n° 6133 Y) during WW1. Even if several scope models were used by the United Kingdom during WWI, the 1915 P.P.Co was the most used by British snipers.

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Below : a black & white picture showing snipers of the King’s Own Regiment in Salonika, possibly June 1916.

Snipers of the King_s Own Regiment on Salonika, possibly June 1916

This Dr. W. Gérard B3x sniper scope has an uncommon transitional straight lined mount. These mounts were completely offeset to allow the sniper to aim with the regular bore. They were replaced by half deported mounts on most of sniper scopes pretty early in the war.

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This is a Bavarian sniper scope made by Otto Bock K. & K. Hofl. in Berlin. Note the odd-looking single claw mount and the typical (1)-2-3-4 Bavarian-style meter dial.

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Aldis 1915 sniper scope with J. Purdey and Sons mount for SMLE

Skoparette 4x scope, made by Voigtländer in Braunschweig, was one of the main models used by Bavarian snipers during WW1. The rear mount bears the logo of the Gebruder Merkel manufacturer in Suhl, Germany.

This 3x sniper scope was made by Voigtländer in Braunschweig. A lot of these were used during WWI. This one is bearing the rifle serial number 1139 cc but its mounts bears a different number. Below you can see a b&w picture showing a German sniper using this scope in the trenches during winter 1916.

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Oigee Berlin Luxor 3x – Gewehr Nr. 1378 i

German sniper with C.P. Goerz 3x scope and carrying case

Emil Busch Rathenow Visar 2,75x – Gewehr Nr. 4700 cc

Voigtlander Braunschweig 3x – Gewehr Nr. 6091 bb

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Here is a complete set used by a German sniper during WWI. The scope was made by Oigee in Berlin, model Luxor 3x. The scope, mounts and carrying case bear the G98 serial number 7368 bb. The case also comes with its little cleaning brush and mount adjustement key.

The well-known picture below shows a German sniper aiming through a similar scope from its trench during WWI. Note the carrying case attached to its belt.

C.P. Goerz Berlin 3x scope an carrying case

Dr. Walter Gerard Mod. G 4x – Gewehr Nr. 7790 c

C.P. Goerz 3x – Gewehr Nr. 5542

The “G” 4x scope, made by Dr.W.Gerard in Charlottenburg, used by Bavarian snipers during WWI, was slightly modified from a civilian hunting scope. Only two modifications were made: the rifle number was engraved on the scope and the 2-4-6 meter dial was added.

The Oigee Berlin Luxor 3x scope was used in large number during WWI. This kind of deported mount was also widespread, allowing to aim with the regular sighting parts of the rifle without taking off the scope. This scope cames with its matching carrying case (rifle n° 2543 cc)

A WWI sniper scope made by Emil Busch A-G in Rathenow. This model Visar 2,75x comes with its matching carrying case and the remains of a leather eye cap. Rifle numbed engraved on the scope and the case is n° 5756 d.

A complete WW1 set composed of a Oigee Berlin Luxor 3x scope with its matching carrying case (rifle. N° 2495 z) and accessories. The small key was used to move the rear mount leg when mounted on the rifle.

Here we have an other rare sniper scope made by C.Reichert in Wien. It was used on the Mannlicher M95 sniper rifle. The E.A.XI. marking on the mount states for Erzeugungs Abteilung 11 (Production Department 11). Collection and pictures : Dariusz Marzec

Here is an extremely rare set : an Aldis Scope with Alexander Martin mount for the P.14 rifle. Only 421 of these rifles were made and a very few of them remain today.

Emil Busch A-G Rathenow Visar 2,75x was one of the most used sniper scopes during WWI. This one was mounted on the rifle n° 5756 d.

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Leather protection caps used on ZF39-type scopes during WWII. WaA414 refers to Hensoldt & Sohne Optische Werke A-G, Wetzlar from 1939 to 1942

Metal carrying can issued by Emil Busch A-G in Rathenow for the 2.75 scope during WWI.

R.Fuess Berlin-Steglitz 3x Carrying case

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C.P. Goerz Berlin 4x is an interesting WWI scope because it was mounted on a mount which could be seen as the ancester of the WWII turret mount. This was, with the similar Goerz 3x mount, the only mounts from 14-18 that could be changed from a G98 to another one without modification (having the right bases on it, of course).

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Here is a WWI leather carrying case made for the Warner and Swasey Mod. 1913 telescopic sight. R.I.A marking stands for Rock Island Arsenal.

Another rareWW1 sniper scope made by R. Fuess Berlin-Steglitz. Green paint was pretty uncommon 14-18 sniper scopes. Only a few manufacturers used this finish on their scopes, mostly late war.

World War I sniper scope made by Hensoldt in Wetzlar. This model, Ziel Dialyt 2,75x, probably was the smaller sniper scope used during the WWI. This one was mounted on the rifle (Gewehr) N° 7835.

C.P. Goerz Berlin 4x Carrying case

C.P. Goerz Berlin 4x Carrying case made during World War I era. The case was originally painted green.

Bavarian type sniper scope made by Dr. Walter Gerard in Charlottenburg. Along with the Voigtländer Skoparette, the Dr. W. Gerard “G” 4x was a Bavarian “classic” sniper scoped used during World War I. Note the Bavarian style meter dial 200m – 400m – 600m.

Here is one of the “classic” Prussian sniper scopes used during World War I. This 3x scope was made by R.Fuess in Berlin. Scopes made by R.Fuess were sometimes painted green.

Pre WWI G.Z.IIII Prismatic rifle scope made by Carl Zeiss in Jena.

Luxor 3x sniper scope made by Oigee manufactuer in Berlin. This model was one of the most used during WWI. Its deported mount is also typical and wears the same rifle number “n° 712 i” than the scope main tube. Meter dial is Prussian 1-10 style.

Skoparette 4x scope made by Voigtländer manufacturer in Braunschweig. It had Bavarian style meter dial 2-4-6 (200m-400m-600m). You can see by the deer logo that this model was a civilian hunting scope at the first place, before to be used by Bavarian snipers during World War I.

C.P. Goerz Berlin 3x scope wearing the rifle number (gewehr. Nr.) 6876. Meter dial is Prussian style 1-10. This mount was one of the first interchangeable models made for sniper use, allowing to mount the scope on any other rifle fitted with the right bases without needing of gunsmith modifications.