R.Fuess 3x riflescope

Hi All,

My first post and a question of course! I am a 50 something shooter in the UK, my passion is anything long range shooting related. I have been looking for a riflescope for a while for a project and my wife has just presented me with this. It is an R.Fuess 3x with a three post reticle and claw mounts, the elevation drum is marked 1-10 which I assume is x100m







It has some surface rust however the glass is very crisp despite my poor picture and the elevation drum feels perfect. It is fitted with claw mounts front and back and the rear has windage adjustment. I was going to use it for a project rifle however now I have it in my hands I am suddenly reluctant to do such a thing.

So can anyone tell me anything about such a 'scope along with the period it would have come from and what it would have been used for? I suspect 1920's maybe earlier and possibly for sporting use but of course being German and of 'that' era it could have been put to many uses.

Many thanks

David

can you add more pic's of the bases ???

Gosh that was quick





EDIT - What I can add is it comes with two leather end caps that are a good snug fit however they may not be original and the connecting strap has long since gone. I suspect the windage is on the wrong side having looked at other similar era 'scopes however this may be down to the way the bottom claw is fitted, the elevation drum has no provision for a lock screw and the makers plate shows:

R.Fuess
Berlin-Steglitz
3 fach

An update, I just wound the rear claw off with the windage screw and it is not reversible, my first impression is that regardless of the cosmetic rust everything is in very good working order and the glass may not be as good as my PMII but it is seems superior to the No32 Mk1 on my 4(T)

R Fuess 3x

Hi David

Your wife is good to you if she buys you scopes for your hobby/collection, wish mine would!!!

Your R Fuess 3x scope is WW1 military spec for the Gew 98 sniper rifle, 1 to 1000 Metres range dial. However would point out following:

Rings are commercial. There are many variants of the original military rings/bases fitted and usually they would also have the rifle number stamped on them as well. Any signs of previous fitted ring marks on tube?

Reticle is missing 4th post coming from 12 O’Clock position, a common alteration made by civilian shooters/hunters post WW1 when rings altered/removed and fitted to other rifles.

The rifle number is missing from the brass focus cover, has this been scrubbed i.e. any faint signs of anything under 3 fach? If no signs of anything possible original focus cover swapped out for a better condition scope or scope was unfinished/unfitted example left at Great War’s end.

A lot of these R Fuess scopes both 3x variant & 5 x variant were actually covered in a Green textured paint but also blued tube examples exist. Scopes in original Green textured finish and with original rings and parts are sought after by collectors.

I have restored these scopes in past as well as had the Green textured paint copied. If your lenses are good condition you are lucky as these suffer from yellowing balsam with age especially outer ocular lens and commonly need separating cleaning and re-cementing.

Thank you Valleysniper for telling me a bit more about my 'scope.

My wife is also a shooter so she does understand and take an interest in the older rifles, in fact she has an 8mm Danish Krag-Jørgensen plus a Schultz & Larsen however I know her interest lies in the more modern wildcat chamberings.

This does raise some more questions, I assume this is from around 1918? I do wonder how it ended up here in the UK, a story I will probably never know. Yes I do believe the brass plate has had the number scrubbed at some point. The only evident number is under the windage adjust dovetail and that is a 1 followed by .02 so not a serial number.

Do you know if the rings were soldered or shrunk on? I can see what looks like faint marks where old rings were in the same location but extended further around the tube. I assume I have no chance of finding a set of original claw mounts or if I do they will probably cost more than the 'scope was so I will have to try and find some pictures of something similar and build them myself.

I am looking forward to shooting with it however all of a sudden it puts me in a dilemma as to exactly what i do with it.

Many thanks again

David

Hi David

The original military rings were soldered on to the tube, see attached picture of scope found with rings removed but retaining a lot of its Green textured finish.

Finding original German WW1 telescopic sight rings is hard work and to find original rings & bases even harder.

There is a French dealer who sells period type Gew 98 rings and bases, usually has a few variant types on his site here or on E-Bay:

http://www.aassniper98.com/index.php?choix=711

Re dates of your scope? Factory assembled sniper rifles were being produced later part 1914 per my references so guess that the 3 x R Fuess scope available say 1915 to end hostilities. However if any other collector has more accurate information I would like to hear their thoughts.

Did you find the scope serial# on the tube under the brass plate (focus adjustment)?
Attached snapshots show my Fuess 5x. Same type of rings was used with the 3x scope.

Valleysniper thank you for the update, the exploded image of your 'scope is very useful indeed.

Amberg, I have just removed the focus cover and there are no numbers underneath the cover, it does look like the outer surface has been scrubbed at some time.

What are the ethics concerning such a 'scope? The chances of finding a Gew98 Sniper needing a scope here in the UK are zero. I do not agree with finding a Gew98 and adding a set of reproduction rings as that is no different to building a Kar98 sniper and passing it off as something it is not. I am not one for buying an item to place it in a draw, really it should be out in the fresh air again being put to good use.

Would it be acceptable to build a set of claw mount bases and put this on a period rifle to get it out and used again?

David

R Fuess scopes

Amberg that is a very nice condition R Fuess 5x scope.

Interesting to see also that you have the remains of petrified rubber eyepiece and its retaining clamp like my 3x scope (see pic).

I am a little confused by your comment though:

“Did you find the scope serial # on the tube under the brass plate (focus adjustment)?”

I have never seen or heard of the rifle serial number being placed under the Brass focus cover on an R Fuess scope be it 3x or 5x, did you mean on the Brass cover under the 3 fach engraving? I have never had or examined in hand one of the R Fuess 3x or 5x scopes that were set up on the Austrian M95 sniper rifles, did these maybe have rifle numbers engraved or stamped under focus plate? M95 R Fuess examples 3x and 5x had range dials marked 1-8 AFAIK and not 1-10 German Imperial states versions as David’s example.

David

“What are the ethics concerning such a 'scope? The chances of finding a Gew98 Sniper needing a scope here in the UK are zero.”

I would agree that chances of finding an original Gew 98 sniper rifle here in UK outside of a museum or high end collection are pretty remote. What you do with the scope as it’s yours has to be your decision. What I would say is that I know quite a few genuine military R Fuess 3x scopes missing rings but with good 'donor' parts have been broken up to restore original military scopes with rings but suffering in other areas.

Thanks, the 5x is in really nice condition.
Your 3x is the first one I've seen with the clamp. Another scope variation I have to look for.
I remember two military Fuess 3x (both were reworked to death) from my early days of collecting, that had a scope serial# (not rifle#) under the brass plate on the tube. One still might be there. I'll have a look.

Amberg said:

Thanks, the 5x is in really nice condition.
Your 3x is the first one I've seen with the clamp. Another scope variation I have to look for.
I remember two military Fuess 3x (both were reworked to death) from my early days of collecting, that had a scope serial# (not rifle#) under the brass plate on the tube. One still might be there. I'll have a look.

Click to expand...

Hi Amberg

Sorry my mistake scope number, again never seen military R Fuess scope with a scope serial number on tube so would be interested in seeing a picture of anything in your collection. Some late WW1 British Aldis pattern 3 sniper scopes had the scope number engraved on tube underneath Brass focus cover as well, this was also repeated on Brass ocular housing (see pic).

There is another collector I know who sometimes posts on this forum who also has the clamp on his 5x R Fuess and a rubber eyepiece on scope, perhaps he will post a picture or 2.

Anybody else out there got any interesting military R Fuess scopes in their collections?

My 3x Fuess scope

That is a in lovely condition, is that original or has it been re-finished at some point?

It's all original in untouched condition. With the rare cloth bag, only missing the rubber eyepiece.

I know and remember that beauty . No deny that one is Completely Original . Best Regards

Thanks,
another Fuess 3x, with different rear ring.

@ Valleysniper
have another 3x and a 8x Fuess scope that need some restoration. (new paint)
The 3x scope is coplete with rings, but has been repainted.
The 8x scope, well only remnants. Original green painting partially (98%) removed. Poor optics, no rings.
I'll post some photos tomorrow.
Please let me know what you think.
The 3x will be for sale, the 8x scope for my own collection.
Thanks

R Fuess Scopes

Hi Amberg

Thanks for posting pictures.

That first scope the textured Green finish is in really pristine condition, and with case and cloth bag a very desirable scope for any collection. You can clearly see the staining on ocular housing bell of scope where the eyepiece was. Do you think it ever had the steel clamp fitted or just a push on rubber or leather eyepiece? The staining suggests had metal clamping ring pinching a rubber eyepiece on. The steel clamping ring is about 9 mm wide on average.

Look forward to seeing your other R Fuess scopes, do you have a price in mind on the 3x repainted one with original rings? if so please PM me,

Did you finds pics of the other R Fuess marked under focus cover?

Thanks

Valleysniper

looks like the 3x once had the metal clamp.
Sorry, no time to look for the 3x scope with serial#. It has to be somewhere, but ....
Attached some photos showing the other 3x and 8?x Fuess scopes.
The 3x scope needs some new paint, ocular lenses and the lower part of the rear ring repaired. Some jamhead ground off one the the claws!
The other scope, well, only remnants, needs everything, but first of all some original rings. I know it will never ever be something like original, but it is such a rare bird.
I suppose it originally was blued, but at some point during WWI was camo painted like the helmets.